How to Paint Furniture for a Baby Nursery

We tend to think of function before form when choosing nursery furniture. You probably ask yourself, “Is this piece safe? Will it support my baby? Will it support me as I hold the baby?” This is a responsible way of going about things, but you don’t have to sacrifice form in the quest for function. With a brush, some ingenuity, and knowledge of how to paint furniture for a baby nursery, you can have both.

Choosing Nursery Furniture Paints

Best Paint Types

Though we can focus more on aesthetics, we should still consider practicality when choosing paint for nursery furniture. First, you want your paints to be non-toxic to ensure that they’re better for your baby. Then, you want to check that they’re durable and easy to clean. Look for VOC-free nursery paints with higher gloss levels, such as semi-gloss.

Paint Color Ideas

This is where you can allow your imagination to take flight. While there isn’t a “good” or “bad” answer for which colors to choose, here are a few ideas you may consider and their benefits:

• White or beige: As a neutral, white goes with most room aesthetics, making it easy to reuse as your child gets older. You can also hand the space down to your next child. Beige fills the same role. Besides their versatility, their lightness also makes rooms feel bigger and brighter.
• Black or brown: Black and brown are also neutrals that go with almost anything, but these dark hues have the added benefit of concealing stains your nursery might acquire.
• Match the Walls: It’s hard to find furniture that matches your chosen wall color. So, the easiest way to get around this is to paint the furniture with the walls in mind. Then, you can be sure they won’t clash.
• Complement the Walls: If you choose a color from the color wheel and look directly across from it, you’ll find its complement. When these two hues are together, they make each other stand out energetically. For example, a yellow dresser will pop next to a purple wall.

Tips for Painting Furniture in the Nursery

Start Early

Getting an early start is smart because paints need time to dry. And if you’ve chosen not to use VOC-free paint, the fumes can potentially linger in the air for months afterward. Even if you use non-toxic varieties, the chore itself can be labor-intensive, especially if you’re painting larger furniture pieces like dressers. Lifting heavy objects after the first trimester can lead to unwanted complications. Therefore, it’s best to get this done as soon as possible.

Prepare Your Surfaces

You only have to strip off the paint if the previous paint job is old and cracked. However, you should still wipe down the surfaces to get rid of any dirt or dust. Then, take gentle-grade sandpaper and go over them with it. This will help the paint adhere more easily.

Now that you know how to paint furniture for a baby nursery, you need to find the right paints to use. Whether you focus more on form or function, ECOS Paints wants to equip you with the tools you need for a flawless nursery. That’s why our collection of Lullaby furniture paints comes in countless colors and four different finishes.