Design bedrooms to grow with the kids

Jennifer Cohen wishes she had had the sense to think about the cents she was lavishing on decorations for her baby daughter's bedroom.

Cohen pulled out all the stops for the dream nursery - down to the custom-made crib bumpers and skirting. But baby Gabrielle quickly outgrew the nursery and those pricey baby items were stowed away all too soon.

For her 9-month-old son Ryan, the New York City mom says she has been more prudent, investing in the basics such as window treatments and light fixtures that will last him through childhood.

"I learned from the first time," she recalls, "It was wasteful. You want to make wise choices."

It's natural to get caught up in the excitement of welcoming a baby home. But unless money is no object, parents should plan ahead and invest in the underpinnings that will carry a child through different stages, experts advise. Batman, baseball, princess or ballerina themes can be rotated in and out with new bedding or wall hangings.

"Many new parents imagine their baby only in the infant or toddler stage and don't think about how their choices for the nursery might later work with an older child who now has his own tastes and opinions," says Sherri Blum, a Westminster, Md.-based designer who specializes in children's rooms. "Your 3-year-old son might love dinosaurs today, but next year he will want a soccer theme in his room and be complaining that the dinosaurs are too babyish."

But just because it pays to be practical, doesn't mean you shouldn't have fun, says Celia Tejada, senior vice president, product design and development for San Francisco-based Pottery Barn. If they want to go on a safari add a mosquito net above the bed, she says. "It doesn't have to be expensive."

Before thoughts turn to themes of unicorns or dinosaurs, it's time to build an infrastructure that will hold up until the child is off to college or on her own.

That's as simple as starting with a good paint job in a solid color. You'll want neutral, sturdy window treatments like wood blinds, shades or shutters.

Be careful about drapes or blinds with long pull cords that can be dangerous for toddlers. One inexpensive solution: you can twist the cord around a small piece of decorative hardware installed on the window molding. Manufacturer Hunter Douglas offers a retractable mechanism to raise and lower shades, which keeps the cord at a constant length.

Once your infant is out of the crib, don't bother with a junior or toddler bed, experts say. The alternative is to move him or her right into a twin or even full-sized bed with a portable guardrail. Make sure the rail is tight against the mattress. One alternative for toddlers is to place the mattress on the floor and avoid using the frame until he or she is older.