Nursery Window Treatments: Safe, Dark and Sweet

Few rooms in the house get planned as lovingly as a nursery. Paint colors get debated, the crib gets assembled twice, and every detail matters. The windows deserve the same care, because they affect two things every new parent cares about: safety and sleep.

Here’s how we help families plan nursery windows that keep little ones safe, make naps easier and still look sweet.

Safety first: no cords

Loose and looped cords can be a strangulation hazard for young children. In a nursery, we recommend window treatments with no accessible cords at all:

• Cordless lift. Raise and lower the shade by hand from the bottom rail. Nothing hangs down.
• Motorized lift. Shades move from a remote, a wall keypad, the PowerView® App or a schedule. Nothing to pull, nothing to reach.

Also place the crib, changing table and any climbable furniture away from windows. Our guide to cordless window treatments for kids and pets has more tips for the rest of the house.

Make it dark enough for naps

Babies nap in the middle of the day and often go to bed before the sun sets in summer. A truly dark room helps.

Choose a darkening fabric

Room-darkening and blackout fabrics block most or all of the light coming through the shade. If you’re unsure which you need, see light-filtering vs. room-darkening vs. blackout.

Close the edges

Even a blackout fabric lets light in around the sides of the shade. To close the gaps:

• Mount the shade outside the window frame so it overlaps the opening.
• Choose a shade with side channels, like the LightLock® system for Duette® Honeycomb Shades.
• Layer drapery over the shade, which also softens the room.

Designer tip: Check the nursery at the time of day your baby naps. A west window at 2 p.m. needs more help than the same window at 7 a.m.

Our favorite nursery choices

Cellular shades

Cellular shades are the most popular nursery choice we install. They come in room-darkening fabrics, go cordless or motorized, and the honeycomb cells help insulate the window so the room stays more comfortable through cold nights and warm afternoons. Top-Down/Bottom-Up lift is a nice bonus for daytime play: lower the top for light while the bottom stays private.

Roller shades

Designer Roller Shades come in blackout fabrics and give a clean, simple look that works behind drapery.

Roman shades

Vignette® Modern Roman Shades bring soft fabric folds to a nursery, come in room-darkening fabrics and have no exposed cords on the back.

Drapery over a shade

Drapery adds color, pattern and warmth, and closing it over a shade is one of the best ways to block light at the edges. See How to Layer Drapery and Shades.

Make life easier at 2 a.m.

Motorized shades are especially helpful in a nursery. You can lower the shades from the hallway or your phone without crossing a creaky floor, set them to close at bedtime and open in the morning, and never worry about cords. If you’re curious, start with our beginner’s guide to PowerView®.

Plan for the years ahead

A nursery becomes a toddler room, then a playroom, then a big-kid room. A few choices help your window treatments last through every stage:

• Choose a neutral shade and bring in color with drapery, bedding and decor, which are easier to change.
• Pick a forgiving fabric color. Soft neutrals and mid-tones hide fingerprints better than bright white.
• Keep it cordless for good, not just for the baby years.

You can see how this works in a real home: in this bright family home, the same cellular shades run through the bedrooms and two kids’ rooms.

Get the nursery ready before the baby arrives

Custom window treatments are made to order, so it helps to plan a few weeks before your due date. During a free in-home consultation, your designer will bring room-darkening samples, measure the windows and help you choose cordless or motorized options. You can also see them in person at our showrooms in Champaign, Normal and Orland Park.