The Window Nannies: 5 Ways Interior Shutters Used In The Nursery Can Protect Your Baby

When choosing window coverings for an infant's nursery, parents often hit a snag. You may want to use cheap blinds to save money, or you want to hang darling curtains that match the crib bedding. But are cheap blinds and curtains really safe for your little one?

Interior shutters may be the best choice for your new nursery. Here are 5 reasons why:

1) There are no cords to pose a strangulation risk.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends parents use cordless window coverings in any areas where children can reach the windows. Most shutter products have no cords to entangle a child. The window slats are opened by small levers located on the shutters themselves.

Both fabric curtains and cheap plastic shades have long pull strings that can prove deadly for small children.

2) They help keep the nursery cleaner.

Unlike curtains, shutters are easy to dust and wipe clean. When given minimal care, they won't hold onto mold, dust or animal hair, all of which can be irritating to sensitive people's breathing. Unlike blinds, shutters aren't flimsy or difficult to handle when cleaning.

Shutters can be ordered in custom, child-friendly paints. Many shutters can also be repainted. Using non-toxic paint on shutters makes them a cleaner option for your child.

3) Interior shutters help keep baby warm in winter.

Insulated window shutters inside your baby's room will reduce heat loss and help keep the room toasty warm. Installing these shutters the correct way can translate into around R-9 to R-11 insulation values, which is significant.

With shutters closed against the bitter winds, you won't have to worry about your child's room being comfortable on cold days.

4) Shutters can completely darken a room.

If your baby naps best in darkness, shutters are a great way to go. The insulating types of interior shutters will almost all completely block sunlight and even reduce a lot of annoying exterior sound as well.

Shutters can help if baby's nursery has an east-facing window, too. The brightest, earliest rays won't be able to wake your sleeping little one when you have the shutters closed.

5) The can keep a baby from falling.

If shutters are installed correctly, made flush with the sash, using safety hardware, there are precious few children who will be able to climb through, up or around a set of sturdy interior shutters. Small children normally won't be able to get their heads stuck between the slats, and they normally wont be able to fall out of upper story windows when shutters are locked closed.

You'll still want to install safety netting on the outside of upper story nursery windows, but the risk of falling is minimized when the shutters present a barrier.

This feature has the added benefit of allowing you to open the window several inches to let in fresh air without worrying. The shutters let in the breeze without letting out the baby.

No window treatment or device is fail-proof. Parents must be vigilant no matter how many safety devices they install. But interior shutters have advantages over other window treatments when it comes to the security of the nursery. An interior design specialist will know about all of the best current window treatments to help you create the safest nursery ever.

For more help, try contacting a company like The Blind and Drapery Corner with any questions you have.