Right up there on the excitement scale with creating your list of baby names is pondering the endless possibilities for making your baby’s room special while keeping safety a high priority. From a fantasy room that clearly stands apart, to a subdued space that blends with the décor in your home, your baby’s nursery can be anything you want, while still creating a baby safe haven for your little one.

How do I start to choose the nursery décor? A logical place to start in designing your baby’s room is with the crib bedding, blanket, and crib skirt. It’s often much easier to start with the crib linens and then paint or wallpaper. To guard against suffocation, we recommend keeping your baby’s crib simple—just a tight fitted sheet, and maybe a crib skirt/dust ruffle for a touch of style. If you want to use a bumper pad, make sure it’s thin, firm, securely tied and meshy, not puffy or padded. Bumper pads should be removed as soon as your baby can pull up to a standing position, so he can't use them as a stepping stool to climb out of the crib.

I love all of the cute baby fabrics, but should I use a theme that will be suitable as my baby goes older? Colors and styles of baby room decor run the gamut—from bears, boats, and bunnies, to prints, checks, florals, toile, and stripes in bold and muted tones. Consider coordinating more traditional window treatment fabrics with age specific décor items that are less expensive and easily replaceable.

There are so many cribs and mattresses, how do I know which is best? Of all the items on your baby shopping list, a crib probably will be among the most challenging to select. You'll want a crib that's durable, safe and matches your taste and budget. While you may consider a bassinet, cradle, or co-sleeper at first (some common alternatives for your baby's first four months or so), your child is safest in a crib. Cribs are the only beds for babies that are required to meet certain federal government standards. Cribs are even available now that can be re-configured from crib to toddler to full sized bed as your child grows.

Are there guidelines I should follow when arranging my baby’s room? Baby beds should never be placed close to windows. Each year young children are injured or die in tragic accidents after being strangled in window blind cords, curtain tie backs and electrical cords. Hunter Douglas offers a cord tensioner with spring tension and bracket, that when properly installed holds the cord taut to reduce the risk of an inquisitive child becoming entangled. Another way to eliminate cord hazards: Motorization with remote control allows you to raise and lower shades at the touch of a button.

I hear so much about lead-based paint, what kind of paint should I use and when do I paint? Paint the nursery at least one week before your baby's arrival. That allows time for fumes to subside before your baby comes home. If possible, use a paint that's labeled low-VOC (volatile organic compounds). VOC are chemicals that can vaporize into the air and may be irritating to a baby.

Don’t forget to install smoke alarms outside every bedroom and on every floor. Additionally, place a carbon monoxide detector on every sleeping level of your home.

Accent Blinds and Shutters motorized Cellular Shades were showcased on TLC’s 18 (now 19) and Counting in December 2009. Click here to view the video.