Blue paint and sailboats for the boy's room? "No way!" says Jennifer Pope, owner of The Red Balloon Company, a Chicago-based children's store that specializes in custom furniture and unique decorating solutions. "I am not a big fan of gender-specific items for a nursery," says Pope. "I believe that the best purchases are those made by parents who identify with a particular item because it brings back memories of their own childhoods, and they want to pass that feeling along to their kids."

With years of retail experience that began in high school, Pope helps new parents find the best, most creative and most cost-effective solutions for nurseries and kids' rooms.

In lieu of the now-trendy yellow and sage nursery paint colors, she recommends bright colors and contrasts. "Studies have shown that early introduction to bright colors such as lime green, red and bright orange help stimulate babies' imaginations," she says. As for lighting, it's important for new parents to remember they will be logging a serious number of hours in the baby's room, so window covers and lighting fixtures matter.

"Nurseries should have adjustable lighting. For windows, install a simple roller shade to block out light, and then add drapes or a roman shade over that," says Pope. "Spend an extra $40 at your lamp repair store to have your lamps converted to a three way (if they are not currently). Or have one lamp with a low-wattage bulb that is easy to reach from your changing area or rocking chair."

And if you're looking for a theme, Pope says that her best advice for parents is to avoid anything that they wouldn't want to see in their own living space. "I encourage new parents to make a departure from what they would typically associate with 'baby' and go with something that they connect with as adults," says Pope.

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