It's a wonderful moment - finding out that you're going to have a baby. Once the initial euphoria is over, though, the planning and the costs begin! Most people set aside a room for baby, and when you walk into a baby superstore it's hard not to get carried away by all the incredibly gorgeous stuff available for baby's room.

Even though it's great to show some flair and make baby's room, it's also important to remember some basic design guidelines, and also that your baby isn't going to be a baby forever, and you don't want to make the inevitable redecorating any more complicated than it needs to be.

One of the first things you need to look at is the basic layout of the room. How much space is there? Where are the power points, and the lights? You also need to think about what furniture you're going to buy - crib, change table, bassinet or cradle, cupboard space, toy storage etc. Even if you haven't bought those items yet, you can get a rough idea of the space they're going to occupy, then work out how best to place them in the room. A change table needs to be in a well-lit area of the room - and not just in the daytime. If you're going to have a baby monitor, you need somewhere to put it, and perhaps a power point close by. When I set up the nursery for my first child, I had a room with one corner that was darker than the rest of the room - a perfect spot for the crib.

Now you have an idea of how the room is going to be set up, you can start to consider what sort of theme or design you want to use. Most experts recommend using soft colours in a bedroom, so that it's restful for baby. It's also worth thinking about the day that baby will be a child, who perhaps wants something a little more grown up for the decor of their room. Sometimes it's good to use a more neutral colour for paint and fittings, then add colour with the extras, like bedding or pictures. A neutral background also makes it easier to match furniture - and also means that you don't paint the whole room pink in preparation for a girl, only to have a boy!

Floor coverings are also important. Babies can be very messy sometimes, so the easier it is to clean up, the better. If you can have wooden floorboards or some other easy clean floor, great. Carpet can look nice, but you may find yourself endlessly cleaning dirty spots. Rugs are always a good option, particularly ones that can be washed or dry-cleaned. You can even use rugs over your carpet to try and protect it.

Once you have your basic background colour scheme in mind, then you can choose a theme. For my nursery it was Pooh Bear, but there are endless ideas available. Wander round some baby stores (perhaps leave your credit cards at home!), look at baby magazines, or search around on the internet. You're sure to find something that appeals to you. Sometimes it's good to pick a more general theme, such as teddies, rather than a specific brand or line of decor items. That way, you can shop around for good value, rather than being forced to pay high prices for a particular piece.

It's also worth looking at things like removable stickers for the walls. Again, this is great for when baby gets a little older and perhaps wants fairies rather than teddies on her walls. You can remove the stickers, and put up a new set. Much simpler than replacing wallpaper! Appropriate pictures and posters, curtain materials, bedding - they can all fit the theme, but be easily changed in a few years time. With curtains, too, it's always best to keep them level with the windowsill, rather than allowing them to reach down to the floor where baby may pull on them.

Decorating your baby's nursery can be loads of fun. Give yourself plenty of time to complete the task, because the last thing you want to do when you're heavily pregnant is be wandering around store after store trying to buy the perfect bits and pieces for the nursery. And remember - enjoy yourself, and allow your creativity to flow. The result will be a wonderful, special place, just right for your baby.

Find more baby nursery ideas at Info About Baby You can sign up for a FREE Baby Tips newsletter at Baby Tips Newsletter. The author's book about babies is available at Baby's First Year