A small child, just born, needs special care and protection. Most of the time the baby, especially in the first months of life, spends in a dream. Therefore, on the eve of birth, parents prepare everything necessary to make the baby comfortable and safe during wakefulness and during sleep, being puzzled by installing a canopy on a crib.
What is a canopy?
The word canopy came to us from Italy, which literally means "silk fabric from Baghdad." Initially, it was not used in children's rooms, but was decorated with ceremonial boxes, thrones and church altars. At its core, this is an ordinary canopy for a bed, which was originally made of fabric, and later began to be made of stone, metal and wood. This element in some cultures acted as a symbol of power. Only the we althy could afford such a luxury, since in the past it was considered an expensive job to assemble a canopy.
The first canopies appeared in the ancient East. This design accompaniedthe king in walks in the hot sun or protected him from the rain in the form of a large umbrella. Usually the canopy was worn behind the king by his slaves. Later, the European nobility adopted oriental motifs in the interior style, and they began to decorate beds with canopies. This was in the era of Romanesque and Gothic art. In Ancient Russia, canopies still had the name "canopy".
Benefits of a canopy
The creation of a canopy at all times was purely practical. This device covered the body from the heat when a person was resting on the street. It also protected from annoying mosquitoes, which are incredibly numerous in the southern regions. And also from insects that carry the infection, for example, malarial mosquitoes. Thick fabric curtains hid from bright sunlight and increased sound insulation so that you could relax. In the end, it looks beautiful and spectacular.
The functions of the canopy have not lost their significance to this day. But if for an adult this is often an unprecedented luxury, then in the children's room such curtains on the crib look at least cute. And they also perform a number of useful functions, protecting the baby from external factors. Such an enclosed space soothes the child.
Choosing which model to make?
In general, the style of the canopy is selected based on the shape of the cradle or crib. So, for round beds it would be more expedient to choose curtains on rings, for square beds you can use the crossbar in the center. You can also install a frame around the perimeter, on which the curtains are attached. Despite,whether the crib is round or rectangular, the canopy is the perfect addition to any nursery decor.
Material
It all depends on how important the canopy is in the children's room. This affects the choice of material. Most likely, parents will prefer to install a fabric canopy. But what it will be: transparent, dense, made of natural fabrics or artificial, is determined by its purpose.
In any case, the fabric should be pleasant to the touch and breathable. For a canopy over the bed, cotton or linen is suitable. These are natural fabrics, and they will perfectly protect the child from sunlight during sleep, creating a pleasant shading. From transparent fabrics, you should choose among chiffon, tulle, organza or silk. It is desirable that the material for the curtain is not electrified, otherwise it will collect too much dust.
Colours
The color of the fabric should be calm. A bright canopy will unnerve the baby or provoke activity, thereby distracting him.
Appropriate colors for a child's room are delicate pastel colors: beige, blue, pink, green and white. However, there is no limit to the imagination here. The canopy will look beautiful if you use fabrics with multi-colored patterns.
For a room, you can either assemble a children's canopy yourself or purchase it ready-made, choosing from a huge assortment among manufacturers of goods for babies.
Popular manufacturers of canopies for childrencribs
Now a lot of domestic goods in various categories have appeared on the shelves. This also applies to canopies. Today, Russian companies producing children's goods are trying to improve the quality of their products, and they are doing it successfully. Along with foreign suppliers, the quality level of Russian goods is decent, while they have a more affordable price. Therefore, wanting to buy a ready-made cape for the crib, parents do not risk anything. Below are some of the most popular models of domestic and foreign companies:
- Toy Mart made in Russia. The canopy is sold in white and blue from the veil, attached to the crib with a pin from the set. The fabric has a pattern of seals or storks. The cost is about 2.5 thousand rubles.
- Espresso Shine from a Norwegian company, white or milky in veil with piping embroidery. Such a curtain performs a decorative function. The price is about 5 thousand rubles.
- "Karapuz" is a Russian-made budget canopy, the material is a veil of white and cream colors. Before assembling the canopy "Karapuz", you must first connect the holder with the ring. Then install the bracket at the head of the crib, fixing it with clamps to the cross rails, and thread the ring through the loops of the fabric. The cost is approximately from 500 to 800 rubles, depending on the model.
- Baby Bjorn is a brand from Switzerland, it is a synthetic transparent fabric in white color, worth about 5,3 thousand rubles.
- Roman Baby Italian factory. The canopy for the crib is made of transparentflowing fabric of light beige, milky and white colors, in its manufacture only natural hypoallergenic materials are used. The cost is 21.5 thousand rubles.
How to sew and assemble a canopy with your own hands
Initially, you should prepare all the necessary tools and materials in order to sew a canopy on a crib. For this you will need:
- cut fabric;
- scissors;
- pencil;
- tailor's chalk;
- sewing thread in fabric color and contrasting shade for basting;
- needles and pins.
You can sew a canopy manually or on a typewriter, which greatly simplifies the process. You can also use lace, ribbons or embroidery for decoration as desired.
The most practical fastening is at the head of the crib, as it gives access to the child, and is easily thrown over with curtains on both sides. In order for the curtains to turn out with beautiful folds, you should take a piece of fabric measuring 2x3 meters. In fact, any canopy is a piece of fabric, consisting of two halves in the form of a rectangle, or a solid canvas. Since there are two ways to assemble the canopy, with or without a crown, you should take this moment into account when making a pattern, and stock up on the necessary amount of fabric.
After the pattern is ready, you should process the edges of the material so that they do not crumble. Also at this stage, it is necessary to sew on decorative elements in the form of lace or ruffles, if, of course, they are planned in the product. Then it will bemake it much more difficult. Loops are also sewn here for attaching the canopy to the frame. You can add a crown if you like. It will act as a decorative element and hide the frame.
It is worth buying a frame of the desired shape in the store in advance, so it will not be difficult to properly put the canopy on the holder later. You just need to thread the loops on the frame and fix it on the crib.
Photos of children's canopies
The article presents, as an example, photos of home-made and purchased canopies for a crib.
Assembling a canopy on your own is not so difficult as it might seem at first glance. You don't need to be a jack-of-all-trades to do this, but you do need to have imagination. After all, this decorative and practical element in the interior of the children's room will delight parents and the baby for a long time.
