Date of Award

Spring 5-7-2025

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS)

First Advisor

Dr. Jamie Lynch

Second Advisor

Fr. Janes Neilson

Third Advisor

Professor Katie Ries

Abstract

This thesis explores how social media trends influence parents’ aesthetic decisions when designing nursery spaces, with a particular focus on color choices. Given that early visual experiences are known to affect infant development, the study investigates whether the rising popularity of muted or monochromatic nursery palettes — often favored for their visual appeal on social media— aligns with developmental best practices.

Through a mixed- methods approach that includes a potential survey for parents, interviews with professionals in child development and interior design, and a comparative analysis of color theory and contemporary nursery palettes, this research examines the intersection of beauty, social influence, and child well being. Preliminary findings suggest that aesthetic choices often prioritize visual trends over developmental considerations, raising important questions about how beauty is defined and enacted in spaces created for children.

Parents and caregivers are tasked with making the most of setting up their child’s environment in the best way possible. Color is a crucial element in the development of a child and it can play an important role in learning. The problem being addressed in this thesis is that social media may or may not have a vast influence on parent’s color preferences for design, specifically the interior of children’s nurseries. Bold or muted patterns and aesthetics surround infants and young children, which could potentially influence eye development and child development milestones.

Some parents opt for designs that lack color or only display muted colors that photograph on social media well. Some methods of investigation could include sampling a group of adults with a potential survey of how they chose their child’s nursery design and which design elements speak about beauty to them. Other methods include literature review, researching, interviewing professionals (eye doctors and interior designers), and comparing color theory to color palettes for children. The results obtained from the survey guide could be contrasted with research articles and books.

The conclusion reached is that color first presented to infants in the first weeks of life— may or may not be as crucial to child development as it relates to nursery designs.

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