Preparing your home and family for a new baby is a joyful occasion and a significant life milestone. You want to make sure that your baby’s nursery is a safe, soothing space for your little one and offers important functional aspects for the parents.
Preparing a nursery provides endless opportunities for fun and creativity. From furniture to design and color, read on to learn how to make your baby’s room stylish, functional, and safe.
Always Put Safety First
Your nursery can have a traditional, contemporary, modern, or minimalistic style. Your baby’s safety is the number one priority.
The first piece of furniture to consider is the baby’s crib. New babies spend a great deal of time napping and sleeping. The crib is the only place your baby will be left unattended, so it must be 100% secure.
The age of the crib is an important consideration. The most recent update for crib safety standards dates from June 2011. The AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics) recommends selecting a crib manufactured after that date.
Other important considerations for a safe crib include:
· Steer clear of headboards or footboards with jigsawed or stenciled cutouts
· Make sure that the crib slats are less than 2.3” apart
· Be mindful that there are no other gaps in the crib that put your baby’s safety at risk
· Check the crib and mattress for sharp edges or corners
· Keep the contents of the crib minimal, including just the mattress and a fitted sheet—no toys, pillows, or top sheets
· Choose a fitted sheet made from organic cotton, which is soft, breathable, and free of allergens
Decoration Ideas for a Modern Nursery
Once you establish a safe space for your baby, it’s time to explore baby nursery ideas for decoration options and style.
Although some folks may opt for a classic pink or blue color palette, today’s baby nursery color schemes run the gamut from neutrals or black and white to bold color combinations and textures that merge style with function.
Consider these baby nursery ideas to create a beautiful nursery where your little one can grow and thrive.
#1 - A Comfortable Chair for Parent and Baby
A high-quality, comfortable chair is a staple for nursery decorating. Parents should select a chair that suits their stature and choose a fabric or texture that matches the décor of other rooms in the house. This way, the chair can be moved to another location in the home as your family grows.
#2 - Keep Everything within Reach
While a baby nursery is a blank canvas for creative expression and your love, it is also the primary place your little ones will sleep, eat, crawl, and have diapers changed.
For the sake of you and the baby’s comfort, keep diapers, wipes, ointment, and a toy or two within reach of the changing table.
#3 Dressers Add Style and Function
A quality dresser that functions as a changing table is an excellent investment because it provides storage space with easy access. Some models even have a detachable changing table for added convenience.
A quality dresser is another example of a versatile furniture piece that will serve your family for years.
#4 Wood Décor Adds Warmth and Simplicity
Quality wood furniture creates a clean, modern aesthetic that is ideal for a baby nursery. Look for a solid wood crib and matching furniture. Consider some wooden shelving to add storage space and a cohesive look to the rest of the room.
#5 Paint the Walls Using Stencils
Wall stencils are a parent’s dream for DIY nursery painting. Painting with stencils is easier and tidier than slathering an entire wall with color.
Use stencils to create clean lines and unique geometric designs and patterns. Wall stencils work well for creating borders or an accent wall.
#6 Create DIY Wall Décor Using Painter’s Tape
Painter’s tape is a godsend for parents looking for inexpensive DIY décor ideas. From colorful stripes and geometric patterns to mountainous landscapes, painter’s tapes offer endless creative possibilities.
To create unique designs with painter’s tape, place the tape on the wall in the design or pattern of your choosing. Paint the exposed area of the wall in the color of your choice. Once the paint is dry, peel off the tape to reveal your masterpiece.
#7 Interchangeable Wall Décor
Interchangeable wall décor can be anything from removable wall decals to framed prints and photos you can swap out as your child grows. Another popular choice is creating a gallery wall, featuring family photos and artwork.
A gallery wall brings warmth and nuance to a plain painted wall. The creative possibilities are limited only by your imagination. Your choice of frames, whether uniform or mix and match, will add a surprising amount of style and personality to the installation.
#8 Neutral Palette with a Pop of Color
A neutral color palette creates a safe, soothing space for your child, especially when placed around the crib. However, don’t shy away from a bright splash of color to add a playful element to your baby nursery décor. Bright-colored play mats, toy bins, and wall decorations bring a sense of fun and adventure to your little one’s space.
#9 Make a Statement Without Commitment
Yes, parents want a bright and cheery environment for their babies that reflects their personality as they grow. And therein lies the problem—a painted mural may spark delight in your child for a period and go out of fashion as quickly as their interests change.
Thankfully, there is a solution: peel-and-stick wallpaper brings energy and whimsy to a child’s room without the commitment that goes with a permanent wall painting.
#10 Hang a Unique Mobile Over the Crib
Newborns spend most of their time lying on their backs. Hanging an interesting mobile over the crib engages the baby and helps them to focus and develop motor skills. Even better, an eye-catching mobile adds a touch of whimsy to your nursery room décor. For safety’s sake, make sure to hang the mobile high enough to remain out of the baby’s reach.
#11 Keep Things Simple
When choosing a nursery room design for your little one, consider how quickly your child will grow and develop new interests. If you don’t have the time, energy, and financial resources to redecorate a room as your child develops, consider a general design concept that can be modified as your baby transitions into a toddler, child, tween, and teen. You can achieve this by utilizing general themes such as simple landscapes and seascapes that will accompany your child through different phases of play, such as dinosaurs, princesses, superheroes, sci-fi, etc.
#12 Smart Storage
Many nurseries often take up the smallest room in a home. Baby nurseries may also occupy a shared space with guest room furnishing and office equipment. In these instances, smart storage solutions are a must.
Adding floating shelves or window seating with storage at the base keeps the room tidy and free of clutter while allowing for as much floor space as possible for your child to play and crawl.
#13 Step Away from Tradition with a Touch of Bold Color
If you want to stay with the traditional baby blue or soft pink color palette, don’t be afraid to do so. However, you can bring tradition into the 21st century by choosing a deeper shade of pink or blue. By adding elements of deep pink or rich navy blue to a nursery, you create a modern take on a traditional color scheme.
#14 Place Mirrors in Strategic Locations
Mirrors add style and function to a room. Well-placed mirrors provide additional light and make a room appear larger.
Mirrors work especially well in nurseries. Babies love looking at themselves, so mirrors provide entertainment for a child and functionality to the parent. If you are holding your baby and want to know whether they are asleep, have a look in the mirror.
#15 Work with What You Have
Perhaps you scoured the internet looking for baby nursery ideas and found your dream design, and now you feel deflated because that dream nursery from the web does not conform to the layout of your new baby’s room. Don’t get discouraged. Decide on your favorite elements of that design and apply them to your existing space.
Even better, look around your baby’s room and try to identify the best aspects of the space. Perhaps there is a large window, high ceilings, or exposed brick. Furnishing a room such as this with natural wood furniture and muted, light colors can make all the difference. Add some textiles with gentle patterns and some whimsical animal decals, and your baby will have a wonderful sanctuary to start their life.
Choose one of these baby nursery ideas and run with it to create an oasis for your child to flourish. Let the style and décor of the room change with your child to reflect their ever-evolving style and personality.
