April 12, 2021 by Mike Cahill
Planning your baby’s nursery can be one of the most exciting milestones when you’re expecting. However, spending hours on Pinterest and Instagram trying to decide on the perfect style for your soon-to-be nursery can be equally overwhelming. That’s why we reached out to the experts from Miami to Sacramento to help homeowners design the perfect home nursery for their new or expected child. So read on and learn how you can properly prepare for your baby-to-be.
Make a plan and stick to it
The best tip I can give to expecting parents who are in the nursery building phase is to establish a vision for the space and to stick with it. It’s easy to get distracted with a million different ideas and themes and let’s face it, it’s overwhelming. I say start small and build up to more. A dream nursery doesn’t have to be an overnight assignment. You should take some time to live in the space and let certain ideas breathe before you pull the trigger. The one thing you can never be too overboard with is being practical and creating a space that can also be functional. If you’re struggling with finding a vision, focus your attention on getting an organized system in place instead. Ask yourself, “How can I maximize the space in this room?” The truth is, you will get inspired as you organize. Chances are your baby is going to have so many gadgets and gizmos so creating a system that will be easy to keep up with when the baby arrives will make the rest of the decorating process feel less intimidating. Bring out the necessities and stow away the other stuff for later (or never) and watch how much that will inspire your vision! Once you know your vibe, vision, or theme – go on Pinterest for inspiration. You’ll find so many fun DIY’s and products that might work really well for your organized nursery space! – Sazan
Keep it playful, but calm
At GoodnightFox, we’re big fans of a modern, clean aesthetic that will give your nursery a playful, yet calm feeling. You want it to be soothing for rocking baby to sleep at night and have a little bit of color to bring joy and play to the space during the daytime. Our top tip is to start with nursery art you love that will define the design style and color palette of the room (we have some great options at Goodnightfoxstudio.etsy.com) and then add accessories to match. A neutral base of greys and whites allows for the room style to change over time without having to purchase new big-ticket items, while the decor (a throw, a toy or two for the shelves, books, and lamps) can be easily swapped as your baby grows into toddlerhood and beyond. – GoodnightFox
Create a space that you’ll enjoy
In designing a baby’s nursery, pre-birth I try to focus on styles that I am personally attracted to since I will be the one spending the most amount of time in that room! In all of my kid’s nurseries I have used removable wallpaper – that way I don’t have to decide definitively what baby will like long-term and can feel comfortable about using something more “baby” that they wouldn’t have to grow into. I keep the gender somewhat neutral when it comes to larger-scale items such as rockers/gliders, dressers and tables. That way I can easily utilize the larger scale bit ticket items for subsequent babies in the future. After birth, I love adding elements that reflect a baby’s personality after having met him or her. We don’t find out the gender, so post-birth is when I will add elements to reflect that along with personality and interests. – The Southern-ish Mama
Let’s be real, your new baby’s nursery is where Mom & Dad will be spending a TON of their time! It’s important to create an environment that’s not only functional but soothing to the eye. Long gone are the days of overly using pinks for girls and blues for girls. I’m all about the neutral colors (think white, black, tan, etc.) with a pop of glam by using metallics like gold, silver, or rose gold. Having a focal point in the room will absolutely bring everything together. Personally, I love a statement wall to set the crib up against – whether its a fun wallpaper, bold paint color (I just painted my son’s nursery wall black!), or some type of installation like paper flowers or a name sign. Whatever you do, give it personality and make it your own. – Kitty Meow Boutique
I love creating inviting, personal, and warm spaces in my home. Our nursery will have a new baby come September, and I’m only making a few small changes because I love it so much already. I start with shopping my home, using what we have. I also love grouping similar items like vintage, framed cross stitch samplers. My finishing touch is usually incorporating textures, a few knit throws on the end of beds or one draped over a rocking chair. – The Birth Hour
Photo courtesy of The Birth Hour
Uncover a treasure
Love mid-century modern vibes and functionality? Design a dresser that also doubles as a changing table. We snagged ours off Facebook Marketplace and after a little sanding, some Plaster Paint (in Parlor Pink) and paste wax, the dresser was totally transformed. – Marken Media Co
Organization is key
Organize and arrange your nursery with the super practical needs in mind, not just the cuteness factor. If Baby has a blowout can you reach a cloth, hand sanitizer, extra wipes and a fresh onesie, all without walking away from the changing pad? Will you have a clear path to move your sleeping baby from the rocker to the crib without having to step over loud baby toys left in the floor? You’ll love your nursery a whole lot more if it actually works for you when things get real. – Oh Yellow
Don’t sacrifice function
It’s easy to get carried away with designing a “cute” nursery- but don’t forget the function too! One high traffic area that needs to be designed with thought is the changing table. Since babies need to have their diapers and clothes continually changed, a safe and functional space is key to your sanity as a parent with a little one. Make sure your changing table has storage space underneath and a designated area (such as a bin on top or side pocket) for everyday essentials like diapers, cream, a change of clothes and wipes. – Mom Blog Life
Designing a nursery to welcome your little one home is one of the most exciting parts of the entire journey! A nursery can grow with your child, so think of timeless pieces that mean something to you when selecting furniture, artwork and accessories. Function is also very important to keep in mind when mapping out your wish list. Most importantly have fun! – Cassie Clark
Incorporate sleep conducive elements
As a Pediatric Sleep Consultant, I encourage parents to design their baby’s nursery to make it conducive for sleep. This includes having a safe sleep space for your baby, as well as using a white noise sound machine, blackout curtains, and keeping a cool environment. These simple elements will help set the stage for sleep for your baby and are items you can use whether your baby is 4 months or 4 years old! – The Postpartum Party
You’ll want to be sure that the overall environment of the nursery is calming for your little one. Include a sound machine to play lullabies, a rocking chair to soothe, and blinds or drapes to keep the room dark during nap time. Creating an environment that soothes your baby gives you the peace of mind to know that your child is happy and healthy. – Colic Calm
Focus on neutral colors
My tips would be to keep your little one’s nursery as neutral as possible, avoid too much “theme” as you will tire of it much quicker! My best decision was buying a large chest of drawers and DIY-ing a changing table topper to sit on top, to use instead of a changing table! It just means the beautiful piece of furniture can be used again once it is no longer needed for a baby, it is much easier on the eye and super-functional too as everything you need day-to-day is to hand! – A Little Bit Me
It’s a good idea to have the walls a neutral off-white or grey but why not be bold and create a feature ceiling which can be painted a bright color with a mural or use themed decals- your baby will spend most of the time looking up after all. – BibEasy Bibs
If you plan on having more than 1 child, consider a gender-neutral nursery that can be reused no matter the gender of baby number 2 or 3! And don’t feel pressured to paint the walls yellow or green. Consider a neutral wall color, and then add pops of color with curtains, rugs, wall decor, or toys. If you ever want to take pictures in your nursery, you’ll be thankful for neutral wall colors that don’t cast color onto the faces of photo subjects. It’s tough to get a flattering photo in a green room! – Kelsey Cunningham Photography
Less is more
My best tip for creating a nursery you’ll actually love is to keep things simple! Uncluttered spaces are soothing for babies and parents who are navigating life with a new little one, so simplified organization is a must. Neutral colors and designs also tend to be more sophisticated, which will feel good for you and be flexible enough to accommodate your growing child and family, while still beautifully capturing the fleeting delicacy of babyhood. This is an economical approach too, considering you will get full use out of nursery essentials when you have fewer of them and save them for future babies. – Curating Simple
Here’s a protip from a 12-year doula veteran and infant sleep expert: Less is definitely more in a nursery. A minimalist and well-organized space can help make feedings, diaper changes, playtime, and sleep routines easy to manage and adapt to how quickly your little one will change in the first year. Not to mention that it’s less likely you’ll trip over a half dozen toys your baby won’t be interested in for six months when you’re rocking them to sleep with the blackout curtains up! Very young kiddos get overstimulated easily with too much clutter, making soothing and sleep sometimes more difficult than it needs to be, so you can hold off for a bit on the piles of gadgets and gizmos and piles of playthings. The best investments are in the items that can serve multiple functions and/or that can be slightly tweaked to meet the baby’s needs over time. – Rosewood Consulting
Decorate with “Mommy and Me” in mind
Every nursery should have a professional image of “Mommy and Me”. The relationship between mother and child should be celebrated. It not only adds pizzazz to your decor, it also builds self-esteem. – Panos Productions Photography
When designing your nursery and choosing artwork and accessories consider yourself as well as the baby. For the first year or so, you’ll be in this space for long periods of time feeding, rocking, and changing your baby. Choose pieces that delight and comfort you that also provide a pleasant place to rest your eyes. This is a phase of your life when you want to be immersed in the most joyful surroundings that are peaceful for both you and baby. – Ernie & Irene
Style The Storage
Undoubtedly, having a baby means keeping lots of stuff around for their care. Hence, if you’ll not be using a changing table, it’s best that you arrange all your baby items well. Try creating an inexpensive form of storage through DIY clever hacks such as:
Hanging their shoes from racks
Storing the clothes they outgrow separately
Storing toys and excess items in bins
Keeping a different storage space for the items and furniture the baby outgrows
Often, the way you style the nursery’s storage can determine the amount of room space used. You can consider using the nursery wall to hang some items or other stuff that can enhance the room’s aura. – Game On Mommy
When you’re expecting, it can seem really overwhelming with all the bottles, blankets and bibs! We love keeping organized with labels, baskets and a personal favorite, storage benches (adorable but also practical). – Executive Mom Nest
Looking for more great nursery inspiration?
Check out the GoodnightFox Nursery Theme collection.
