20 Nursery Decorating Ideas for Any Home
Create a cozy and functional space for your new baby.
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With a baby on the way, the to-do list before your due date is surely getting long. If you're stuck on where to begin designing your nursery, start here: there are lots of ideas from picking the color palette to storage hacks.
Ree Drummond's daughter Alex announced that she was expecting her first child with husband, Mauricio Scott earlier this summer. Alex and Mauricio shared they were having a girl, and the couple began transforming the guest bedroom into a pretty pink nursery soon after that. "I love all things pink, so I knew I was going to want to incorporate a lot of it," Alex says. She leaned into the pink color palette with the chinoiserie wallpaper by Anthropologie while also incorporating hits of blue in the custom drapery from Loom Decor. Another big trend Alex included in her nursery decor was bows. Luckily, Love Shack Fancy's collection with Pottery Barn Kids had plenty of bow details to choose from including the chandelier and mirror pictured in Alex's nursery. The final room design provides tons of inspiration, and we've included a few ideas you can borrow from it below.
If pinks and blues aren't on your dream nursery Pinterest board, no problem. You can design a neutral-lover's nursery. Or do you want to layer in many colors, but not sure how? Here's how to pack a punch in easy and effective ways.
More inspiration for expectant parents:
Create a Gallery Wall Around Your Theme
Gallery walls are a great way to fill a blank slate next to a cozy nook. Sometimes picking the art for the wall can be daunting, but focus it around a theme. Here, the nursery's theme was baby owls.
See more at DIY in PDX.
Add Some Bow Accents
When Alex was decorating her nursery for baby Sofia, she opted for decor pieces with bows. They add the sweetest touch to the room.
Choose a Fun Chandelier
Just because it's a children's room doesn't mean you can't have elevated lighting! Choose a pendant or chandelier that matches the vibes of the rest of your home and the decor will grow with your baby. One last thing you have to swap out when your child inevitably wants to update their room.
See more at A Beautiful Mess.
Install a Shelving Unit for Toys
As your baby grows, keep clutter off the floor by installing wood shelves or bookcases. These white ones have a simple, Scandinavian design that helps keep the room streamlined.
See more at Finding Myself Young.
Consider a Glider Over a Rocker
Gliders are the chic, more comfortable cousin to rocking chairs. They are less forceful than rocking chairs and can sometimes swivel. You're going to be spending a lot of time in this chair so pick the most comfortable option for yourself.
See more at A Beautiful Mess.
Pick a Pretty Wallpaper
Opt for a wallpaper instead of paint for the nursery like Alex did—it helps establish a color scheme to design around! This chinoiserie mural design brings a floral element to the room.
Get a Colorful Crib Sheet
This yellow striped crib sheet is playful and adds more color to the nursery! Babies can’t have much bedding in their crib otherwise, so maximize the fun on the crib sheet.
See more at Lovely Indeed.
Install Extra Book Storage
As you prepare for your baby, you might need somewhere to store all those children's books you've been collecting. With some magazine files and stickers, this DIY comes together quickly. Plus, it makes it easier to carry books from room to room.
See more at Home Made By Carmona.
Add Yellow to the Color Palette
Create a light, bright and sunny space with a yellow color palette, incorporating the color with other neutrals. While pink or blue nurseries will always be classic, they're not for everyone. Yellow is a great neutral color that works well with existing grey or white walls.
See more at Posh Little Designs.
Create a Reading Corner
You'll probably spend many hours in the nursery reading to your baby, why not create a little nook dedicated to it? All you need is a bookshelf, a fun art print and accessories like a plant to bring the corner together.
See more at A Beautiful Mess.
Save Space with a Dresser/Changing Table Combo
Make the dresser into a 2-in1 by putting a changing pad on top of a dresser. The baby's clothes will be easily accessible right below the changing pad. Not only does it save you space, but a dresser has the potential to grow with the baby.
See more at Homey Oh My.
Use a Ladder to Store Quilts and Blankets
Don't know what to do with all those beautiful baby blankets gifted to you? Display them on a whimsical ladder. Whether you have an heirloom quilt or a cozy throw, they can be neatly stored for everyone to see on the ladder.
See more on Room for Tuesday.
Pick a Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper
Paying a professional to install traditional wallpaper can up the budget. By installing peel-and-stick wallpaper yourself, you can add color and dimension without breaking the bank.
See more at Somewhat Simple.
Don't Be Afraid to Mix Pink and Blue
Blue doesn't always need to be saved for the boys! Alex mixed some blue accents into her nursery with the drapery and throw pillow which complements the pink wallpaper.
Go All Neutrals on the Color Palette
Black, white, grey and brown don’t just have to be for the adults. They also blend beautifully in a modern nursery. A chic mobile paired with modern art prints create the perfect elevated space you’ll want to spend your days (and nights) in.
See more at Homey Oh My.
Make a Mid-Century Modern Inspired Nursery
Teak wood cribs, clean lines, and simplistic furniture pieces… what's not to love? Drawing from mid-century modern style creates a timeless yet cozy look for a nursery.
See more at Room for Tuesday.
Put the Dresser in the Closet to Create More Space
Since baby clothes are short, there's usually a lot of free space at the bottom of the closet. If you have a separate dresser and changing table, create more space in the room by putting the dresser in the closet.
See more at Just a Girl and Her Blog.
Paint Temporary Wall Art
These abstract wooden shapes are the perfect, temporary wall decor for a nursery. Spray painted to match any color scheme, each shape can be attached with heavy-duty adhesive artwork tape. The shapes create a whimsical pattern that can be easily removed when your baby outgrows the theme.
See more at Sugar and Cloth.
Paint White Furniture For a Pop of Color
Have any plain drawers or cabinets? Make them match your color scheme by painting the front face of the furniture.
See more at This is Tisa.
Add Lots of Ambient Lighting
Pendants, chandeliers, floor lamps and table lamps are your best friend. Having multiple sources of light not only adds to the design of the nursery, but it gives you more control over brightness in the room.
See more at Lovely Indeed.
Sidney Lee is the Assistant Home Editor at HGTV Magazine as well as contributing editor at Food Network and The Pioneer Woman Magazines, covering home, design, food, style, and more.
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