Written By Connie
CPD Sleep Consultant
When you are a first-time parent, coming up with nursery bedroom ideas can be so exciting and you will want it to be perfect for the new baby on the way. You can have so many ideas and not know where to begin so we are going to help you.
A nursery is a baby's room for a few years so you need it to be timeless and practical to last the whole time. You don't want to be redecorating the whole room year after year. The nursery ideas are best to be simple so it won't be a design that you will get bored of (and trust us, you will be spending a lot of time in there).
Browsing nursery ideas before you even start decorating a nursery can be quite tedious and you want to make sure you have everything you need.
We have put together a list of nursery room ideas that you can use as your checklist and hopefully give you some inspiring ideas.
What are the characteristics of a nursery?
Overall, you want a nursery to be a welcoming space. That is the main goal. There are the more obvious pieces of furniture like a cot and changing table, but there is more to consider. You will find that there's usually a comfortable chair as a place to do the night feeds. It is a good idea to have built-in storage, even if that's in the furniture, floating shelves to make it homely and perhaps a blackout blind to block out as much light as possible. Although, during the day you want to make the most of natural light as it is so important for your baby.
Aside from the physical items, many nurseries use natural materials and unique textures that can help with sensory development. Another top tip is to keep an empty lower half so there is nothing in your child's reach as they grow.
How does a nursery help you sleep?
In a baby's room, the colours are usually soft and calming to help soothe your little one when it comes to daytime naps or bedtime. The space is stripped back and clutter-free so it doesn't become an overwhelming place for them. In turn, this gives a relaxing feel to the room which is exactly what they need when they are trying to sleep. As mentioned before, blackout blinds can help them associate the dark with sleeping and they become familiar with this.
Of course, you can introduce a nightlight and a baby monitor with lullabies which your baby can find comfort in.
Products to help you create your baby's nursery
It can feel like the list of things you need for a nursery are never-ending. Ideally, this will give you all the nursery inspiration you need to take some pressure off of yourself. Most parents will want their baby's room to look even better than their own room, but you should find what works for you.
Bed frame
Of course, when they are a newborn they won't be in a cot just yet but it won't be long until they can start sleeping in one so it is good to be prepared. To start off with, you may put them in a Moses basket at the side of your bed. We have picked out both to give you an idea.
It is worth looking at cot beds rather than having a cot because they can be changed into a toddler bed as your baby grows. As your child grows and their abilities improve, you can adjust the cot accordingly. So, if you choose this one, make sure you are getting a mattress and bedding in the bigger size of cot beds. We picked this beautiful white frame with wooden accents. It opens up the choices for your design scheme as it can be paired with most things and most colours. Centrepiece for neutral nursery ideas.
Before you get too ahead, we found a handwoven palm Moses basket that even comes with a mattress. It is a simple lightweight design and works with similar tones to the cot above. It has a stand to keep your baby at the height of your bed, but you can also remove the basket as well. There are two helpful handles to make moving around the house easier. This is especially useful if you will switch between the bedroom and the living room throughout each day.
Mattress and pillow
Once you have your cot, you are going to need a cot mattress and it could be the time you buy a pillow ready for when they grow. You can prepare early with that one so there is no last-minute stress when the little one starts to use it.
Panda is a brand that has all things sleep-related and their kids' range is no different. They have this memory foam mattress with a cute panda in the corner. It is an all-rounder. Your baby won't overheat, it is soft and gentle on their skin, hypoallergenic and relieves any pressure from growing pains. The good news is that it can last them up until 5 years old.
A pillow is not suitable for a baby under one but as soon as they are ready for it, they can use this one from Panda. It has a curve in the design and an indent where they rest their head. Again, it has a little panda in the top corner. Baby sleep is so important so you will want the best to keep them comfortable.
Bedding
You will need very minimal bedding for your baby's room because all they will need is a bed sheet. Rather than having a duvet, they will just have a sleep sack to keep them snug. It's not until they get a bit bigger that you will need to think about more bedding.
This is a two-pack of fitted sheets so you can alternate between them – while one is in the wash, the other can be on the mattress. There is a plain coral-coloured one for a bright pop of colour. The other is a crisp white with a scattered geometric pattern for a fun design. Both sheets give you a nice colour scheme to work with – whichever one is on the mattress will match the rest of the kid's room.
How lovely are these sleeping bags? It comes as a set of two, one of them is a gorgeous light blue and the other is white with light blue edging. On the white, there are little blue, yellow and grey whales so even the sleep sack can co-ordinate with the nursery ideas. Your little one will adore the design, and if they love it that much you can buy them the next size up with the same design.
Soft furnishings
Of course, you are going to want to make the baby's room comfy and cosy. The best way to do this is with the soft furnishings. Give them a soft blanket to snuggle up in and keep them feeling secure.
This baby blanket comes in different colours and can be embroidered with their name. It is a lovely personal touch to add to the nursery accessories. The blanket can be thrown over the cot frame as decoration or you can tuck them in in their Moses basket. This is something that can be kept for many years as a reminder of when they were a newborn.
To fit in with the natural and neutral nursery, we picked out this changing mat that has a scattered green leaf pattern. It is softly padded for a comfortable place to lie your bubba while you change them. The design makes it easy to wipe clean. It has a fresh and modern feel to it which can suit so many aesthetics too.
If there is large floor space, you will want to add a rug to make it cosy. It is also a good product to have if you've got wooden flooring in the nursery. They can have a softer surface to roll around on. Rugs are a great way to add texture, and this one is even better as it matches well with the geometric fitted sheet. Grey, yellow, green and pink make up the spots on the rug, so it continues the colour scheme.
Furniture
Nursery furniture is an essential part of the room. It includes nursing/rocking chairs and changing tables. Those looking for small nursery ideas will find that nursery storage is key. You will want to find furniture that has plenty of space to keep clothes and toys.
This wooden furniture set has everything you need. It has the cot that we mentioned previously with a changing table and a wardrobe. The wardrobe is very practical with open shelving, drawers and a cupboard. So, rather than having just a chest of drawers, you can have a wardrobe that serves different purposes. The open shelves are great for nursery ornaments to make the room extra special or they can be used as extra storage for their clothes and blankets. The changing table also has shelving and drawers so there is enough space to stock up on nappies.
What's a children's bedroom without book storage? It is almost certain that your bubba will be given books to read (or look at). Of course, this means you are going to need a place to keep them all together. This bookcase matches the design of the other pieces of furniture and it has space for a lot of books. It's a great design that your child will be able to go and pick out a book when they want to or for them to choose their bedtime story.
A must-have for the nursery is comfortable seating for yourself. When you are up doing the night feeds you will want something to make it a little more enjoyable and comfort is exactly what you will be looking for. You will spend time in the nursery room every single day, probably more than you will spend in other rooms of the house. This grey-coloured chair will work well with the nursery ideas and the rest of the nursery design. It keeps to the neutral colour scheme as it is a light grey that provides a calming feel.
Nursery decor
There are so many nursery decor ideas, even if you are waiting to find out if you are having a baby boy or girl. You can choose from a wide range of neutral nursery decorations, that every little baby will love.
This is the cutest addition to your nursery ideas. Anything that includes hot air balloons instantly makes the room adorable. The design is available in three different colours, however, we have opted for the natural shade. You can pick the grey or white – both will match a nursery. The natural colour ties in nicely with the wooden furniture as well as the neutral scheme. Natural gives a sense of warmth and the overall design has a delicate and airy feel to it.
A definite focal point of the room. The canopy can drape around the top end of the bed and your little one will feel like they are sleeping luxury. It creates a cove for them to crawl into which can make bedtime a bit more enjoyable. They can look forward to snuggling up in their own den before they fall asleep. We chose the pale blue canopy because it feels very calming in a nursery space. It softly and delicately hangs above the bed to add another layer to the decor in the nursery.
How lovely is this nightlight? When you are deciding the nursery ideas, it can be good to browse nightlights. There is a large selection that has different modes and features as well. We love this one as it can give your baby a little companion that stays with them while they sleep so it can be comforting for them. It is handy for you to use during the night because it is best not to turn the main light on, especially if you don't want them to be wide awake. The design is so sweet – a rabbit in a stormy blue colour with small ears and a tail poking out.
A musical mobile is great as a decor piece but can also be helpful when it comes to getting your baby to sleep. They will be mesmerised by the animals hanging down from the hoop. Again, we have gone for the grey option to co-ordinate with the nursing chair but you could choose from pink or blue. This mobile mounts onto the cot so it can securely hang above. It plays comforting lullabies while they drift off to sleep.
A baby's room wallpaper can be a bit too much for decorating a nursery. An alternative is wall stickers that you can place as many or as few as you would like. The collection of green leaves is perfect for our design scheme. We made this choice because it is exactly like the changing mat we had picked out. The patterns will tie together beautifully so it was an immediate yes. You can scatter them all across the nursery or just on one wall, depending on your preference.
Additional features
Consider keeping the wall space fairly minimal with the wall decor for nursery designs. You don't want to make the room too overwhelming for your child by cluttering every space you can. It needs to be a relaxing and peaceful room for them.
Wall art
Wall stickers are a great alternative to playful prints, like the ones we mentioned above. On the other hand, nursery pictures can make the space more homely and personal. There is always the option to have a gallery wall or you might just choose to have a print or two.
Nursery Art Set Gallery Wall – A lovely trio of educational prints. One features the days of the week, one with numbers and another with shapes. Each one is finished with an oak frame.
Giraffe Wall Art Print – A watercolour-style giraffe print that creates softness and works well with an animal-themed room.
Sun13 Wall Art Print – A little sunshine can brighten up any space. This is a colourful sun with a happy face to spread cheer into the house.
What colour scheme should I choose for a nursery?
There are two ways you can go with a nursery colour scheme. Well, you can choose any colours you like, but two main ideas. It could be a neutral nursery or a bright nursery.
You will usually find that baby room ideas use a neutral palette and this could be because they want to keep it a gender-neutral nursery. However, neutral shades can create a calming space for you and your little one. There are many colours that fit under the neutral umbrella, and many colours that pair nicely with them. Neutrals, like cream and beige, work beautifully with pastel/pale colours. So, you can introduce sage green, powder blue, blush pink and light yellow. All of these would make up a lovely colour scheme.
On the other hand, if you are wanting to use brighter colours and to have more excitement in the baby's room, that can also work too. This colour scheme can sometimes become quite a loud aesthetic which isn't ideal so you will need to find the right balance. The decor you like can add bold colours to the space, and those can be balanced out with white walls and neutral furniture.
Conclusion
Your child's room is going to be a special place in the house so you will want the nursery design to be the best of the best and to have nailed the nursery theme. Whether you choose a jungle animal vibe for a cheeky monkey or a celestial aesthetic for your little daydreamer – you are going to want it to look incredible. Nursery bedroom ideas are endless but they can be made easier once you've got the essentials and picked out a theme.
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