When doing research on how to design a baby nursery, I was almost overwhelmed by some Pinterest ideas including this pin with 540 and this pin with 130 ideas. Aside from Pinterest boards, I also found thespruce.com’s guide to being very helpful.

Whether you want to design the entire nursery or just the wall, this guide is comprehensive enough to cover all parts of your baby nursery. We have made an effort to include some helpful tips for girl and boy’s nurseries. You will find this guide full of ideas and inspiration for your baby’s room!

What is a baby nursery?

A baby nursery is a room in the house where you can put all of your baby’s things. This can include the crib, changing table, dresser, and any other furniture that you want in the room.

It is important to have this dedicated space/room meant for your baby. It should be a calm and relaxing space for both parents and babies. The nursery should have everything you need to take care of your baby.

How do I design a baby nursery?

There are many ways to design a baby nursery. You can find inspiration from Pinterest, friends, or family. You can also look through magazines or online for ideas.

Here are key tips:

The room should be spacious enough so you can move around without feeling cramped
The room should have good lighting
The room should be well-ventilated
Noise-level should be kept to a minimum
The room should have a place for everything and be organized

Baby Nursery Layout:

The layout of the nursery is important. You want to make sure that you have enough space for everything that you need. You also want to make sure that the furniture is in a good spot.

For example, you don’t want the changing table too far away from the crib. You will also want to make sure that you have enough space to walk around the room.

Here are some things to think about when considering the layout of your nursery:

· Where will the crib go?

· Where will the changing table go?

· Where will the dresser go?

· Where will the rocking chair go?

· Where will the toys go?

Crib positioning:

The crib is the most important part of the nursery. You want to make sure that it is in a good spot. You don’t want the crib too close to the window. The sun can be too bright for baby and it can also be a distraction.

You also don’t want the crib too close to the door. You don’t want people walking by and waking up your baby.

If you’ll be installing a baby monitor, make sure that there is a mounting space on the crib or on the wall that’s not too far from where you have positioned the crib. Some parents choose to put the monitor on a shelf.

Changing table positioning:

The changing table should be close to the crib. You don’t want to have to walk too far with a dirty diaper and it should be easily accessible from the main entrance to the nursery. Making it too close to the crib, however, might be a bit too cramped.

Give it a foot or so of space in between the crib and the changing table.

Dresser Positioning:

The dresser can go anywhere in the room. It is important to make sure that it is not too close to the crib. You don’t want baby to be able to reach out and grab something off of the dresser and pull it into the crib.

Rocking Chair Positioning:

Depending on the amount of space you have in the room, you can put the rocking chair anywhere. It is important to make sure that it is close to the crib so you can easily rock baby to sleep.

If you have a smaller room, you might want to consider getting a glider instead of a rocking chair. Gliders take up less space and they are just as comfortable.

Toys:

You will want to have a toy box or baskets for the toys. You don’t want the toys to be out all of the time. Having them in a toy box or basket will help keep the room clean and organized. Place the toy box or baskets in a corner of the room.

If you have a lot of toys, you might want to consider getting a shelves for them. This way they can be easily accessible but they will also be off of the floor.

Storage:

You will want to have some storage in the nursery. This can be a dresser, toy box, or shelf. You will want to have a place to put all of the clothes, blankets, toys, and diapers.

You might also want to consider getting a diaper pail. This is a great way to store dirty diapers until you are ready to take them out.

A medical cabinet should also be installed in the baby’s nursery but should be out of reach for your baby.

Lighting:

The lighting in the nursery is important. You want to make sure that it is not too bright or too dim. You also want to make sure that there are no dark shadows in the room.

You might want to consider getting a night light. This can be helpful when you are getting up in the middle of the night to feed baby.

Consider blackout curtains for when baby is taking a nap during the day. This will help baby sleep longer.

Some things to keep in mind when designing a baby nursery are:

Space of your nursery:

A typical American home has an average of 2,600 square feet. The size of the room will dictate how you can design the space and what type of furniture you can put in it.

For smaller nurseries, you might have to get creative with storage and furniture placement. For example, you can use a corner shelf to store baby items or mount the changing table on the wall to save space.

In larger nurseries, you have more freedom with how you want to design the space. You can put a comfy armchair in the room for nursing or rocking, include a changing table, and even have a play area.

Think about the future:

Your baby will only be a baby for a few years, so it is important to think about the future when designing the nursery. For example, you might want to buy furniture that can grow with your child or choose paint colors that can be easily changed.

Themes:

You may want to consider a theme for your nursery. This could be something like animals, nature, Outer Space, etc. Some themes could be;

Boho Chic Nursery Theme: This trend has been hugely popular in recent years. Boho chic nurseries often incorporate greenery, natural elements, and a mix of patterns.

Boho nursery theme – Image credit – Mumgrapevine

Nautical Nursery Theme: This is perfect for baby boys or girls! Nautical nurseries often include navy blue and white stripes, as well as sailboats, anchors, and other maritime decorations.
Neutral Nursery Theme: If you want a timeless nursery, consider sticking to neutral colors like white, grey, or beige. You can always add in pops of color with accessories like throw pillows or blankets.
Cactus Nursery Theme: This is a great option if you want something a little different. Cactus nurseries often incorporate desert-inspired elements like cacti, succulents, and sandstone.
Dreamy Nursery theme: If you’re looking for a fairy-tale inspired nursery, consider a dreamy theme. This can often include pastel colors, butterflies, and flowers.
Floral nursery theme: This is perfect for baby girls! Floral nurseries often include pretty flowers like roses, daisies, and lilies. Color scheme:When choosing a color scheme, you may want to consider the following: -Do you want light or dark colors? -What colors will go well with the theme you have

Check out some 62 nursery themes by MumsGrapevine here.

Color Scheme:

Another important thing to consider when designing a baby nursery is the color scheme. You will want to choose colors that are calming and soothing.

According to two color psychologists who did a study, Chris J., et al.,(1994), color can have a usually huge effect on children’s emotions – their feedling and how they behave. Blue is often seen as a calming color. It can help to create a relaxing atmosphere in the nursery.

Purple is another popular color for nurseries. It is often seen as a luxurious color. It can help to create a feeling of royalty in the nursery.

The researchers found that children had a liking for bright colors from around the age of 5 years and their preference grew as they got older. This increasing love for vivid hues was particularly true for females; this attraction, according to the researchers, was most likely due to the use of bright colors as a gender-specific way to indicate girl-friendly materials.

It is recommended that you get calm and soothing colors are often described as being “soft” or “gentle” on the eyes. They can be very helpful in creating a calm and relaxing environment.

Some examples of soothing colors are:

Subdued Blue:

This color can have a calming effect on the mind and body. It is often used to promote relaxation. Blue has been found to lower blood pressure and heart rate, reducing the body’s temperature and preparing it for sleep. Another study found Blue to have a calming effect on toddlers, making it an ideal soothing for nervous newborns and temperamental toddlers.

nursery with pale blue walls and white furniture

Muted Green:

Can help to create a feeling of relaxation
-Is known to be a very calming color
-Can help to lower blood pressure and heart rate
It has been found to increase reading improvement in kids as per this research.

nursery with green print wallpaper, leaf print artwork

Pale Purple

According to thespruce.com, Purple is linked with wisdom and spirituality, blending the calming qualities of blue with the nurturing femininity of pink.

Some other calm colors listed by theSpruce.com include;

Soft white
Glacial gray
Earthly Neautral
Dandelion Yellow
Serene Teal
Soft peach.

Some other great popular colors that people have for a baby nursery are:

-Lavender
-Pink
-Yellow
-Green
-Blue

You may also want to consider a neutral color scheme like white, grey, or beige. This can be a great option if you want something timeless. You can always add in pops of color with accessories like throw pillows or blankets.

Furniture:

Once you have chosen a color scheme, you will want to start thinking about furniture. The most important piece of furniture for a baby nursery is the crib. Get a crib that is sturdy with well-defined corners and edges. The mattress should fit snugly in the crib so that there are no gaps between the mattress and the sides of the crib. The mattress should be firm, and supportive and the slats are no more than 2 3/8 inches apart to prevent your baby from getting stuck between them.

You will also need a changing table. This is a great place to store all of your baby’s diapering supplies.

You may also want to consider a glider or rocking chair. This is a great place to feed your baby or bond with them while you rock them to sleep.

Other pieces of furniture that you may want to consider for your nursery are:

Crib
Changing table
Glider or rocking chair
Dresser
Toy chest
Armoire (if you have the space)

Sources:

Chris J. Boyatzis & Reenu Varghese (1994) Children’s Emotional Associations with Colors, The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 155:1, 77-85, DOI: 10.1080/00221325.1994.9914760

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Ashley Davis( Chief Editor/Product Testing Specialist )

Hi there! I am Ashley Davis, a mom of three kids and the editor here at Motherhoodhq.com. I have been a parent since 2011 and have been doing full-time consulting as a baby sleep expert since 2019. When I am not researching or testing the next baby gear hitting the market, you’ll find me teaching my toddlers a trick or two – especially over the last few months with the lockdown. I hope you’ll find my guides and reviews helpful as you make your next purchase decision. If you have any questions, you can reach me at ashley.d@motherhoodhq.com.

How to Design a Baby Nursery