How to Style Your Nursery

You may already have seen our nursery timeline blog – if so, then you’ve mapped out your plan, you just need to put it into action. Here we’re breaking down the things to consider when styling your nursery.

First up is the decorating. If you’re lucky, you have a room that doesn’t need much doing to it, but if you want to make a splash, then we have some ideas for you.

Colour scheme

Your colour scheme will depend on your personal taste and your current home style. You might want to create a space that feels in-keeping with the other rooms, or you may want to carve out a personal space for your little one.

Light, bright colours always create a welcoming and reassuring place for your little one. White is a great base colour which you can add accents to.

Accents

If you are keeping things light, then accents are a great way to inject some personality. It might be a painted feature wall, wallpaper or through your furniture and soft furnishings. By picking a soft colour to compliment the white, you can add visual pops to your room.

One thing to consider is high contrasting accents – such as black and white. In their early months baby can only see in shades of black, white and grey, so monochrome patterns are a good way to create visuals that are stimulating to baby’s senses. They can also add a more contemporary look to your baby’s first bedroom.

Murals

It’s become increasingly popular to create a mural on your child’s bedroom wall. This might be something you want to create before they arrive, but similarly you might want to wait until they’re a little older, so you can add some of their own personality and passions to it.

Either way, murals are a great way to create a clear focal point in your child’s nursery. They don’t have to be detailed illustrations, geometric patterns and shapes can create a bold, distinct look to a room.

Lighting

Lamps and light shades can add a touch of style as well as light to your nursery. But if you want to go even further, try securing some fairy lights to a shelf in bubba’s room. These are ideal to use when feeding through the night as you avoid having to use a bright light that will fully wake them. They also create an intimate and pretty space for you and bubba to enjoy, while you’re having your 2am meet ups.

Once you’ve settled on a colour scheme, you can start to identify which furniture looks at home in your new nursery. So, what should you consider?

Measuring up!

The best first step when considering your nursery layout is size, be sure to measure your room, so that when you are selecting those essential pieces they fit appropriately in the space. Also remember to assemble your furniture in the room, so you aren’t trying to wrestle your cot or other furniture through a narrow door.

Collect or mix and match?

Parents are split on the idea of buying a complete furniture collection or mix and matching individual pieces to create a distinct look. Both have their advantages, as a collection can take the hassle out of purchasing – most nursery furniture comes in coordinating collections. Likewise, mix and matching individual pieces can be a great way to get the most out of your room. If you’re short on space, investing in one or two key pieces can bring the room to life without taking up too much space.

Cot beds and cribs

Cribs are ideal when baby is in your room, in those early months. The smaller size is ideal for fitting around your furniture, and you can then upgrade them to a cot bed when they’re ready for their own room.

When it comes to choosing a cot bed, you want to look at the space you have on offer. There are mini cot beds for small rooms and regular cot beds for larger spaces. Some can also be turned into toddler beds as your child grows, taking you up to 4 years.

Safety Advice: Always remember to take any accessories and toys out of the cot when baby is sleeping, this is the safest environment for them, and also gives you peace of mind too.

Cot Bed Mattress

Don’t forget to purchase a mattress for your cot bed or crib – and it just so happens, we have a handy blog about choosing a mattress for baby.

Chest of drawers and changing units

Storage is key in a nursery. From baby clothes and nappies to toys, blankets, and bedding – it’s amazing someone so little can amass so much stuff. Dressers are a key feature for a nursery as they provide plenty of storage space with the option to store items on top as well. Many children’s chest of drawers come with a changing unit that can be attached to the top, this provides a safe, secure space to changing baby’s nappy. It can then be removed when they outgrow it, leaving a dresser that still looks at home in your child’s room.

Wardrobes

A wardrobe is a great item to have in your nursery, though not essential if you’re short on space. Many junior wardrobes come with two hanging rails so you can double up on your outfits – and don’t forget to look out for full-size wardrobes that offer additional storage such as shelving or drawers. It all helps to keep everything tidy.

Additional pieces

If you have the space and budget to invest in more items, there are lots of pieces you can add to round out your nursery, such as:

• Free-standing changing station
• Tall boy drawers
• Bookcases
• Shelving
• Toy boxes
• Storage boxes
• Rocking/nursing chair

That’s the furniture sorted, now onto the soft stuff. Soft furnishings and interiors are a crucial addition to your nursery. Not only do they add some extra comfort but they also help to showcase some personality.

Collection or mix and match?

As with furniture, this is a question worth asking yourself. It’s possible to by nursery interiors collections, which are a great way to theme your room and get everything in one go. However, if you prefer to mix and match, then simply find the pieces that fit your colour scheme.

Bedding

Top of the list is bedding. It’s what baby needs to keep cosy at night. Remember to follow the guidelines around which bedding to use for your child at the appropriate ages – for instance, they can’t have loose bedding in the early months, so sleep bags are ideal. If you can stock up in advance, it’s a great way to know you’ve got everything you need.

The types of bedding it’s good to have include:

• Sleep bags
• Fitted sheet
• Quilt
• Cellular blanket

As we mentioned above, you can buy coordinating collections or find complimentary pieces to bring your cot bed to life.

Changing essentials

Other key pieces for your nursery are changing and bath time essentials. These items might not feel like part of your nursery but thinking about them ahead of time makes it easier to find pieces that coordinate with your room.

Items to consider include:

• Changing mats
• Nappy bins
• Towels / hooded towels
• Storage

Obviously, your big storage is covered with your furniture, but adding extra pieces is never a bad thing. Storage baskets, boxes and caddies provide plenty of additional storage and can be found in a range of styles and looks, to suit your room.

Organisers

As with your storage, organisation tools are a great way to keep everything in order. Some types of organisers to look out for include:

• Drawer organisers
• Drawer dividers
• Wardrobe rail dividers
• Labels
• Nappy stackers
• Changing station organisers

Finishing touches

Now that the essentials are covered, there are plenty of additional pieces you can use to bring more colour or texture to your room. Finishing touches like these can really help bring everything together, so your nursery feels like it was created with love.

Great additional nursery items include:

• Wall art
• Bunting
• Plants
• Cushions
• Throws
• Toys

Hopefully now you feel inspired to tackle baby’s nursery and create a calm, soothing space that’s perfect for a little one. Don’t forget to share your final nursery designs with us on social media – we love seeing what you create!

If you’re still purchasing, shop our range of nursery furniture and soft furnishings.