Decorating a baby’s room is a big undertaking and if you’re new to parenting, baby room decor can feel overwhelming.
It’s a common sight to see new parents schlep from one cavernous baby-mart to another, confronted by row after row of overpriced designer cribs and huckster sales folks who will sell them any tale to make a quick buck.
If that’s you right now, take a deep breath. Baby room decor is easier than it sounds. Whether you’re on a budget, or just a parent with limited space, it’s totally within your reach.
This beginner’s guide for baby room decor will keep you on the right track.
Prioritise Minimalism
This is because you will be carrying your baby back and forth in the middle of the night and a misplaced toy (chair, book, or play mat) can be painful (and extremely risky) to trip over when you’re least expecting it.
Minimalism cuts down on the clutter and provides the structure for fun and functional organisation. This way, you’ll have easy places to tuck things under when you’re done using them, instead of having them scattered all over the place.
Create a Color Contrast
Baby room decor gives you an opportunity to cut loose and indulge your personal sense of fun when choosing a decorating scheme. We recommend colors that contrast each other because they’re fun and make your baby’s room look refreshing.
A bold color contrast can also stimulate the development of a baby’s optic nerves and boost cognitive development without over-stimulating them. It could play an important role in sparking your child’s imaginations, too.
The color palette should mix in well together to help get across the theme you are trying to create. Besides the wall, you have to think about painting picture rails, closet doors, baby cribs, chairs, and feature walls.
By far the most versatile color pairing would be black and white. It’s a proven and tested color pair that will look refreshing year-round.
But if you find black-and-white to be a bit dull, you can try other fun combinations instead, including cherry red with vivid pink, light green with dark brown, dark blue with bright yellow, and others for a baby room idea. We’re spoilt for choice here, to be honest.
You can also choose a neutral color because it gives you more options to experiment with accessories. If you’ve got the budget, we recommend setting up half/half walls because they allow for endless experimentation with colors.
Half and half walls are a great option if you don’t want to commit to an entirely olive green or peachy pink room.
Baby Girl Room Design Ideas
If you’re expecting a little girl, go with soft colors such as purple and pearly whites. The accessories in a typical girly room is often white with a more dainty space. A wall-mounted glass type mirror with luxurious faux chandeliers will make a huge difference.
A floral designed room is also ideal because it adds a more dynamic splash of color. If you’re a big fan of floral motifs, consider painting the whole wall with flower designs to brighten up your baby’s day.
Baby Boy Room Design ideas
If you’re expecting an adorable baby boy along the way, then you’ll want to fill his room with things that an adventurer would want.
A great starting point would for deep reds, bright blues, primary greys, and minty green. If you want to become more creative, why not do a full feature wall with a unique theme.
It could be anything that boys typically like – from planets and rocket ships blasting through space to tough vintage drawings to chevron zig zags to spice things up.
Gender Neutral Guide for Baby Room Idea
You would rather not get into the boy/girl stereotypes when designing your baby’s room, then you can always go for gender-neutral nurseries. This means avoiding traditional pinks and blues to create a stunning baby room – regardless of the gender.
Pro tip #1: Try to go for a cheerful polka-dotted room. You could make the room look alive with some polka dots on the walls. This is super easy and can be done randomly with all kinds of colors.
Pro tip #2: Try your hand at playful geometric patterns to decorate your baby’s room with playful shapes.
Flooring Guide for Baby Room Idea
Functionality and comfort are the key elements for nursery flooring. Something along the lines of a good quality wool loop pile carpet will provide warmth in the middle of the night and padding to the baby’s knees when they begin to start crawling.
If cleanliness and maintenance have proven to be a problem for you in the past, try timber floorboards. You can add an area rug to define a space within the baby room; timber floorboards are pretty comfortable underfoot as well.
Here are a few ideal options:
Cork and Bamboo Floors
If you’re an Eco-conscious parent, cork and bamboo will offer a great alternative to timber floorboards. Cork and bamboo share the same colors and finishes as timber, but comes at a lower cost and are considered to be better for the environment due to the sustainability of the materials.
It is worth pointing out that the porous nature of the materials makes it harder to clean and could trap harmful allergens, such as dust, and mold in the crevices. It is advised to discuss this with your baby’s medical doctor before making this decision.
Laminate
If you’re comfortable with a more hands-on approach try the DIY easy-to-install alternative: laminates. They are fairly durable, scratch-resistant, and relatively easy to clean. This makes laminates the perfect choice for a nursery and playroom, plus you can also find Eco-friendly options in the market.
Install a Mirror
Mirrors are a fun and whimsical means of keeping your baby entertained for hours and are also good for their cognitive development.
Their faces lit up with glee when they catch their own reflection. This is probably due to repetitive moments and the subconscious ability to distinguish between what is real and what isn’t.
Beyond the above-described benefits, a mirror can add life and sparkle to baby rooms. They also have the seamless ability to make a room appear bigger and brighter, allowing you to visually expand the size of smaller nursery rooms. So try to add one to your baby’s nursery as part of the overall room decor.
Two of the most popular shapes are square and rectangular, but you don’t limit your baby room design ideas to only these shapes. Round mirrors can also be used as a central focal point in rooms and make spaces feel more relaxed and inviting.
For a more modern twist, baby room ideas that incorporate unique shapes or groupings of smaller mirrors will give your nursery room a more visually crisp look. Or, if you’re a fan of vintage baby room decor, we recommend buying an ornate gold mirror.
When choosing a mirror, you have to keep the scale and theme of your nursery room in mind. For instance, a large contemporary mirror will appear out-of-place in a rustic room. But the right choice of mirror can tie the look of your baby’s room together while adding light and liveliness to your nursery.
Furniture Ideas for Baby Room
By the time your baby becomes a toddler, the nursery will have to transform to what is required for a child that age. This is why everything that occupies the nursery is only temporary. Here is a breakdown of 4 must-have items that are necessary for a baby’s room.
Things to Look for in a Crib
When buying items for the baby room, start with the most essential things first, and work your way upwards.
Starting with a crib. Don’t skimp out on a crib because your baby will be spending the first two to three years of their life in a crib. Find one that is built to last and is extremely safe.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when buying a crib:
- Cribs slats shouldn’t be wider than 2 3/8 inches apart.
- Mattresses should be dense and firm. Bonus points if the mattresses are adjustable.
- Headboards should be solid with no decorative cutouts.
- If the crib is painted, it shouldn’t be peeling or splintery.
- Look for any screws, nails, or glue that is sticking out of the crib.
Nursing Chair
Nursing chairs come in all shapes and sizes. But you should choose a style that goes with your room’s theme. This chair is designed to make nursing easy. It should allow you to lean, swivel, rock, and put your feed up.
Why are these movements important? Because a newborn will feed every hour, if not more, so it’s important to make sure your seat is as comfortable and practical as possible.
Bonus points if you can find a nursing pillow. It will make it easier to prop your baby’s head up in order to avoid indigestion and gas. A nursing pillow is good for your health too because it minimises chances of the carpal tunnel.
Drawers and Dressers
Babies are tiny – but they’re not going to stay that way for long.
Your little bundle of joy will grow at a rapid pace. Not to mention the fact that it is recommended to change their clothing at least three times a day.
This means that closet space is necessary, especially if you don’t want to avoid clutter. We suggest getting a drawer or dresser for your baby that can house all the clothes, bibs, socks, hats, and mittens that they will need.
Here is our recommendation from 3 Sprouts Store on Amazon, starting at $22 (depending on where you live).
These days, many drawers also come with a changing pad kit, so there’s no need to buy a separate changing table.
Bouncer Seat
Why do you need a bouncer seat when you have a perfectly good crib in your baby’s room?
Because newborns are used to being curled up inside your baby and a crib can seem a bit flat compared to your womb. That’s when an upright bouncer seat comes in handy. It can cradle your baby better than a crib mattress does.
Window Furnishings for Baby’s Room
This is an important investment because window furnishings will have a major impact on baby room decor and energy savings. It is vital to achieve an end result that is both practical and beautiful.
Child safety is an important thing to consider. Make sure to check the window coverings for exposed cords that could pose a risk to the safety of your toddler. The best options are draperies, shutters, and cordless roller shades.
The window furnishing should let you control how much light your nursery receives. This is important because babies require a lot of sleep, some of which occurs during the day.
Window coverings can darken the baby’s room and utilise natural light to brighten the nursery, depending on your needs.
Pro tip: Pair up roller blinds with a head-box and side channels for maximum light control.
Light Fixtures
Lighting is a crucial element of design, but when it comes to getting it right, most parents don’t know where to start.
As a general rule, avoid halogens and exposed bulbs because these light fixtures are extremely bright and can make your babies more uncomfortable and anxious. They may even pose a safety risk if your curious toddler starts to poke around.
Instead, you should opt for fixtures that offer shaded or diffused lights. Look for bulbs that are labelled ‘daylight’ or ‘soft white’ because they are easier on a baby’s eyes.
Layers of Light
Instead of relying on a single bright source of light, use a number of light fixtures to brighten up the room. It is recommended to arrange at least three points of light, starting with the ceiling, and then working your way to other areas that need lighting.
Take a task-centred approach towards lighting fixtures and you’ll have just enough light right where you need it.
For the ceiling, try to add something dramatic – like an elegant chandelier. This will help you establish a fun theme and serve as a cool focal point.
Caution: Some light bulbs are known for getting dangerously hot. So if you have any of these fixtures, make sure they are positioned in locations that are beyond the reach of a curious toddler. If heat is going to be an issue, we recommend using LED bulbs because they are much cooler to the touch.
Wrapping Up
Designing your baby’s room is probably one of the last times you get to make all the decisions before they become teenagers and have opinions on everything.
Did you like reading this post? You may want to read this blog on floral wallpapers. Please share it in your social media channels or simply drop a comment below. Your feedback helps us keep our blog up to date with quality content. If you want to offer suggestions to the above baby room ideas, we’re all ears.
