Feels like it was just yesterday you were bouncing off baby shower ideas with your best friend, and here you are now preparing for the next big item on your to-do list before your little one's arrival.
Preparing your baby's nursery can be a fun project, but you must complete it long before the baby arrives. You'll be surprised at how fast time passes once you know the baby is on the way. Most parents start setting up and decorating the nursery around the second trimester, allowing you enough time to choose and order furniture, paint the room, and decorate.
Decorating a nursery can become challenging, with so many design options and decisions to make. But, it can also be a rewarding and incredible experience. Remember that you and the baby will be spending a lot of time in the nursery, so design your little one’s room in a way that reflects your style, incorporating themes, colors, textures, and items you love.
If you're looking for inspiration to create a beautiful space for your baby, we've got some great baby nursery ideas and suggestions for you!
1. Design a nursery that grows with your child.
Before you begin planning the nursery, take a moment to consider what you want to get out of this space in the coming years. Your child will grow, and the space will need to grow with them. Do you think this room will be passed down to a future sibling? Or would you like to transform this into a space suitable for a toddler and beyond?
A practical option is to go with multipurpose furniture that can serve several functions. For example, invest in a multifunctional crib that can convert to a toddler bed or playpen. Similarly, choose a dresser with a built-in changing table—when your child is older, you can remove the changing table and turn it into a set of drawers for storing toys and books.
2. Create a safe sensory zone for play.
A nursery is more than just a place for your infant to sleep. It is a valuable room where your little one will discover an exciting new world. Every object in your baby's room provides them with an opportunity to improve their motor skills. Adding accessories that engage the senses can significantly help with early childhood development.
Lalo’s The Play Gym offers a safe and perfect place for your little one’s first reaches, head lifts, push-ups, and rolls. The Play Kit also makes an excellent addition to your nursery furniture. By giving your little one a space that’s all their own, you’re encouraging plenty of independent playtime, self-discovery, and growth.
3. Choose a theme that will bring you joy.
Pick the nursery theme, colors, and style early in the design process. The nursery theme you choose for your baby's room can set the tone for the overall design and décor of the nursery.
Many parents will do some research for baby nursery ideas before decorating the room. Browse sites and social media or flip through interior design magazines for baby nursery ideas and inspiration. Start by choosing a color palette that you adore since the color you choose for the nursery will set the atmosphere of the space.
Better yet, step away from societal norms and go for a gender-neutral theme. Not only will this give your baby room a timeless look and feel, but it will also give you a little more freedom with design than traditional baby room ideas.
4. Pick soothing colors for a serene atmosphere.
Create a soothing sanctuary for your baby with warm colors that evoke joy and comfort. Or, use cool colors that calm the mind and body and make your child’s room feel spacious and relaxing—imagine open skies and rolling waves. Soft shades of blue, purple, green, and gray can help your child sleep soundly.
While baby blue and powder pink are generally liked by little ones, you may wish to break away from the norm. You might also save money on paint jobs as your child grows older and their tastes change.
A rich terracotta orange is a fantastic alternative for baby nurseries. Shades of terracotta, especially when paired with neutral or cool tones, create a blissful backdrop to lift your mood. Given its versatility, this color will work for years as your child grows.
5. Save bold colors for décor and furniture.
Bold shades of red, yellow, and orange are mind-stimulating and invigorating. While this is good for growth and development, it may not be much help when it comes to the nightly bedtime battle with your baby.
However, if you like bold colors and pastels aren't your thing, you can still make them work in a nursery by using a soft touch. Instead of painting an entire room bright red or yellow, paint a single accent wall and furnish it with a bookshelf and some matching accessories.
You can also consider combining warm and cool shades to create a sense of balance while injecting some color and personality.
6. Choose furniture that fits the space.
Take some measurements of the room before you buy anything. Don't forget to consider play and walking areas while planning your design.
Ideally, you want your nursery furniture to fit easily and comfortably in your baby's room. You don't want everything to be so close together that there's no space for anything else. Avoid cramming the room with too much furniture and other items.
Nonetheless, even if you strive to keep baby gear to a minimum, babies come with a ton of things. Storage is essential for keeping things contained and organized. We’ll tackle how you can keep your space tidy and tranquil (with no one accidentally stepping on squeaky toys or Lego pieces) next.
7. Get creative with storage.
Do not underestimate how much storage space you will need. Babies may be tiny, but their things will take up a considerable amount of room.
With diapers, baby clothes, bibs, toys, board books, art cards, and more, your nursery can easily get overrun with an assortment of things. Knowing what’s to come, it’s vital to expand storage space.
Get creative and practical with storage, especially if you don’t have a lot of space.
Use cabinets to store all the large items and drawer organizers to maximize space while making it easier to find specific items. Use smaller containers such as handcrafted wicker baskets and trays to store miscellaneous things—including loud squeaky toys and misplaced Lego bricks.
8. Set up a gorgeous gallery wall.
Assembling a gallery display in your nursery is a simple way to fill up a wall. You can frame photographs, your baby’s name, baby booties, pieces of artwork, and more!
Aside from photos and paintings, you can put words into frames. Adorn your nursery walls with meaningful messages, inspirational wall quotes, and positive affirmations. Play with fonts to highlight the words you want to stand out, and use varying print sizes for added visual interest.
Final Thoughts
Planning a nursery has a wonderful and magical element to it. However, all the work involved in creating a beautiful, comfortable, safe, and tranquil space for your newborn can also be daunting. We hope our list of adorable baby nursery ideas will help you jumpstart your nursery decorating project!
And, while you want to create a lovely space for your baby, keep the design flexible enough to allow for changes as they grow.
At Lalo, we create products that are stylish, versatile, and built to last. Check out our best-selling baby products and furniture you and your little one will enjoy as she meets milestones and creates memories with the family.
