Tips for Creating the Perfect Nursery

By Brianna Waldrop

Designing a nursery is a special opportunity to blend creativity with comfort and function. Whether you're welcoming a new baby or refreshing a child’s space, here are some thoughtful and playful tips to help you create the perfect nursery environment.

1. Make a Statement

You can achieve this with wallpaper, millwork, murals, paint and window treatments. Kid’s spaces like nurseries and playrooms are the perfect place to play with pattern and colors that you may not use in the main areas of your home. It is fun incorporating playful prints that make the space come to life and really achieve that youthful feeling.

In this nursery:

• A large scale tree wallpaper creates the perfect focal point behind the crib and doubles as art, so the wall doesn’t need much else.
  

• A simple wood name sign adds a personal touch without distracting from the print and becoming busy.
  

• The surrounding walls, trim, and doors are color drenched in a rich taupe that makes the space feel cozy.
  

• Built-ins in a soft sage green brighten the room.

Lastly, the space is softened up with a fun plaid roman shade on the window and classic linen roman shades on the french doors. These Jawara Linen cordless shades in Oatmeal may be unconventional outside of the room, but they allow for perfect light blocking and privacy while seamlessly maintaining the style right off of the living room.

2. Playful Art and Lighting

Gallery walls are a favorite choice for nurseries, mixing frames and compositions. Our nursery combines collected vintage frames and new frames, a vintage plaque, an original print, framed wrapping paper, and framed vintage book illustrations.

Get creative and see what you can turn into art that tells a story, speaks to your theme, and makes the space personal. Hardware and lighting can also make an impact by mixing metals and finding quirky styles that are a bit more unique. The retro coiled design on the antique brass pulls used in this nursery made just the right subtle statement for a small room.

Another note for lighting is allowing for ambient lighting and incorporating lamps that are practical for dim environments when you don’t want to use the overhead light.

3. Layers

Like any other room in the home, it is key to layer textures throughout your nursery. We incorporated a vintage turkish rug, linen roman shades, a boucle glider, boucle diaper caddy, stacked woven baskets and soft muslin crib sheets with vintage fabric pillows.

I think the mix of materials along with mixed color and pattern really brings the space to life and adds dimension.

4. Storage

A key element in any kid’s space is functional storage solutions while maintaining the beautiful design. Built-ins are a great option to add color and interest along with tons of storage or display space for books and toys.

Furniture pieces like benches and ottomans can also double as toy storage so incorporating multi-functional pieces like these is key. Vertical storage is also a great option with things like floating shelves and bookcases that can also add to the design. Lastly, baskets are a perfect addition for texture and quirky details like scallops or checkered patterns.

In Conclusion

A well-designed nursery is both stylish and functional—a space that inspires creativity, comfort, and calm. With thoughtful layers, smart storage, and unique touches, you can create a one-of-a-kind environment that both you and your little one will love.

*All photographs credit: Brianna Waldrop

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