4 Tips to Create an Amazing Nursery

Pregnancy is the best time to decorate a room! You might think I’m crazy because for most it is a time of exhaustion, swollen feet, and nausea, but with all those hormones and nesting instincts, we women can get a lot accomplished. That drive paired with an imminent deadline make for some pretty awesome nurseries. Of all the rooms I’ve decorated, I’m still the most proud of how our son’s turned out. Must have something to do with the fact that I was pregnant, right? Oh and because I kept four little tips in mind throughout the process.

Today I’m going to share those tips with you so that you can create beautiful baby spaces, or any space because the concepts will mostly apply.

Use the Deadline in Your Favor

Your baby’s birth is imminent and the little guy is going to need a place to call his own. Instead of letting that overwhelm you, take it as a gift. Deadlines create productivity and give you a clear end. Let that due date motivate you to get out the painting supplies, go on that shopping trip, and pick out that furniture. Then, when bring everything home, finish the projects, and put it all together, you can breathe easy (or at least somewhat easy since those little feet like to shove themselves into your rib cage) because it’s done.

Also, when decorating, the spaces that are put together over a long period of time, with a piece added here and there never get the same cohesive look as one that is fashioned within a schedule. Being forced to put together a nursery within a few months’ means that your tastes and vision for the room will not be as likely to change so the design choices you make with match from one side of the room to the other.

Pick Colors that Will Grow with Baby

As life gets more and more busy, I’m so glad I will not have to worry about re-painting Jordan’s room because light baby blue isn’t working anymore. I would advise every new mom to consider starting with a neutral palette and use accessories for the baby pinks and blues because, while it may not seem like it, these tykes grow really quickly!

We went with grey and white with turquoise accents. I wanted to add a little extra interest to the room by adding stripes. The ugly paneling that was on the wall and haunted my dreams actually became a blessing as it gave the perfect guide lines for said stripes. Since we chose two neutral colors, I felt fine with a bold pattern.

One last note about colors: once you’ve chosen a palette. Try to stick with it as much as possible. This was the first room that I really worked at matching the various hues and chose accordingly and I believe that was the trick that gives it a pleasing and well-decorated look.

Consider Function Along With Style

Nurseries are cute and all, but in reality, they are a utility room. Practicality and function will become very important to you once your baby is born and you are spending a good part of your day in there feeding, changing diapers, and playing. Just keep this in mind while planning you design. Here are some very functional pieces you’ll want to include:

• A dresser with changing table top if you don’t have the space for a separate changing table.

• A crib that converts into a toddler bed later on.
• A wastebasket that locks in smells with a REALLY good lid
• A laundry hamper
• A super comfortable rocking chair

Now, while these are functional pieces, that doesn’t mean they need to detract from the stylish look of the room. We added cute drawer pulls to the dresser to give a pop of color, colorful pillows can accent a chair nicely, and a painted basket works for a laundry hamper.

Repurpose Old Items…with Caution

In following Joanna Gaine’s line of thinking, incorporating an old item with a story in rooms gives them a lot of character. This also can save a lot of money if you know where to look. I found our dresser and crib at a Garage sale for a steal of $60.00 for the set. With a fresh coat of paint they look like new. Decorations for a baby’s room are another thing to look for second hand since most are not used for very long before the child outgrows them. Thrifting when decorating any room is an awesome way to bring vintage style on a tight budget.

That being said, I do want to throw in a caution when looking for objects to put in a nursery. Keep safety in mind when shopping. Older cribs and dressers may not be up to code or have compromised stability. Don’t buy anything with missing parts or small parts. Remember that your baby might not be able to get into and discover everything about his room at first, but when they grow and get more curious, it will be almost impossible to stop them from picking, biting, tasting, and trying to fit their head into everything in reach.

When you are pregnant, you have this amazing opportunity to fix a room that is perfect for your sweet baby. The way a room looks can do a lot to promote relaxation and happiness and now is a wonderful time to really focus on what you want in a nursery and then make that vision come true by following these four tips: use the deadline in your favor, pick colors that will grow with them, consider function along with style, and repurpose older items (but with caution). Going into my son’s room is a treat because of its lovely design.

If you liked these 4 tips to create an amazing nursery, follow me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest for more inspiration and advice and comment below with your baby room stories. I love to hear from you!