When we found out we were expecting, there was a whirlwind of questions, appointments and uncertainty. But the one thing that was clear from the start: we wanted to remain surprised when it came to the sex of the baby, so we were all about a gender-neutral baby nursery. From simple colors to laidback themes and personalized touches, here are a few ways we set about creating a cozy and welcoming space.
Low-Key Colors Rule
Keeping wall color simple is a great starting point when setting up a baby nursery. If you’re looking to stay away from pinks and blues, gray is always a winner as are shades of white, cream and pale yellow. We ultimately chose gray, white and natural wood tones.
Think Through Your Theme
It’s always nice to have an organizing theme when thinking about how to set up a sweet space. Animals are a gender-neutral nursery home run, but travel (hot air balloons, airplanes), adventure, and a theme from a favorite childhood book are inspired choices, too.
Personalized Touches
If you’re not a fan of a hard theme but are looking for something special to hang on the walls, family photographs, a print, or a painting that has some history or meaning is a great way to welcome your new baby into the fold. I happen to have an artistic husband, so he painted a zoo watercolor to hang above the changing table, and I ended up sewing some curtains to match.
Cozy Textiles + Rugs
While I love neutral colors for walls, adding a pop of color when it comes to pillows, rugs or curtains is a great way to liven up a space. A cozy vintage or striped rug are both great gender-neutral choices as are patterns and interesting graphic elements. If you’re concerned about wear and tear and are aiming to create a space for your baby to grow into, avoiding super light-colored rugs is always smart as stains and spills are bound to happen.
Make It Functional
While the perfect color, theme, and rug are all fine and good, I like to take a step back when setting up a room to think about its function. You’re going to spend a lot of time here in the early months feeding your baby, so a comfy chair is key as is a changing table stocked with diapers and wipes (we liked this wipes dispenser(Opens in a new window) as it makes grabbing wipes one-handed a breeze). Drawer dividers to help organize tiny baby clothes are always handy. Thinking ahead, a reading or music corner, with a bin for toys, will encourage learning and play as your baby gets a little older, two things that I know ultimately felt more important to us than, say, the best wall color or throw pillow.
Need more inspiration? Check out the best practical baby shower gifts and baby registry must-haves.
