When you’re excited about your new baby, creating a beautiful space for them is a fun way to focus all that nesting energy! I remember being a newly pregnant mom, trolling design blogs and Pinterest for ideas on how to create the perfect nursery. I also remember feeling overwhelmed! I had to keep reminding myself that many of the photos I was seeing were of rooms created by professional designers—not regular, design-challenged moms like me. In the end, neither my son’s or daughter’s rooms were the kind you might find featured in a magazine, but they are still cozy, cute, and unique. If you’re looking for quick and effective ways to create an inspiring space for your kid, here are 5 easy design ideas.
A mobile. Thre are so many adorable mobiles available that are bursting with color and personality. A great place to start your search is Etsy. My son has had one of these pinwheel mobiles by Dosta Beba in his room for almost four years now and still likes gazing at it, while my one-year-old daughter loves this gorgeous butterfly orb I have hanging over her changing table, which are available here.
A cool rug. Whether you go with a neutral rug to simply warm up a room, or a colorful pattern that adds some personality, a rug is essential to any nursery (not to mention it absorbs noise, a.k.a crying!). Pottery Barn Kids has beautiful rugs for both girls and boys (and don’t overlook PB Teen, which also has a nice selection). Land of Nod and Serena & Lily are great places to look, too. If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, consider using an indoor/outdoor rug, which can be surprisingly soft (not to mention easy to clean), and are available in neutral colors at places like Ballard Designs. Check out Rugs USA for a huge array of colorful, kid-themed rugs at reasonable prices.
Window treatments. Curtains or a simple valance are a lovely way to add warmth and color to a room. Check out JCPenney and Target for some cute and inexpensive options. Pottery Barn is another great resource, offering everything from valances to curtains to roman shades.
Wall decals. These are a great way to spruce up a room and add color, or play on a theme. Target has some great decals, which you can view here—my daughter has a tree decal similar to this one on the wall near her crib. I was surprised how easy it was to put up, even for an impatient person like myself! Etsy is another place that has every kind of wall decal you can imagine. My son, who loves cars and trucks, loves these traffic light decals I put on the wall beside his bed. Casa and Amazon are two other online resources with lots of cool decals.
A new coat of paint. Paint can transform any room. If you are looking for a neutral color for your nursery, try Edgecomb Gray or Gray Owl by Benjamin Moore. For girls, Gentle Butterfly by Benjamin Moore is a lovely, understated pink. For boys, Kensington Blue by Benjamin Moore is a deep blue that would look great painted on one wall of a nursery. If you love aqua colors, Robin’s Nest and Waterfall by Benjamin Moore are fun for either a boy’s or girl’s room. (Tip: If you don’t have access to Benjamin Moore near you, most hardware stores can still mix up the colors for you if you provide them with the paint name and number.)
