3 Tips for Flawless Nursery Design
This one is for all the soon-to-be or current mamas out there. Designing your little one’s nursery always seems like a good idea, until you realize you are seven months pregnant with a to-do list as long as the Starbucks’ drive-thru on a Monday morning... we’ve all been there, right?! As an interior designer and mama of two-under-two, I decided to simplify a few must-haves for nursery design. So please, give yourself some grace and take a deep breath, because we have you covered!
Read on to ease your nerves and place your trust in yourself (or a designer) to help guide you through this exciting chapter of your life! With these tips, designing your nursery will be a simple and educated process that flows seamlessly. Once your little babe arrives, your nursery should be ready to welcome sweet moments with tiny toes and lullabies. Let’s get started!
Tip 1: Start With Furniture as Easy as 1, 2, 3, 4!
When designing a space, furniture acts as the anchor of the room. In a nursery, not only are these pieces important for space planning, they are the pillars of day-to-day newborn activities from changing diapers to rocking your little one to sleep. For your sweet babe, here are a few must-haves to put at the top of your list.
A word to the wise: Select these pieces with convertibility in mind so they transition seamlessly into a bigger kids room.
The crib should transition to a convertible bed. As for the dresser, think of purchasing one that has a separate changing table topper so you can remove it down the road once baby transitions out of diapers. The rocker needs to be comfortable for those late night feedings, and storage is key to accommodate dirty bibs, blankets, play-mats and eventually all of those bright colored toys. We will get into decor down below, but there are pieces with built-in storage that you can keep top of mind. There are also super cute storage bins and baskets depending on your style. You can choose pieces that will transition with age, or nursery pieces that say baby all the way. Do you have additional questions on choosing nursery furniture? We can set up a time to connect and brainstorm options to simplify your life.
Here are some of my recommended pieces:
Tip 2: Performance Fabrics are Your Saving Grace
As mentioned in our Nursery E-Design blog post, when developing a nursery (or any space that might need to accommodate babies, children or pets) we always look to incorporate performance fabrics wherever possible. Performance fabrics are favored by designers for their easy-to-clean nature and durability for wear and tear by our beloved little ones. This Como Glider by Monte Design not only comes in a white performance microsuede fabric, but the cushions themselves are removable and washable! The foam is also free of any flame retardant chemicals, phthalates, heavy metals or formaldehyde, which is an A++ in this mama’s book.
Performance fabric takes out the stress in spills and more. It is a must-have in our book!
Tip 3: Fresh & Fun Decor For Your Little One
Decor and design are important. Our team believes that spaces should reflect and empower those that live within, and the same goes for your little one. As your little love grows, your nursery design should shed positivity and encourage dreams that soar. Again, here we break it down into bite-size to-dos:
If you’re running short on ideas for a theme or color palette, you can start by browsing Pinterest and saving some of your favorite designs. We can also connect and dream up the best design plan for you - e-design or full service. For walls, easy options are paint or self-adhesive wallpaper.
Art can be purchased or easily custom made to fit your theme. In the recently designed Little Prince Nursery, we sourced this beautiful piece of art from Minted which actually showcases a quote from the book, “The Little Prince”. We love Minted for children’s art because you can quickly customize the art size, frame, border and matting, and even include the artist signature if desired! If you haven’t seen their latest collaborations or featured artists, you should check them out!
And as for lighting, I recommend 2-3 options for different settings and activities for your babe. Rooms serve you and your lifestyle better with layered lighting. Try to balance overhead lighting with a small tableside or free-standing lamp. You can imagine the importance of a softly lit room during that nighttime feeding.
There you have it - furniture, fabric and fun decor as easy as 1,2,3. What do you think of these go-to nursery design tips? Are you currently expecting, or looking for someone to guide you towards your dream nursery room!? Feel free to drop us a comment in the box below, or reach out to our team at info@akco.design to schedule a complimentary consultation!
Sending so much love to all of our expecting mamas. You got this! 🤍 Happy Wednesday, friends!