How to Design and Decorate a Nursery

Decor Details:
Swivel Glider with Ottoman (also available here, here, and here – mine is Grey Linen, but it is available in 5 colors) | White Lumbar PIllow | Solar System Print | Poster Frame (ours is 18×24) | Uncut White Matboard | Set of 2 Blackout Curtains (20 colors & 10 sizes – ours are in Stone) | Curtain Rod | Convertable Crib | Fitted Crib Sheets | Grey Throw Blanket | Grey Area Rug (ours is 7’10” x 10′) | Tripod Floor Lamp | Diaper Pail | 6 Drawer Double Dresser (4 colors) | Large Round Mirror | Changing Table Basket | Echo Dot | Large Grey Willow Basket | White Throw Blanket | Grey Throw Blanket | Glow in the Dark Stars | Ceiling Fan | Space Growth Chart | Reach for the Stars Print | Star Trek Print | Wood Frames with Mat (ours are 11×14) | Small Grey Willow Basket | Moon Accent Lamp

I couldn’t wait to decorate a nursery for our sweet baby.

As soon as we found out we were having a boy we started brainstorming ideas.

We considered everything from a neutral Winnie the Pooh theme to a beach theme.

But in the end, our love for space won out, and I couldn’t be happier with baby Roger’s space-themed nursery.

I shared lots of tips along with the process on my stories last year, and now that life with our sweet boy is starting to get more into a routine, I thought I’d share some tips to help you as you design and decorate a nursery for your baby.

So whether you are having a boy or girl, are hoping to create a fairyland, neutral, or jungle theme, I hope these tips and mini tips help you create the nursery of your dreams!

1. Choose a Theme

The first step is to choose a theme or style for your nursery.

If you are holding off on finding out the gender of your little one or are adopting, you may want to choose neutrals and then adding in some color (or subtle color) once the baby arrives.

We originally planned on creating a beach theme, but then a trip to the Kennedy Space Museum changed everything.

And since we already love Star Trek, we decided to go with an outer space theme for baby RoRo’s room.

2. Pick a Color Scheme & Paint

Once you know your theme you can choose a color scheme and paint the room.

There are lots of example nursery color scheme ideas on Pinterest.

While accent walls aren’t as “in” as they use to be, we knew that Moon Shade by Valspar would be too dark for his whole room.

If you are having a lot of fun painting or want to add some extra fun to the room you could even paint the closet.

3. Measure with Painters Tape

Measuring the nursery is so very important in order to make sure all of your furniture and decor will fit in the space.

To do this more accurately I used painter’s tape!

I looked online at the dimensions of the furniture I liked and then marked it out on the floor and wall with painter’s tape to make sure it would fit and didn’t take up too much space in the room.

4. Order Furniture & Decor

Finding the right furniture and decor that fits the space, the theme, and your color scheme can feel daunting.

I recommend starting a Pinterest board or a special album in your pictures on your phone.

Then as you find pieces you like add them to the board (or screenshot it and add it to your photos album), and you will be able to get a better idea if it all blends well together.

Be sure to order everything with plenty of time to assemble, hang, and arrange before your baby arrives.

Don’t forget to read reviews and compare prices.

While our white crib is exclusive to one store, our Swivel Glider with Ottoman can be found in a plethora of stores online (also available here, here, and here – mine is Grey Linen, but it is available in 5 colors).

5. Assemble, Decorate, & Organize

I recommend having everything done (or near done) by the end of your 2nd trimester so that you can relax and nest during your 3rd trimester.

Because once you enter the 3rd trimester it’s always good to be prepared in case the baby comes early.

Oh, and it’s always important to thoroughly read about the product before buying it.

For example, our glider came with very minimal assembly. Honestly, I can’t remember if there was any assembly required, and there may have been none at all!

But the dresser had quite a bit of assembly and took a couple of hours to assemble as a team.

PS. Just as it’s super important to secure a dresser to a wall, it is also super important to securely hang artwork and mirrors, especially when they are hung above a crib or dresser.