Nursery Decor Ideas - From Modern to Simple to Super Cute!

November 27, 2023 Hannah Evans

You’re expecting a new baby in the family, and it’s time to start nesting! That’s right, getting everything organised and ready for the baby’s arrival is one of the most fun aspects of expecting a child. And at the centre of all that excitement will be your own, unique baby nursery. In this guide, we will go over some of the best nursery decor ideas from our own baby sleep experts as well as provide cost-cutting tips to help you achieve the nursery of your dreams.

Baby Room Design

What makes for good baby room design? When picking out the decor for your nursery, think about how your baby will nestle into its bed every night to sleep and how the art and decorations you’ve picked out will be the first thing they see every morning. You want to pick furniture and accessories that will make both you and your baby feel safe and comfortable. You also want to make sure the utilitarianism of the room is not lost in the design. You won’t want to be tripping over a cluttered floor or dealing with an overly complicated cot when you stumble into your baby’s room at 3 AM to see why they’re crying. Focus on picking out a handful of special pieces centred around a theme that resonates with you, and don’t stress about the rest.

If you buy nothing else, make sure you at least have the following essentials in your nursery:

To save time and money, consider purchasing a new Ollie baby bundle from Baby Elegance.

Nursery Decorating Ideas

The sleep experts here at Baby Elegance have created a list of their top 15 nursery decorating ideas for every family. From modern to neutral to cutesie, we have put together a guide to help you make the baby room of your dreams at a price you can afford.

Scroll through the blog or jump immediately to the section you need:

Neutral
Small
Cute
Simple
Modern

Neutral Nursery Ideas

Neutral nurseries provide a clean, calming space that focuses more on textures and earthy tones as opposed to bright colours or graphics. They are a perfect complement to homes that already feature a more easy-going, natural style.

1. COMFORTING TEXTURES & WARM TONES

This nursery is a perfect example of comforting textures and warm, welcoming tones. Created by nursery designer Leanne Ford, it mixes both antique and modern pieces.

2. NEUTRAL CAN BE PLAYFUL

Neutral nurseries can still be playful. This baby room showcases many whimsical touches, such as the striped ceiling, alphabet graphic, and shag carpet, without breaking the neutral colour scheme.

3. BOLD HIGHLIGHT COLOUR

Consider picking a flashy highlight colour that will really stand out against the neutral backdrop. These small highlights, such as the yellow light and stuffed toy shown here, will add pops of colour that can easily be rotated out as the baby grows and changes.

Small Nursery Ideas

Nurseries on the smaller side provide their own challenges, but they have their benefits too! The intimacy of the space can help your newborn feel less overwhelmed, and the lack of free room for more ‘stuff’ can help eliminate unnecessary distractions to your precious bonding time. Here are our best tips to make the most out of your cosy space.

1. BRIGHT COLOURS & LIGHT WOOD TONES

When dealing with a tight space, it is best to pick bright colours and light wood tones to make the space feel bigger. Opting for a sofa instead of a chair can give you great seating in a slimmer profile. Finally, consider buying hanging light features, such as the pink one here, to free up floor and counter space.

2. REMOVE UNNECESSARY DOORS

Swinging closet doors can make an already small space feel impossibly tiny. Try removing the doors entirely to give yourself more space, and make sure you use the entire closet from floor to ceiling for storage. To maximise storage in your small nursery, consider less conventional spaces like under the crib or hanging from the ceiling and backs of doors.

3. PRE-MEASURED & MULTI-PURPOSE FURNITURE

When dealing with a tighter nursery, it is very important to pre-measure your space and plan out your interior design in detail before you go buying expensive furniture. This small nursery still looks inviting thanks to the strategic placement of its decor. Many of its pieces are also multi-purpose, such as the dresser that doubles as a changing unit or the corner shelf that serves as a clothing rack. Notice the curtains are hung above the windows to give the space the illusion of higher ceilings.

Cute Nursery Ideas

Baby nurseries are the perfect opportunity to go wild with all the adorable interior design ideas you’ve never been able to use in the more mature rooms of your house. From flashy colours to rainbows to life-sized stuffed animals, these cute design ideas are for parents who want to fill their nurseries with fun and whimsy.

1. USE A VIBRANT COLOUR SCHEME

Instead of using typical pastel colours, which your baby will outgrow in just a few years, consider using a more vibrant colour theme, such as this fuchsia nursery. From the rug to the wallpaper to the sheets, this room is bursting with energy and fun. Designer Janie Molster has also cleverly incorporated a few warm-toned pieces to keep the whole place grounded.

2. COLOURFUL BUT STILL COHESIVE

The multi-coloured confetti walls in this nursery can be accomplished using wallpaper or even just a few small buckets of paint. It provides not only a cheerful backdrop but also a range of colours to pull from when picking out other decor pieces for the room. This way your baby room can be colourful while still maintaining cohesion.

3. SWITCH IT UP WITH REUSABLE WALL STICKERS

If you don’t feel confident in your ability to paint specific designs, or if you’re just short on time, consider purchasing wall stickers instead, like this rainbow decal. Some wall stickers are even reusable, so you can rotate the wall designs over time. Just imagine putting the seasons up on your child’s wall with each start of a new cycle!

Simple Nursery Ideas

Let’s face it, most (if not all) new parents have very limited time on their hands. Perhaps the baby came earlier than expected or maybe you’re trying to move and get ready for a baby at the same time. Whatever the case, we’re here to help. These simple nursery ideas focus on easy, straightforward designs that still make a statement.

1. FLOOR TO CEILING COLOUR STATEMENT

A nursery can be as simple as a couple of pieces of furniture and a rug. What really elevates this space is the floor to ceiling forest green paint. With just one colour, this room is turned into a cosy cocoon perfect for winding down an infant and getting them ready for a nap. The pocket door also provides a quiet way to check on your newborn without waking them.

2. DECEPTIVELY SIMPLE WALL ART

What we love about this design is that it’s deceptively simple. All the geometric designs on the wall can easily be achieved with just a roll of painter’s tape, some string, and a pencil. To make the circle, tack the string to the wall wherever you want the centre to be, then tie the pencil to the other end of the string and draw a light circle to be painted in. As for the squares and rectangles, just use the tape to create clean lines between the highlight colours and the more neutral background colour of the wall. Finally, add a few simple furniture pieces and toys, and voila! Nursery complete.

3. DESIGN THE ROOM AROUND A CENTRAL GRAPHIC

One way to quickly elevate a simple nursery is to add a large, graphic piece. You could invest in a unique piece of art or, in the case of this nursery, a sweet, cloudy window shade. The rest of the room can then be designed around that central motif. For example, in this nursery the theme of rain is reflected both in the room’s colour scheme as well as the decorations hung around the cot.

Modern Nursery Decor

Modern nurseries have an understated elegance that helps declutter the mind and refocus on one’s priorities. One of the benefits of modern nurseries is they often blend seamlessly into the rest of the house. This means more exposed nurseries do not stick out in an awkward way. They can also grow with the child for many years with minimal redecorating.

1. INVEST IN LONG-TERM FURNITURE

This smart, contemporary nursery contains furniture pieces that could just as easily sit in a teenager or adult’s room. The matte black accent wall adds depth to the room while also serving as the perfect backdrop to a photo gallery that can grow and change with your child. Finally, the wooden accents and plant life give this space a surprisingly cosy feel.

2. BRING IN CHROME & LEATHER ACCENTS

This baby room is the perfect mixture of modern elegance and young playfulness. The leather and chrome add an unmistakable post-industrial feel while the delicately drawn animals and children's toys help inspire that unique, childlike wonder.

3. CLEAN LINES & UNDERSTATED ELEGANCE

This midcentury modern inspired nursery features baby furniture with clean lines and light wood tones. The room decor is kept understated and natural, which helps it flow seamlessly into the rest of the house. All of the pieces in this nursery are available right here on BabyElegance.com. Save money and time by purchasing the whole set through one of our convenient baby bundles!

Here's some of our most popular nursery products to inspire you in your own unique nursery design. Remember, your baby will care more about having a safe, comfortable, and loving environment than any paint colour or piece of furniture, so try to have fun with it!