Creating a stylish nursery that’s easily adaptable and functional for either gender at any age…
Whether you are waiting to find out the gender when the little one arrives or looking to create a versatile nursery that works for future babies as well as your current one, designing an adaptable nursery that is also stylish is absolutely doable!
From smart furniture choices to intentional decor styling, here are the best ways to design a nursery that allows you the freedom to adapt and reuse each element for a boy, girl, or gender neutral theme at any age.
Furniture
The best furniture has 3 key elements: adaptability, quality, and functionality.
For nursery furniture you will want to choose neutral pieces that can be adapted for multiple styles and uses, quality made to last and endure the test of use and time, and pieces that are practical and multi-functional.
The Crib
The focal point of every nursery is the crib. For many reasons this is the most important piece of furniture to choose wisely. As the main feature of the nursery it needs to be stylish, but as the place where your baby will spend the majority of his/her time it also needs to be safe. A good quality crib doesn’t come cheap and is worth the splurge so be prepared to spend a large portion of your budget on it.
This crib from Pottery Barn is a great example of a crib that is adaptable, functional, and good quality. The craftsman style and neutral color options make it easy to mix and match so you can pair it with almost any theme for your nursery. It’s versatile with several mattress level heights for newborn through the first few years of life and can be converted into a toddler bed when your child is ready. With room underneath the crib, adding a few low profile storage bins makes for an easy way to add extra storage space to the room.
Rocker / Glider
Another key piece of furniture in a nursery is the rocker or glider. A comfortable place to sit and nurse or sooth a fussy baby to sleep, it’s an essential piece of furniture in any nursery.
This glider and ottoman set by Graco is a great fit for your nursery. It comes in several neutral shades to match your theme, is durable and comfortable, easy to clean, and at around $200 it’s very competitively priced for a quality glider and ottoman set.
When you no longer need a chair for nursing or soothing, a neutral colored rocker/glider can easily be re-used in a living room, screened patio, or any bedroom as a lasting piece of furniture.
Dresser
A quality dresser can be another great feature piece of furniture and storage in a nursery. Make sure you choose a piece that comes in a neutral tone and is quality made so that you can use it in baby’s room from birth through high school or re-use it in another bedroom later on. This is another big ticket item in your nursery budget, but if you choose the right brand and style you can get many years of good use out of it compared to a cheap, poorly made, non-lasting product.
This dresser and topper set from Pottery Barn is a great choice that fits all the key elements you need in a piece of nursery furniture. It comes in several neutral colors (it’s from the same furniture set as the crib above so you know it will match), is great quality with the Pottery Barn lasting reputation, has several different size options to fit any room or however much storage space you need, and is multi-functional with a completely removable changing station topper allowing for use even after the diaper phase is done.
Decor
Decor is the most logical and economical place to add flare and character to your nursery.
Whether you want to keep a gender neutral theme with neutral tones/colors or create a stylish color and decor scheme to suit a boy or girl, the decor is where you want to make that happen. Decor items are typically the most affordable design elements and the easiest to change and rearrange. This is where you can have fun adding your own style and embellishments to make your nursery unique and fitting for your family.
Wall Art
Adding splashes of pink or floral wall decor is an easy way to style your nursery for a baby girl. These hand crafted, crepe paper flowers bring a bit of nature into the nursery and add a feminine touch perfect for a little girl’s room.
Decorating for a little boy doesn’t always have to include a blue color scheme. This copper wire bear wall decor is a modern and stylish addition to a forest/woodland themed boy’s nursery.
For a gender neutral nursery, this Elephant Plaque from Pottery Barn is a fun addition to any nursery. Whether you are going with a gender neutral safari theme or a simple grey elephant theme, this wall decor would be a great statement piece.
Lighting
This Birch Floor Lamp from Pottery Barn is a natural style to light any nursery. The neutral tone and texture brings in a touch of the outdoors and allows for the ability to match almost any nursery theme.
String lights are an easy way to add an intimate and delicate touch of lighting to a nursery. These pink cherry blossom string lights from Pier 1 would add the perfect soft touch of spring to a little girl’s nursery.
A modern version of the night light that also works as a sound machine to soothe baby is one of the most popular additions to today’s nurseries. This Hatch Baby Sound Machine and Night Light allows for color customization to match your design scheme or mood, adjust volume or sound, and set a time for baby to wake up all controlled through your smart phone.
Furnishings
A stylish area rug is an easy way to upscale your nursery! Not only does it function as a soft element for baby to lay and play on if your room has hard floors, but it also protects your carpet from stains and wear. I love this accent rug from Bed Bath & Beyond because it’s sophisticated, contains several subtle colors in the design so you can easily match to your color scheme, and can work in more than just a nursery room. It also comes in several color choices!
Adding a set of modern shelves is a great way to accent a wall and provide decorative storage for a nursery. This great set of floating shelves from Amazon comes in two color options and adds a modern touch for displaying decor, baby books, or photos.
Another fun and functional decor element for a nursery are blackout curtains. Blackout curtains come in handy for helping baby sleep when they need to without being disturbed by the sun or city lights and they add a soft touch to frame any window. These NICETOWN blackout curtains from Amazon are a great affordable choice that can work in any room. They block out light, act as an insulator to save energy on heat loss, and come in a ton of different color choices to match your nursery.
From furniture to decor, creating a stylish and timeless nursery is easy when you are intentional with your design choices. First decide on the theme and color palette you want and then choose neutral key elements like the ones mentioned above. Once you have your main pieces have fun adding splashes of color and texture in your decor to make your nursery unique and suitable to your style and needs.
For more nursery and baby prep ideas check out my Amazon storefront by clicking the Amazon button below or if you’re looking for tips on how to style your little girl now that she’s here check out my other blog posts!
Kendra Ann 
These are really amazing tips! Thank you for sharing 💕💕
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