7 Essentials for a Magical Nursery
Creating a nursery that is both functional and magical can be a daunting task. But with a little bit of planning and creativity, it can be done! Focus on the right details and you will have a beautiful place for your little one to grow up. To get you started, here are 7 essentials for creating a magical nursery.
Before you start decorating – choose the right theme
The first step to creating a magical nursery is choosing the right theme. You want to pick a theme that is both timeless and unique. Something that will inspire your little one's imagination and creativity.
Some popular themes for nurseries include fairy tales, woodland creatures, and nature. But don't feel limited by these options! If you can dream it, you can create it.
Once you've chosen your theme, it's time to start planning the design of your nursery.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- The colors you use should be soothing and calming. You want your little one to feel comfortable in their space.
- The furniture should be functional and comfortable. You'll want to choose pieces that will grow with your child.
- The décor should be magical and inspiring. Think about what elements will bring your theme to life.
- Find a suitable bed or crib
This is the place where your child will spend a lot of time, especially during the first months of his or her life. The first priority – the sleeping place needs to be comfy, cozy, and suitable for the child's age. The second – it needs to look cute and go well with the nursery's design.
From a practical standpoint, it is wise to choose a convertible crib. A convertible crib can become a toddler's bed or sometimes even turn into adult size bed. As a disadvantage, it is usually on the more pricey side, but you will be using it for several years. However, a very common choice still is a regular crib. You can buy it new or second-hand and pass it down to relatives' children or save it for your next child.
From the design point of view – there are several options. You can go for a classic white or light wood crib. If the design allows, you can bring in some princess or prince vibes with a canopy crib. There are cribs in modern, eclectic, mid-century, Mediterranean, and Scandinavian styles. You can also opt for a crib that is made in a Victorian-era furniture look. When choosing a crib, think about the practical issues, as well as keep your nursery's theme in mind!
- Include plenty of storage space
There is no magic in a mess. As Mary Kondo says: "The life-changing magic of tidying up!" and she knows what she is talking about. That's why, to have a truly magical nursery, you need to plan for lots of storage. Kids, of any age, have lots of things, from toys and clothes to practical tools like baby bouncers. When designing a nursery keep that in mind.
Go for a big closet and a dresser that can also be turned into a changing table. Install wall shelves or standing shelves, both can turn out to be useful. Just make sure the doors and drawers that are close to the floor are not easy to open, so your crawling toddler doesn't hurt herself or himself.
As for style – choose whatever goes with the theme. A tip to keep in mind – the nursery will look much more cohesive if you match the crib with the dresser. If you have a standing closet, then match that too. Everything doesn't have to be from the same line, but at least in the same color and general style.
Aside from heavy furniture, a good idea is to keep by hand baskets and boxes. They can be good for storing toys, drawing tools, games, etc. And they also double as a design element.
- A place for the mum – a feeding chair
Even though this is a room for a child, grownups will also need a place to sit. That's where a feeding chair comes in. May the name doesn’t confuse you, it can be used for more than just feeding a baby. You can sit there while your child plays on the floor, you can have your baby in the lap while you read a book together, and let's be honest it can be a great place where to have a short nap.
Nowadays there are amazing options for a rocking chair – a chair type that is often used for a feeding chair. It doesn't have to have the look we all think of from old movies or nursing homes. The feeding chair can look like an ordinary armchair – the only difference, if you want to, you can gently rock in it.
Pay attention to the color of the chair – that should go very well with your theme. If you have a woodland creature theme, a green chair will look amazing, if the theme is the sea – a navy-colored chair is a good choice. A very practical color that will go with almost every theme is gray. If you want to add a pop of color to the gray, you can accessorize it with colorful pillows or throw blankets.
To make the chair an even better place for a rest, pair it with an ottoman in the same color. Ottoman can also double as extra seating in the nursery or it can be a nice place where to put your legs while cuddling with your child.
- Add blackout curtains for a better goodnight sleep
Curtains are a great place where to display your theme. If you have painted walls in one color, opt for curtains with an interesting design. If the walls already have printed wallpaper, go for curtains in one color. But whatever is the design choice, definitely choose blackout curtains.
Blackout curtains will help you put the baby to sleep during the day, as well as during summer nights when it is still light outside in the evening. They will ensure better sleep for your baby and you!
- A rug is fantastic for playtime
A rug in the nursery will not only add cozy vibes but will also be a great place for your little one to play on. You can easily choose a rug that will go well with your nursery's theme – there are different styles, colors, and shapes to choose from. A great look for a nautical-themed nursery is a jute rug in a circle shape. For a princess theme – a pink rug with your or your child's favorite princess is a perfect choice, but for a car theme – a carpet with streets where you can play with small cars on it.
When choosing a rug just make sure it isn't very fluffy and easy to pluck – you don't want your toddler to eat any of it. Also, a good idea for the early years is to choose a foam playmat – it will be easy to clean and safe for your child to play on. You can definitely find an option that will fit the nursery's theme.
- Explore the nursery's theme with printed wallpaper
On one hand, walls are one of the best places where to show your theme as you can have a printed wallpaper that outright shows what the theme is. If you choose peel and stick wallpaper, you can even exchange it as often you like and adjust it to the theme.
On the other hand, though – you can go for something a little bit subtle and choose a printed wallpaper in a color pallet that suits the nursery but doesn't expose the theme straight away.
The print can still be colorful and playful, just without the fairytale characters and circus clowns. You can choose prints from our supply like "Red berry" or "Spring flowers". Or go for peaceful greenery like "Green foliage" or "Birch leafage". Colorful geometric shapes are another option, for example, "Symmetric Dots" or "Paper Ikat". To make the nursery a little bit more glam you can choose light Art Deco prints – "Old Sport" and "Sun Cottage" are both good choices.
This is a good opportunity to choose a wallpaper that suits your taste but is still appropriate for a child's room. And when your child grows old enough to choose his or her own theme, it will be a great bonding moment to redecorate the room together.
- A nursery also needs decorated walls
Artwork is not something just for the grownup rooms – kids' rooms can benefit from it too. Not only will it bring the room together and make it look more finished, it is a great option where to show off the nursery's theme.
What to put up on the walls really depends on you. It can be a watercolor image of a cute animal. It can be an element that goes with the theme, for example, a ship or fairy wings. To make the decor more personal, you can hang up pictures of your family or have custom printed your own childhood drawings and hang those up while your child learns how to draw.
A good idea is also to add a wall clock. You can perfectly match it to the nursery's theme, and it will be easy for you to check the time, while you are cuddling your baby or putting him or her to sleep. Just make sure you find a clock that isn't particularly loud and doesn't disturb your child's sleep.
And to put a little bit more magic into the nursery, hang some fairy lights. Fairy lights make everything look more cozy and whimsical – they will make you feel like you have brought a little bit of the star magic inside.
Conclusion
These are just some ideas on how to make a magical nursery for your little one. There is no right or wrong way – ultimately you want to create a space that is perfect for both you and your child, where you can bond and create beautiful memories together. So have fun with it and enjoy the process!
