Shay Hawkins
), waiting to find out your baby’s gender until their birth, or want a versatile nursery that you can reuse for future children.Whatever your reason, you’re ready to think outside the box and so are we! The crib is the focal point of many nursery designs, but it’s also important because it will likely be where your child sleeps for the first several years of their life.
If you’re pressed for space, you might choose to use a bassinet or a mini crib, but realize you’ll need to buy something bigger soon. Your baby will outgrow a bassinet within the first few months and a mini crib when they’re one or two years old, depending on their size. And the real advantage is that a standard crib mattress can also be used on a toddler bed for years to come! And if your little one rolls onto their stomach at night, a breathable mattress will help reduce the risk of suffocation.
As you think of gender-neutral nursery ideas, save the cute touches for the walls, floors, and furniture. Fuzzy blankets and colorful pillows might be tempting, but they aren’t safe for your little one to sleep with. Make life easier for yourself by opting for nursery items that are easy to clean. Also, keep cleaning in mind when picking out rugs, curtains, wallpaper, and decorations for the nursery.
Another way to make the nursery work in your favor is to organize the space so that the baby essentials are always in the right place at the right time. When it comes to furniture placement, make things convenient for bedtime, diaper changing, and late-night feedings.
With safety and convenience in mind, let’s jump into fun and stylish nursery ideas that are great for boys or girls! Black, gray, and white can give you the gender-neutral look you’re aiming for but still allow you to get creative with all sorts of patterns and styles. Black and white is a great option, but creating a gender-neutral nursery certainly doesn’t mean you can’t use color! Put a spin on the typical transportation and car theme used in baby boy nurseries.
Or hang a big print of a favorite destination as the focal point of the nursery and build off of that theme and color scheme. Trees and woodland animals make a great nursery theme for both boys and girls.
Take this theme whatever direction you want — sweet, whimsical, and understated or geometric and colorful with cute animal prints. Woodland animals aren’t the only creatures that make for good gender-neutral nursery ideas.
Instead of bears and foxes, maybe you prefer safari animals like lions, giraffes, and zebras.
Build a gender-neutral nursery theme based on a favorite children’s book, series, or specific character. For you, this might mean simple decorations with wicker and wooden accents, baskets, muted colors, and an interesting rug. Bring the magic of nature into your baby’s nursery by painting a starry sky on a wall or the ceiling.
If stars aren’t your thing, consider skipping them for a simple, classy nursery with gold accents. Regardless of the gender of your baby and whether you choose an extravagant theme or simple decorations, there is one important thing: creating a safe, comfortable, loving space where your little one will sleep, grow, and learn.
