8 Steps to Planning and Decorating Your Nursery

One of the most fun parts in expecting a little one is planing and decorating their nursery! What theme will you choose? Which color scheme will you paint? Will you DIY or make any decorative pieces? Here are the eight steps I followed when decorating a nursery, but really these tips can be used to decorate any space in your home.

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Before going any further, mom-to-be, please read my Tips for Setting Up Your Nursery post which may call attention to some safety issues you may not have considered before. They won’t be immobile babies forever!

Create a room diagram showing furniture placement when planning a baby nursery | spotofteadesigns.com

Measure the room and draw up a diagram. Measure each wall. Measure the heights and widths of windows for curtain decorations. Make sure to draw in any electric outlets and air vents so you know any limitations in those spaces. I went high tech with a digital design done in my graphics program but you can rock it old school with a simple pencil drawing too! Here’s the key takeaway: email yourself the final diagram so you always have it on hand if you’re out shopping!
Choose a theme and color palette. Consider these points: are the walls already painted a color you like? Do you have a childhood item, favorite textile pattern or wall art you want to use as inspiration? Does your family have a specific interest you’d like to pass onto your child (favorite sport/sports team), hobby (fishing), or destination (beach)? Hit up Pinterest and work up your secret board of nursery ideas!
Paint the walls. If you’re doing something different than what was already there, now’s the time to paint the wall and get your blank space ready!
Buy the furniture. Start with the big ticket items that take up the most room and ask yourself “what furniture pieces will make the room functional?” Consider the basics like a crib, changing area, and chair for mom. If you have a larger room, you can also add things like toy chests and bookshelves.
Once furniture has been purchased, tape it off in the room! There may be a delay in furniture shipment, but don’t let that stop you from moving forward in the creative planning process. Use your painter’s tape to lay out the shape of furniture on the floor/walls to get a better idea what you have to work with. The room will always feel tighter with furniture in it so this may stop you from overbuying!
Buy or DIY. If you’re a crafty mom, it’s time hand craft some items for little miss or mister. If you’d rather buy than DIY, get shopping! If you want that crafty look but don’t have the time/talent, consider shopping on etsy for custom handmade work to make the room complete! If desired, don’t forget to personalize their space with something stating their name or initial, much like the yarn wrapped letters I made for Brielle’s room or ombre painted ones I made for Hailey’s.
Assemble, accessorize, hang and prepare! All your hard work of researching, analyzing, pinning and buying is about to pay off! With all your temporary markings in place, go ahead and start nailing in the walls, assembling the furniture and washing those newly purchased sheets!
Accessorize! After the bigger ticket items, you can focus on the fun stuff: the cute accessories! For textiles, consider a soft rug for baby to crawl on, curtains to block out light while they’re sleeping, crib sheet and crib skirt to decorate their bed space, and a coordinating changing pad cover. Add bookends, a garbage can, laundry basket or hamper, wall art items, or picture frames to complete your look! Tip: Just like my step # 5, use scrap paper cut to the size of any wall art and your painter’s tape to temporarily hang up any wall art before putting holes in the wall.