Baby girl nursery design ideas

Depending on lead times with suppliers, we’d advise looking into furniture items mid-way through the second trimester. Furniture will likely be the nursery’s most expensive and space-consuming purchase, so start here. This will allow plenty of time to visit shops, measure up and start to picture how the room will work. Once you decide on the furniture, you can maximise the wall and floor space around it. 

It’s best to start decorating while you have energy and don’t feel uncomfortable bending and stretching. Whether you’re considering painting the walls or installing nursery wallpaper it can be quite physical, so see how you feel. You can always ask for help finishing it!

Try to design the space around making your life easy and keeping your baby safe as they grow. The changing table or mat should be positioned next to the dresser for easy access, and the cot should be distanced from the window to prevent drafts and keep little hands away from cords. The cot works well as the focal point, and clever use of colour and pattern on wallpaper and rugs can help segment spaces in the room by use.

When styling a small nursery, it helps to pick a theme to keep everything cohesive and playful whilst not overwhelming the room. Rainbows, polka dots and floral prints are popular nursery decor themes for baby girls. Warm white walls and ceilings can help make it feel bigger, as can vertical striped or ombre wallpaper.

Keep the floor as clear as possible to maximise the feeling of space, and opt for floating shelves, peg rails and pretty baskets to store baby essentials in style.

How a nursery is decorated can significantly influence how a baby’s senses develop and shape their perceptions of the world around them. Research suggests a childs’ vision does not match that of an adult until they’re around six, so it’s important to remember that bold, primary and contrasting colours and geometric patterns are more visually stimulating for your baby than neutral tones. This doesn’t mean the whole room should be vibrant; rather, there should be contrasting colours and patterns through sensory toys, mobiles or nursery wall murals.

When choosing a colour for your baby girl’s nursery, a good place to start is selecting a theme, pattern or fabric you like and basing the room’s colour palette around this. For instance, you might have found a dreamy floral nursery wallpaper, so pick out the colours within it and apply them in the space, on curtains, rugs and accessories.

If you want to go down the pink route, try dusty pink or soft coral tones for a modern look, as seen in the Ombre Rust mural and the Jean wallpaper. Or, opt for one of our beautiful gender neutral designs with earthy pink colours.

Neutral tones like grey, beige, and cream bring calm and tranquility, such as those in the watercolour Animalia wallpaper. The Yonder world map mural is a good example of those important contrasting colours forming part of a stylish, pared-back Scandi vibe that will grow with them… and keep you happy if you’re more of a minimalist.

If you’ve been nervous about decorating with bold colours (on walls or ceilings!) or committing to murals elsewhere in the home, the nursery is a great place to experiment. 

Wallpaper and murals are a creative and achievable way to give your nursery that wow factor. Wallpaper can create a sense of height and space in smaller rooms and offer an immersive, mood-boosting statement piece. Nursery decor inspired by the natural world is always good for teaching children to appreciate our planet; the Explore Neutral World map mural features hand-painted animals in trending tones. Visit our article on animal nursery ideas for more inspiration.

Wall-mounted baskets or macrame wall hangings are also creative wall decor ideas for a nursery. Of course, safety is the most important consideration, so be sure to confirm the safety certification of any products you plan to use before purchasing.

It’s helpful to remember that the baby will likely spend at least six months in your bedroom. Therefore, the priority is practical sleeping arrangements, whether the nursery will be a section of your bedroom or another room. Essential furniture for your baby girl’s nursery includes a safe, sturdy, comfortable cot, ample practical storage for clothes, blankets and supplies, and a changing table or cushioned mat.

Space permitting, a comfortable chair for feeding, rocking to sleep, and early morning cuddles is also helpful!