How to Plan Your Nursery with Confidence

How to Plan Your Nursery Room for Your Baby, a brown crib inside a white nursery with the expert series and MyRegistry logos.

MyRegistry contributing writer Lisa Janvrin is the founder of YouthfulNest, an e-design experience dedicated to room designs for babies and children. Learn more about YouthfulNest design services.

You’ve scrolled, swiped, clicked, saved, and pinned tons of inspiration. But where do you actually start when planning that new baby nursery? I experienced the overwhelming process firsthand when designing my son’s room. Once I figured out what made sense for my own family—and why—I put my design-industry background to work creating nurseries for many other parents through YouthfulNest.

Here, I’ll guide you through nursery-design best practices to help bring you confidence as you create a space for your new little one.

Where to Start

First things first: Discuss with your spouse or partner and land on a budget. I know, a budget can be a bummer, and it’s for sure not the fun part of planning such a precious space. But trust me, this will save you a lot of headaches and arguments as you move through the process.

Second, go ahead and fall in love with all those nursery room reveals. But before you start shopping, you’ll want to narrow down your aesthetic. Do your best to nail down a style that makes you swoon. It will become the inspiration for a nursery you love every time you walk into it.

Third, decide where you want to save and where you want to splurge. This can be tough for new parents who want the best of everything, but I have some ideas to help.

High-Low Shopping

What’s so great about shopping today is that you can get almost any style or trend at any price point. So even if you have a smaller budget, it doesn't mean you can’t splurge on some pieces if you save on others. At YouthfulNest, we curate most of our clients’ custom room designs with a choice of high-low products. This means we select pieces from across the board, from inexpensive to premium brands.

Item to Save On: The Crib
It’s tempting to splurge on the crib when a better use of your money would be a quality mattress. Remember, the crib will be swapped out for a bigger bed in just a couple of years.

Item to Splurge On: The Mattress
It’s the mattress that supports all those hours of quality and healthy sleep for your baby. Many health professionals worry about the effects of chemicals on baby mattresses for many years. Going with a GOTS-certified organic mattress eliminates a parent’s concern and helps both your baby and you sleep better.

Item to Save On: Wall Art
You’ll learn that a child and their interests change fast, which makes it a challenge to keep their surroundings personal and reflective of their personality. It’s only smart to keep your spending on wall art to a minimum. Better yet, if there is a big sister or brother, have them draw something and frame it!

Item to Splurge On: The Dresser
Another splurge to consider is the dresser. This piece can start out as your baby changing area and then transition into the big-kid bedroom and beyond. Simply remove the changing pad and—voilà—it’s big-kid ready.

Item to Save On: Decor Pillows
A whimsical throw pillow (not the supportive one for your glider) brings in lots of personality. Just don’t spend lots of cash on it. It’s one of those items that will likely be changed out when the nursery is transitioned into a big-kid room.

Item to Splurge On: Glider
Hours will be spent in your glider reading, feeding, and falling asleep, so this piece of furniture is essential and needs to be comfortable and quiet. I highly recommend taking a glider for a test drive before buying, or at least go with one with a top-star review.

Shopping by Style

Caregivers spend some serious quality time in the nursery, so be sure to dream up something that fits your personal aesthetic. Popular nursery styles are Boho, Classic, Romantic, and Modern. To get you started, here are some furnishings and decor that will work well for each.

Wallpaper by Style

Boho

Classic

Romantic

Modern

Mobiles by Style

Boho

Romantic

Modern

Rugs by Style

Boho

Romantic

Modern

Cribs by Style

Boho

Classic

Romantic

Modern

Gliders by Style

Boho

Classic

Romantic

Modern

Dressers/Changing Tables by Style

Boho

Classic

Romantic

Modern

About the Writer
Lisa Janvrin is the founder of YouthfulNest, an e-design experience dedicated to room designs for babies and children. A self-described design addict, Lisa worked in the design industry for more than 20 years before founding YouthfulNest, where she has helped hundreds of families prepare for their new baby with stress-free nursery planning. Lisa guides parents in creating the perfect nursery or kid’s room for their unique space, style, and budget by offering designs for full-sized and small-space nurseries, along with a range of product suggestions, from modern to traditional, high-end splurges to budget-friendly nursery finds. As a travel enthusiast and experience junkie, Lisa has lived and worked around the world, including NYC and Charlotte, NC, Florence, Istanbul, and Moscow, taking inspiration for the nurseries and children’s rooms she now designs for clients across the U.S. and beyond.

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