35 Nursery Ideas for the Coziest of Corners (2024)

Let’s be honest—preparing for the arrival of a newborn is almost as much fun as actually meeting that tiny human. Whether you’re angling to create a haven-like cocoon of desaturated hues and ruffled everything or have considered giving it a minimalist, modern edge that is gender-neutral, dreaming up how your baby will spend his or her first precious years is a process that can involve many a gleeful ooh and aah.

But where to begin? For starters, choosing a soothing color palette is key to creating a calming environment, according to Homegirl founder and designer Erin Lichy. “Shades like soft grays, blush pinks, and light blues are perfect for a soothing nursery,” she explains. Once colors are chosen, think about furniture. Lichy advises parents-to-be to choose pieces that will be functional after the child leaves the nursery. For example, dressers can double as changing tables, or reading chairs can later work as accent chairs. Having this mentality when picking and choosing furniture ensures maximum utility and longevity of the pieces. Lighting, then, comes into play. Lichy is a fan of layered lighting, which means a mix of ambient, task, and accent lighting and a dimmable overhead light, a floor lamp, and a soft night-light to create the perfect atmosphere.

Once the foundation of the nursery is complete, it’s time to bring in accessories and add that personal touch. Decorating with artwork, photos, or personalized decor items is a great and easy way to add a unique element. Additionally, soft textures like plush rugs, comfortable bedding, throw blankets, and smaller accent rugs will give your nursery that lived-in feel. Finally, it wouldn’t be a nursery without toys. Mobiles, colorful wall decals, and tactile toys can be both aesthetically pleasing and stimulate the baby’s senses.

Ready to give your precious bundle of love the entrance he or she deserves? (If we’re being honest, this is as much for the parents as it is for the baby.) Below, we included our 35 favorite nurseries with a wide range of decor styles, color palettes, and aesthetics that will be a sanctuary no matter how sleep-deprived you are.

Are we seeing double? This twin nursery in Diablo, California, designed by Marea Clark, is a fresh take on the traditional pink aesthetic. The desaturated hues of the scalloped valances and taupe curtains over the gold oak cribs pair fetchingly with the bold yellow and white ceiling wallpaper that your little ones will inevitably stare up at before catching some zzz’s.

Decorating a nursery means you've been given liberty to push the boundaries of colors and patterns. Take, for instance, this fun nursery corner designed by Powell & Glenn in Toorak, Australia. A pair of rattan animals sit perched on a graphic wallpaper, overseen by an impertinent ape-turned-side table. If parenthood isn't its own expedition, your tiny human will be right at home waking up in the wild each morning.

In the wise words of Beatrix Potter, “there is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they’ll take you.” The same can be said of a nursery, and this chic space is straight out of a children’s book. A whimsical floral chandelier is overseen by a larger-than-life bunny portrait that simply can't be anything but the legendary Peter Rabbit. How could you say no to just one more story in this space?

For a less obvious take on the Beatrix Potter aesthetic, this London nursery is giving us all the storybook illustration vibes. Decorated in white curtains and a monochrome palette, its contemporary aesthetic is chic yet soft. Here, core memories are waiting to be made!

Decorating a nursery can be a task, but more often than not, a fun one, so why not let loose a little with color? ELLE DECOR A-List designers Ashe + Leandro created this nursery with bold tones in mind. The custom color-blocked cabinets, Moroso rocking chair, and Cassina side table are giving us all the baby loving vibes.

Svetlana Tryaskina of the Toronto-based design firm Estee Design wanted to bring life and playfulness into this neutral-colored nursery. Installing pretty wall art and shelves is an easy and beautiful way to do that. In this case, Tryaskina opted for a tree-inspired wall installation and shelves with stuffed animals to decorate for a playful touch.

The nursery of this Santa Monica home, designed by Natasha Baradaran, embraced pink with unabashed ease. The colorful mosaic-style rug by the Rug Company complements the rosy-toned furniture and paint throughout the room. If pink is not just a color, but a state of mind as Jessica Lynn once surmised, this nursery is brimming with attitude.

Looking to latch onto current maximalist trends? In this Hamptons home, designer Alec Holland brought together Farrow & Ball’s dazzling Bumble Bee wallpaper in Stone Blue and a bold yellow paint. To tie it all together, he then added a thin line of red on the walls to match the kinetic sculpture by Jim Hunter and the chair by Knoll. In a room like this, baby is sure to know his primary colors well ahead of his peers.

Decorating a nursery in neutral tones is a safe choice if you want it to feel timeless and enduring. However, if you're not afraid to take the road less traveled, a patterned rug—like this chic polka dot rug—can add an unexpected element of interest, making it more fun and lively.

Lauren Buxbaum Gordon created this vibrant nursery by mixing traditional wallpaper with colors that wouldn’t usually go together—but make total sense in hindsight. The room ties together beautifully, a combination of botanical prints, salmon-colored furnishins, and metallic accent mirrors and lamps. Slumber safe and sound, little one.

The nursery of this airy Parisian flat is proof that a modern aesthetic can be cozy. To achieve this welcoming look, the owners incorporated warm wood finishes throughout the room, flanked by black and grey accent pieces.

A nursery needn’t be only kid-centric. In this very blue nursery, an adult-size couch offers seating to all who might want to join the little one in an imaginary adventure. Varying textures and patterns create added layering to this sweet boy’s room.

And you thought primary colors were bold. This cool cat nursery takes the color mantra one step further, packed with neon-colored decorative elements and trinkets against a midnight black wall. Designed by Michelle Gerson for her son in her New York City apartment, the yellow dresser, emerald green poufs, and skateboard wall decor up the energy in this stylish nursery.

Opting for white and blue stripes is a great way to make your nursery feel on-theme. To complete the room, the owners added a skirt for the crib and a zigzag patterned rug.

For a more bombastic take on the stripe aesthetic, this orange and pink-striped nursery is giving us all the circus tent vibes. The room's colorful kid-sized furniture is further anchored by a thick stripe of fuchsia on the wall.

Are you the kind of parent who will support a little daydreaming? L’Objet founder and creative director Elad Yifrach’s home in Lisbon features a nursery that encapsulates the feeling of dreaming. The Fornasetti wallpaper of floating clouds complements the custom high-pile white rug and the white bouclé armchair. Proof that having your head in the clouds isn’t always a bad idea, no matter how old you are.

Many parents want their nursery to mirror the aesthetics of the rest of the home, which is why we had to share the nursery in this New York City loft designed by Ghislaine Viñas. Chic furniture (is that a black egg chair?) and fixtures make for a room that is seamless and contemporary. “A kid’s room can be just as modern and creative while still being fun,” says Viñas.

Chicer than a pillow fort, baby tepees are a great way to add color to an otherwise neutral nursery. This happy yellow tepee is the perfect place for afternoon play and story time.

Nurseries feel magical when they look like they were taken out of a children's book. Joyann King kept her nursery in Millbrook, New York, charming and light, covering the walls with a whimsical forest mural by Rebecca Rebouche, a crib by Restoration Hardware Baby, and a rug by Serena & Lily.