Top Tips for Decorating a Nursery

Designing a nursery is one of those lovely “it’s really happening” milestones. Tiny clothes, miniature socks, soft toys… and then suddenly, the room starts to feel smaller, the pram is in the hallway, and you’re wondering where on earth everything is going to live.

The good news? A beautiful nursery doesn’t have to be big or perfect. It’s a space for you to relax in during those early days, and later a place for them to play and enjoy and let’s be honest, it won’t stay tidy for long! With some pre-planning, you can create a space that feels calm, cosy and practical for night feeds, nappy changes and everything in between, even if the rest of the house is in full baby-chaos mode.

Here are Magenta’s top tips for decorating a nursery that will see you through the newborn days and well into the toddler years.

1. Start with a calm, flexible base

Before you dive into themes and accessories, our first top tip for decorating a nursery is to think about the “bones” of the room: wall colour, flooring and larger furniture pieces.

Soft, neutral tones are your friend here. Off-whites, gentle greys, warm beige or pale greens make the space feel soothing and work with almost any style, and any gender! You can then add character with artwork, bedding and accessories, rather than committing to a bright mural you might regret in a year.

A soft base also means you can easily switch up the look as your child grows or if you decide to have another baby, without repainting every time.

2. Plan the room around 2am, not 2pm

We’re sure you’d like the nursery to look lovely in daylight… but it also needs to work when you’re half-asleep and trying not to step on a squeaky toy.

Imagine the room in the middle of the night:

• Can you walk from the door to the cot without weaving around furniture?

• Is there somewhere to change a nappy quickly, with everything to hand?

• Is there a small lamp or night light you can switch on without flooding the room with bright light?

Keep the layout simple and logical. Cot against a solid wall, changing area close by, and a comfy chair in a corner where you can reach a drink, your phone and a muslin without getting up.

If space is tight, it’s better to have fewer pieces of practical furniture that actually work than a room packed with things you rarely use.

3. Choose furniture that earns its place

Babies grow quickly, and so do their needs. When you’re choosing nursery furniture, think about how long each piece will be useful to you.

Some smart options include:

• A cot that converts into a toddler bed, saving you a future purchase.

• A changing table that’s actually a chest of drawers with a removable topper.

• A wardrobe with adjustable rails and shelves that can handle tiny sleepsuits now and school uniforms later.

If you’ve been given larger items for “when they’re older” but don’t quite have the room, it’s perfectly fine to store them away for a while. That way, the nursery can stay uncluttered and focused on what you need in the first year. Utilising self storage is really handy for these situations.

4. Make storage part of the style

Storage can be one of the nicest design features in the room. Pretty baskets, fabric bins and simple shelving can all double up as decor. Under-cot boxes are brilliant for spare nappies and bedding, while a low bookshelf can hold both storybooks and toys you’re happy for your baby to grab.

You don’t have to hide everything away, either. A row of favourite soft toys on a shelf or a few colourful books facing outwards can make the room feel warm and lived-in, without becoming chaotic.

For everything else like extra toys, bulk nappies, and hand-me-down clothes in bigger sizes, you might prefer to keep those out of the room so it doesn’t feel overloaded. Some parents like to box up these “future” items and keep them safely in self storage until they’re needed, bringing them home in stages so the nursery never reaches bursting point. 

5. Keep everyday essentials within easy reach

Even the most stylish nursery will feel stressful if you can’t quickly find what you need. 

Another one of our top tips for decorating a nursery is to set up simple “stations” around the room. Near the changing area, keep nappies, wipes, creams, cotton pads, spare vests and sleepsuits. By your feeding chair, have muslins, a night light, water for you and maybe a small basket for snacks or lip balm.

The key is not having to rummage. Use drawer dividers, small baskets or boxes inside larger drawers, and don’t worry about it looking perfect! It just needs to work when you’re tired and will make your life easier.

6. Add personality with textiles and finishing touches

Once the basics are in place, this is the fun part. Textiles and accessories can completely change the feel of the room without taking up much space.

You might add:

• A soft rug to make the floor comfortable for tummy time.

• Curtains or a blackout blind that helps keep the room dark for naps.

• A cosy throw over your chair and a couple of cushions for extra comfort.

• Framed prints, photos or a simple wall hanging to bring in colour and character.

These are the items you can rotate over time. When your baby becomes a toddler with favourite animals or colours, you can swap out prints and bedding, and the room will feel brand new with very little effort.

7. Leave space to grow (and to play)

One of the biggest mistakes when decorating a nursery is trying to fit everything in at once: baby gear, toddler toys, future furniture, keepsake boxes and everything else.

It’s worth intentionally leaving some empty floor and wall space. That space will be useful later on for play mats, train tracks, dollhouses or perhaps a reading tent. It also keeps the room feeling peaceful rather than cramped.

If you’ve got more lovely things than you have room for, think about rotating them. Keep a selection of toys and books in the room, and store the rest elsewhere. Every few weeks, swap in some “new” items and pack others away. Some parents use a small self storage unit as a kind of off-site cupboard for this, especially if the rest of the home is already working hard.

8. Let Magenta Self Storage be your flexible extra room

Preparing for a baby often means your whole home needs to shuffle: an office becomes a nursery, the guest room becomes an office, and suddenly you’re wondering where the spare bed or gym equipment is going to live.

That’s where Magenta Self Storage can quietly help in the background.

Instead of trying to cram everything into cupboards, you can:

• Store furniture you don’t currently need but don’t want to sell.

• Keep future baby items, hand-me-downs and seasonal clothes neatly boxed up and out of the way.

• Use your unit as a “buffer zone” during the early years, when life (and belongings) change quickly.

You’re free to focus on creating a calm, practical nursery that works for your growing family, knowing that anything you don’t have space for right now is still safe, dry and ready for when you do.

With these top tips for decorating a nursery  you can create a room that feels peaceful today and flexible enough for all the exciting chapters still to come! Here at Magenta Self Storage, our friendly team is here to help you store any belongings when planning your nursery. Contact our friendly team, and we’ll provide you with a free storage quote.