Ideas for decorating a nursery

• How to decorate children's rooms
• Ideas for decorating a nursery
• Ideas for decorating a toddler's bedroom
• Ideas for decorating older children's bedrooms
• Ideas for decorating a teenager's bedroom

When you plan a room for a newborn, bear in mind that decorating a nursery can be as much about creating a comfortable space for you as for your child.

Decoration
Calm and comfort are all-important for newborns, so choose delicate shades and tactile fabrics for cosiness. Add a pretty mobile above the cot but make sure they are hung high enough to be out of reach when your child is old enough to stand.

Furniture
Rather than furniture specifically designed with babies in mind, choose well-made items that can adapt with your child. For example, a chest of drawers can be topped with a mat to make a changing table, and a two-in-one cot bed will last until your baby is ready for a grown-up bed. For a beautiful Scandi design check out the designs by Stokke.

Window treatments
Blackout blinds are a good choice for babies' rooms. They make it much easier to settle small children during the day or on light evenings and should help stop them waking up at dawn in the summer months. Roller blinds also allow you to let in as much natural light as possible at other times.

Temperature
To avoid your baby becoming too hot or cold, don’t position their cot right next to a window or by a radiator. It may also be a good idea to invest in a room thermometer and try to keep the room at around 18°C.

Check out our gallery for more inspiring children's rooms.

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