Whatever your reason, you’re ready to think outside the box and so are we! Here at Newton Baby, we’ve come up with a list of gender-neutral nursery ideas to get your wheels turning.
But creating the perfect nursery is about more than paint color and patterned rugs. You’ll also need to consider safety and convenience. So first, we’ll give you a few tips for creating a space that’s safe for your baby and convenient for you!
How To Create A Safe, Convenient Nursery
Choose The Crib Wisely
The crib is the focal point of many nursery designs, but it’s also important because it will likely be where your child sleeps for the first several years of their life.
If you’re pressed for space, you might choose to use a bassinet or a mini crib, but realize you’ll need to buy something bigger soon. Your baby will outgrow a bassinet within the first few months and a mini crib when they’re one or two years old, depending on their size.
A standard crib is bigger than a mini crib, so your little one won’t outgrow it as quickly. And the real advantage is that a standard crib mattress can also be used on a toddler bed for years to come!
To get the most use out of your standard mattress, choose the Newton Baby Crib Mattress, which is specifically made to be firm enough to keep your baby safe but comfortable enough to see your growing toddler through years of sound sleep.
Prioritize Safe Sleep
Once you’ve decided what size crib you’re going to use, you’re ready to purchase a mattress.
The crib mattress is an important player when it comes to safe sleep for your little one. According to safe sleep guidelines, your baby should sleep in their own bed (not in bed with you!), and the crib mattress should be firm.
For even more peace of mind while your little one snoozes, put them to sleep on a breathable mattress.
Newton Baby’s Crib Mattress and mattress cover are 100% breathable, which helps to regulate your baby’s body temperature. And if your little one rolls onto their stomach at night, a breathable mattress will help reduce the risk of suffocation.
As if that’s not enough, Newton Baby’s mattresses are also 100% washable. Say goodbye to mold, bacteria, and allergens!
Keep Decorations Out Of The Crib
As you think of gender-neutral nursery ideas, save the cute touches for the walls, floors, and furniture.
Fuzzy blankets and colorful pillows might be tempting, but they aren’t safe for your little one to sleep with. Until your baby turns one, keep all toys, pillows, blankets, and crib bumpers out of the crib and make sure the sheet is not too loose.
Opt For Easy-To-Clean Items
Make life easier for yourself by opting for nursery items that are easy to clean.
To protect your little one’s crib mattress, use a waterproof, washable mattress pad, like Newton Baby’s Waterproof Crib Mattress Pad (available for any standard-sized crib or twin bed!).
Also, keep cleaning in mind when picking out rugs, curtains, wallpaper, and decorations for the nursery. Consider washable wallpaper, rugs that are easy to vacuum, and furniture that can be easily wiped down.
Expert tip: Choose a 100% washable (from cover to core!) Newton Baby Crib Mattress to make crib cleanup a breeze!
Hang Blackout Curtains
Blackout curtains won’t affect your nursery decor, and they can help your baby catch some z’s (and help your newborn distinguish between daytime and nighttime) when they go down before the sun does.
Blackout curtains come in various colors and patterns. Or, if you prefer, you can simply add blackout liners to curtains you already have.
Make The Nursery Functional
Another way to make the nursery work in your favor is to organize the space so that the baby essentials are always in the right place at the right time. For example, store all diapering necessities within arm’s reach of the changing table.
Remember: since you never know when your little one will decide to roll over (and off the changing table!), keep a hand on them at all times and never step away from them during a diaper change.
When it comes to furniture placement, make things convenient for bedtime, diaper changing, and late-night feedings. Put a table next to the rocking chair where you can place your coffee mug, phone, or baby bottle without disturbing your baby.
13 Gender-Neutral Nursery Ideas
With safety and convenience in mind, let’s jump into fun and stylish nursery ideas that are great for boys or girls!
1) Embrace Black And White
If you want to do away with blue for boys and pink for girls, why not go with a black and white nursery?
Black, gray, and white can give you the gender-neutral look you’re aiming for but still allow you to get creative with all sorts of patterns and styles.
2) Go Colorful
Black and white is a great option, but creating a gender-neutral nursery certainly doesn’t mean you can’t use color!
Go all out with rainbow colors. Use rainbows and clouds, stripes, or colorful polka-dots. Or tone things down a bit and use peach or teal as a pop of color in a neutral color scheme.
3) Adventure Awaits
Put a spin on the typical transportation and car theme used in baby boy nurseries. Instead, tap into your adventurous side and decorate with vintage maps or globes, a huge world map covering one wall, or hot air balloons.
4) Use Your Own Travel Experiences
If you and your partner love to travel, you might even want to include your trips in your nursery decorations. This can make for a fun and meaningful gender-neutral nursery idea!
Maybe a national-park themed nursery is just the ticket. Or hang a big print of a favorite destination as the focal point of the nursery and build off of that theme and color scheme.
5) Explore The Woods
Trees and woodland animals make a great nursery theme for both boys and girls. Take this theme whatever direction you want — sweet, whimsical, and understated or geometric and colorful with cute animal prints.
6) Lions, Tigers, And Bears, Oh My!
Woodland animals aren’t the only creatures that make for good gender-neutral nursery ideas. Instead of bears and foxes, maybe you prefer safari animals like lions, giraffes, and zebras.
A zoo theme also gives you lots of animals and colors to work with.
7) Animal Prints
Speaking of animals, if animal prints are your thing, why not use them in your nursery? Make a statement with an animal print rug or wallpaper.
8) Tell A Story
Build a gender-neutral nursery theme based on a favorite children’s book, series, or specific character. The options are endless!
9) Show Your Love For Old Books
For book-loving parents who don’t want to base the nursery off of a children’s book, think about using old books as a theme. Muted colors, pretty lettering, and old books make great decorations.
10) Wicker And Wood
A baby nursery doesn’t have to be all cute patterns and baby colors. Choose decor that fits your style and makes you happy. After all, you’ll be spending a lot of time in your baby’s nursery!
For you, this might mean simple decorations with wicker and wooden accents, baskets, muted colors, and an interesting rug.
11) Make Music
Play off of a musical theme for a cute, gender-neutral nursery. Adapt this theme to your taste and style by using bold colors and old records, soft colors and sweet music notes, or anything in-between!
12) Starry Nights
Bring the magic of nature into your baby’s nursery by painting a starry sky on a wall or the ceiling. And you don’t have to be a professional artist to make this happen!
Paint the ceiling or sky a deep blue, mixing in a bit of white paint for a lighter effect on various areas. Then dot the stars on using white paint and a variety of sizes of paintbrushes.
13) Gold Accents
Speaking of stars, take a look at this lovely nursery studded with golden stars on one wall. If stars aren’t your thing, consider skipping them for a simple, classy nursery with gold accents.
Create A Safe Place With Any Gender-Neutral Nursery Idea
Regardless of the gender of your baby and whether you choose an extravagant theme or simple decorations, there is one important thing: creating a safe, comfortable, loving space where your little one will sleep, grow, and learn.
Look out for their comfort and safety while they snooze by purchasing a Newton Baby breathable Crib Mattress, then let our gender-neutral nursery ideas help you design a nursery that will be perfect for your new baby.
In no time, you’ll be welcoming your little one into the room you created just for them!