Choosing a Nursery Theme

by Stephanie Goins on March 28, 2012

Ocean Themed Nursery

Pregnancy is one of the most exciting of times in your life but can sometimes be stressful and overwhelming. Decorating a nursery is one task during your pregnancy where you can have fun!

Choosing a nursery theme is one of the first steps in planning your nursery. There are many popular themes like princess, pirate, space and animal themes. Deciding on a nursery theme in the beginning of the nursery planning process will help in guiding you through all the specific nursery decisions you will have to make. Below are some tips to help in choosing your child’s nursery theme:

1) Think Long Term:
It’s important to think about how your child will grow with the room. Many parents can get so caught up in creating the perfect nursery and design the nursery with their tastes in mind. While you will be in the nursery often, remember this is your kid’s room and you want it to be appropriate for them as they grow older. Would your two year old prefer the chic nursery with a modern design or the youthful nursery with a fun theme like a pirate theme?

2) Spend Some Time Researching:
Research other nurseries and themes and save photos of ideas you like. With the ease of websites like Pinterest, it is easier than ever to create inspiration boards. Begin by researching websites and blogs and save any photos that have some element that you like even if all the décor of the room is not exactly everything you would have chosen. After some time of collecting photos, take a look back and see what themes and patterns you see in the photos. Getting an overall look at your photos will help in narrowing down your future nursery decisions.

3) Base Your Theme Around Specific Items or Elements:
While choosing a theme is an ideal first step in planning a nursery, many already have specific items they know will go in the nursery or have fallen in love with. For instance, you may know for sure your colors are blue and green or that you will be getting that glider from your sister or even spotted the bedding you want. If there are specific items or room elements you know will be going in the nursery, it is important to keep those in mind when choosing a theme.

4) Gender:
This seems fairly obvious but, if you have decided you want to find out the baby’s sex, it is best to wait until you find out before committing to a nursery theme. While many themes like a jungle safari theme can be gender neutral, finding out the sex will open you up to new theme possibilities that you may not have otherwise considered. If you will not be finding out the sex before delivery, then choose a gender neutral theme like farm animals, Noah’s Ark or an ocean theme.

5) Have Fun!
As mentioned earlier, this is your kid’s room not yours. Decorating a nursery is a great way to explore your “inner child.” Think about what you would have liked when you were little. Imagine the fun your child will have as he/she gets older and can really enjoy the elaborate jungle safari theme you created or the beautiful princess theme room!

Deciding on a nursery theme will help you be more focused when making specific nursery decisions. No matter what you choose, you will always be able to look back and treasure these moments. Looking for theme ideas? Check out our extensive collection of wall mural stencils and wall stickers for some inspiration!

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