How to Design a Unisex Nursery

Everyone has heard stories about parents whose ultrasound revealed that they were expecting a girl--but then brought a baby boy home to a frilly pink nursery. Parents who opt not to know their baby’s gender ahead of time typically opt for a gender-neutral nursery, but even moms and dads who think they know whether they’re expecting a boy or a girl often choose to play it safe by sticking to unisex nurseries.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Paint
• Wallpaper
• Furniture
• Bedding
• Wall hangings
• Lamps
• Clock

1. Decide on a theme. When parents hear “theme,” many think that they have to choose teddy bears, ducks or some other traditionally unisex object to decorate their baby’s room. But your theme could be anything from a solid color that you love to your favorite sports team to a medieval castle. You need a jumping off point, and a theme provides direction for other decisions.
2. Consider what color and style of furniture appeals to you. Wood tones are generally appropriate for gender-neutral nurseries, so determine whether a light maple-toned crib or darker walnut best complements your theme.
3. Let your creativity run wild. Neutral doesn’t have to mean boring. If muted greens and yellows aren’t your style, you can decorate with bold colors or patterns. Ginghams, polka dots and geometric shapes are all gender-neutral, as are unexpected nursery colors such as navy, red and chocolate brown.
4. Decide whether you’ll add gender-specific decorations after your baby’s birth. Painting the bottom third of the walls chocolate brown and the top two-thirds cream sounds boring, for example, but if you plan to punch it up later by hanging blue or pink wall decorations, it will pull the room together. If you don’t want pink or blue as part of your décor--ever--then you can go with a bolder touch up front.
5. Make a commitment. Start by painting the walls or hanging wallpaper. Then move in the furniture and add the bedding. Finally, add any other decorations--wall hangings, lamps or a clock--to complete your nursery.

Tips & Warnings

• If you decide on bold colors or patterns, make sure the completed nursery won’t over-stimulate your baby. Ask friends and family members who haven’t seen the room to visit. If their first reaction upon entering the nursery is a wide-eyed “whoa” (and not in a good way), consider toning the color and/or pattern down just a bit.
• If you like pink, you can certainly use it in a gender-neutral nursery. Just make sure it’s part of a multi-color scheme and doesn’t stand out as a predominant color.
• Though wood tones are a popular baby furniture choice, airy white or sleek black furniture is now available and is appropriate for either gender.