5 Tips for Creating a Nursery Area in the Master Bedroom

Oh my, friends! Do you know that I’ve been wanting to share this with you for almost 2 years? When we found out that we were pregnant with Sunny, one of my first thoughts was, “Oh geez. Where are we going to put her and her stuff?” All three bedrooms of our small home were already stuffed to the gills.

When I was pregnant with Bear, I decorated our third bedroom as a darling farm themed nursery.

Then Bear was born. The reality of putting my baby to sleep in a separate room was too much for me and I opted for him to room in with us in a pack and play.  The four month sleep regression hit, and a few sleepless weeks later, we were bedsharing. So, despite the fact that we had no room, I knew that setting up a full nursery for Sunny was a pointless venture.  Instead, I decided to set her up her own little space in our master bedroom. Here are five great tips for creating a nursery space in the master bedroom…

Coordinate colors
The master bedroom walls are white. The curtains, bedding, and artwork provide all the color and texture.  I had already planned on using the same bright colors from the rest of the room in her space. Even though she was a girl, I wanted to stay away from the heavy use of pink and instead go with those vibrant, happy colors. By choosing colors that match or coordinate with existing décor, it helps the nursery area to blend into the space and look cohesive.

Use a white crib in smaller rooms
I know that some people are wood people.  They love the rich look of cherry or walnut.  But as far as cribs go, I vote for white every time.  A white crib helps to lessen the visual space taken up. It gives a clean, uncluttered look and matches everything.

Skip the crib set
I didn’t invest in a full crib set this time because crib bumpers aren’t safe and the quilts are only for decoration anyway. I found a darling yellow patterned crib sheet on clearance at Target. As for a crib skirt, I saw some super cute multifabric ruffled crib skirts on etsy, but couldn’t get myself to pay the price for them.  So I found some darling fabric and got an old crib skirt from a friend to use as a base and sewed my own. It wasn’t perfect, but fairly good for a novice.

Less is more
The simplicity of the space helps the bedroom to not look to overcrowded.  In those first few months, baby doesn’t need anything other than a soft, yet firm place to sleep.  No crib bumpers, no blankets, no stuffed animals.  Once she gets older and starts sleeping in her own bed, in her own room, I’ll go all out and do some amazing decorating.

Personalize
I wanted to decorate the wall above the crib in a way that was specific for the new baby, yet still went with the vibe of the master bedroom.  After much trial and error, I went with a vintage dress of mine, a few things that I’ve made for the Zella Roo shop, and a Katie Daisy print.

And she slept in it until about the six month mark. Since then, it’s been mostly bedsharing. (See how we make it work in my post about having a family bed.) But she has a space if she needs it. It’s tucked away in the corner, personalized, and inexpensive.