How to create a gender-neutral nursery that’s far from dull

By Bianca Tzatzagos

Not sure if you’re having a boy or girl? Or maybe you just want to create a nursery that expresses your home style without the colour clichés? Good news – it doesn’t have to be bland neutral to be gender neutral! Pottery Barn Kids offers this simple five-step plan to your perfect gender-neutral nursery.

1. Identify your style

Modern and streamlined or classic and traditional? The furniture you choose is the most important decision you’ll make in your nursery, not least because it will be your biggest investment. Take clues from the rest of your home – if your living room is filled with mid-century design, then you might want to reconsider that French country-inspired nursery! And don’t forget, the colour of the furniture will become the basis of room’s colour palette, so consider that when you’re choosing between breezy Hamptons-style white or rich dark timber.

2. Choose a theme

Finding a theme for your nursery will make it feel cohesive and whole. And it’s far easier to pull an accent colour from a pattern of bed linen you like than to find a pattern that will work in with an existing colour palette. Animals, sea life and the alphabet are all good themes for a gender-neutral nursery. Alternatively, you could avoid a motif altogether and anchor the room around a colour like yellow, grey or aqua, using geometric patterns such as stripes or chevron to bring interest.

3. Complete your colour palette

Now’s a good time to pull together a mood board of the colours that you’ve chosen for the space: include the current wall colour, floor colour, furniture colour(s) and your chosen bed linen. That soft aqua shade found in the bedding pattern might be just the ticket for a fresh new wall colour. Or maybe the existing floorboards are a little too pale for the rest of the furniture? Consider a large rug in your chosen theme and palette to instantly bring the room together with minimal effort.

4. Add accessories that round out the space

If you’ve decided to stick to that gender-neutral, preppy-chic classic combination of grey and white (a Pottery Barn Kids favourite!), add interest with plenty of texture – think embroidered quilts, needlework cushions and ruffle curtains. Other small touches, such as wicker storage baskets and table lamps in coordinating colours, will also help polish your nursery’s overall look.

[contextly_sidebar id=”60t9xMd5yjlei9N3NW7r85CFmobdS5xp”]5. Personalise, personalise, personalise

Adding personal touches to the nursery is a great way to prepare for your baby’s arrival. It’s so easy to add warmth and personality without defining the space as a boy’s or girl’s room. Display old family photos, cherished toys and books from your own childhood to add character and history to the room. Incorporate the first letter of your last name as an element of the decor; consider stencilling it on the wall or framing it to hang over the cot. Once you bring your baby home, add items with his or her name, like a monogrammed quilt and large white wooden letters over the change table. For a more whimsical take, spell out the name with wooden blocks on a shelf or alphabet cards propped on a photo rail.

–For more inspiration, head to www.potterybarnkids.com.au or contact your local store for a free interior design consultation. There’s no obligation to purchase and if you live in Sydney, Melbourne or Perth, a design specialist will even come to your home to measure your space, discuss colour schemes and find ways to make it all come together.