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From the sea to the jungle, there are endless ideas out there for choosing a theme for and designing your new baby’s nursery. It’s easy to become overwhelmed and even go into massive debt! To keep you from drowning in the sea of cuteness overload and madness of ALL. The. Things, here is a list of 8 themes that are sure to create a serene, relaxing environment for your little one’s first room!
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Cartoon Characters
Yup, you read that right! We all know that the classic woodland themes of Winnie-the-Pooh and Peter Rabbit have been popular for many years. Oh, but how times DO change! Disney magic has brought us the oceanic themes of Finding Nemo and Moana, breaking the trends we grew up knowing. We also can’t leave out the ever growing list of Disney princesses and Minnie Mouse!
The classics are still there for us with Precious Moments and their soft pastel pink and purple backgrounds for your little angel! For boys, there are race car hopes and space ranger dreams with cartoons such as Monsters, Inc.,Toy Story, and Mickey Mouse. And, oh, the places they’ll go with Dr. Seuss nursery decor options now!
When it comes to picking a cartoon character to decorate your nursery, there is no limit other than having a specific color pallet in mind.
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Woodland Scenes and Animals
Looking for a woodland theme unrelated to Winnie and Peter? No worries! From softly colored owls and foxes to scenic hills and streams, forestry-inspired decor is out there. The best part is that you can mix and match several designs and create a wonderfully calming atmosphere in the room! Some parents prefer a mixture of animals while some have a central main animal they like to focus on, such as sleepy sloths or baby hedgehogs! These designs tout muted tones that allow for more freedom of expression when picking out your solid-colored items for the nursery.
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Starry Nights
What better way to create a relaxing atmosphere for your little one to sleep in than having the night sky surrounding them? Some parents choose to focus on the moon with a few stars while others go for a stars-only look. Regardless of which look you’re going for, you can find these themes with different accent colors such as soft blues, pinks, grays, and yellows in the background. These colors allow easier coordination with room accents, patterns, and designs that you may want to implement throughout the nursery. With popular phrases such as “I love you to the moon and back,” infused in whimsical ways throughout, designing and decorating your little star’s space becomes a creative marvel!
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Sunshine and Rainbows
If you are looking for something a little more bright for your baby, remember that the moons and the stars aren’t the only things in the sky! Rainbows, clouds, and Mr. Golden Sun are up and coming nursery design trends of choice. From the simple to the extravagant, you can make your baby’s room a celestial paradise with all the colors of the rainbow or surround them with the calming sight of soft fluffy clouds. Mobiles with the sun, clouds, and rainbows are a nice addition to any design. The best part about a theme like this is that it will go well with any wall color!
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Lions and Tigers and Bears? Oh My!
If you’re a little more on the “wild side,” a jungle theme with monkeys, lions, tigers, elephants is one of the most consistent nursery themes. Despite the imagery of a boat in most depictions, Noah’s ark is a famous example of this! From baby animals to adult animals in soft tones, you could even create a jungle family motif representing the members of your family on your baby’s nursery walls.
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Once Upon a Time…
A list of nursery themes is incomplete without including the stuff fairy tales are made of — dragons, fairies, dinosaurs, and unicorns! These themes inspire imagination and creativity and, if you plan to wait a few years before redecorating, will grow with your child well, especially as they begin to request bedtime stories. You can find each of these themes in various colors and shades, from bold and bright to soft and light. They are also easy to add to as your child grows!
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Things That Go
Other options to design your baby’s nursery are things that move, such as airplanes, hot air balloons, trains, or boats. These can usually be found in soft, muted colors as well as bright primary colors. Whether you are thinking of The Little Engine that Could or tug boats and sailboats, these nursery themes provide a vast array of design and decor ideas. Like fairy tale themes, these can also grow with your baby as some of the first toys are “things that go!”
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Patterns and Pops of Color
Last, but most certainly not least, patterns such as chevron, polka dots, and stripes work as well as any other. Having a neutral base tone combined with a bold print in soft or bold tones creates a pleasant atmosphere with areas of visual stimulation to help your baby develop their sight. Popular decor colors are black, gray, green, blue, pink, and yellow.
I understand that deciding on a theme for your baby’s nursery design can be overwhelming! Hopefully this list has helped spark new and amazing ideas of the overall look you want to create! Whether you want something soft and neutral or bold and bright, you can customize each of these design themes and make them your own. While you are waiting for a little prince, princess, or one of each to arrive, keep in mind that you will be spending quite a bit of time in there, too!
Don’t forget 27 of The Most Important Baby Items To Get You Through The First Year.