5 Ways to Design a Beautiful, Affordable Nursery

Whether it’s your first or your fifth, you want your coming baby to have a beautiful, cozy, safe place to call home. So in the midst of nursery dreaming, you go to Pinterest or Instagram and see all of these gorgeous, professionally designed baby rooms that not only look way out of your skill level, but way out of your minimal budget as well.

Don’t be discouraged! There are several ways to achieve the nursery of your dreams within the smallest of budgets. All it takes is a little planning and creativity. 

1. Plan, Plan, Plan

In all of my DIY and design ventures, I find that I spend the most money on poorly planned projects. In order to avoid this, first come up with a dollar amount that works for your family’s budget, then go to Pinterest to create a board specifically for nursery ideas. If you don’t have the time to search and pin, I have a full Nursery Ideas Board here.

Once you’ve pinned several images, it’s quite easy to get an overall idea of what kind of nursery you’re going for in terms of colors and style. If you notice that you’ve pinned lots of vintage-inspired nurseries, keep that feel in mind when searching for pieces to fill your space. 

My favorite inexpensive places to shop for nursery items are Amazon, Target, Etsy, IKEA, and Craigslist. Just type in “vintage side table” or “modern crib” in your searches. It’s fairly quick and easy to compare prices on your searches. Also, be sure not to pass up a good thrift store or yard sale!

2. Repurpose

Just like with weddings, there is an expensive niche market for babies. Companies try to make you believe that you need very specific “baby-looking” items to have the best nursery. Some of my favorite nurseries are filled with pieces that grow with the child and can be repurposed in other spaces of your home. For example, try refinishing a dresser and place a changing pad on top for your baby’s changing table. (Check out this tutorial for this specific idea.)

Also, when it comes to rugs, curtains, and lamps, consider purchasing items that would be appropriate for a teen’s room or something you like enough to use in another space in your home. By repurposing more expensive items, your dollar will be stretched for many years!

3. Go Neutral

One of the easiest ways to create a nursery, which will either grow with your child or be perfect for more babies to come, is to go neutral. A lot of people hear neutral and think boring. That’s just not the case. Consider painting the walls white, light beige, or a light gray. You can spruce up the space with art, fabrics, and furnishings. 

Going neutral is also wise when it comes to pricier items like a crib or rocker. These are two pieces that are worth the few extra dollars because they’re used the most. Find something with classic lines and a neutral color so that it can be used for years to come. Even if you’re planning on having only one child, a classic piece is a lot easier to resale than a trendy, colorful piece or something that wasn’t well made. 

4. Printable Art 

As I mentioned, art is a great way to add personality and style to any space. One of the most inexpensive ways to fill a wall with fun art is to download printable art and have it printed on Shutterfly or Snapfish when they’re having a super sale. 

A few of my favorite online printable art studios are The Printable Studio and Lila+Lola. I often look for large frames at thrift stores and yard sales with digital art in mind. Don’t look at the picture; just look for a good frame shape. The frame can always be spray painted and the original picture will be covered up. If you’re looking for a set of large frames, these are a great deal from Amazon!

5. Multi-Purpose Items

Though style over function is often the case in most rooms of your home, the two should collide in a nursery. Baby comes with so much STUFF! Having stylish bins, containers, and storage solutions not only adds to the overall style of the room, but also hides all of the not-so-pretty container of wipes, snot suckers, and the never ending supply of lovies. 

This tip can go hand-in-hand with staying neutral or repurposing your items. You can either go chic and neutral to grow with any stylistic change to come, or use something that you already have or would like to have in your own space one day. Marshalls, Ross, and TJ Maxx always have great choices when it comes to stylish storage options. 

When it comes to designing your baby’s nursery, don’t fret over the cost. If you’re willing to put a little time into finding great deals and using a bit of creativity, you will have the nursery of your dreams at a cost you can afford!

Check out my daughter’s modern, bohemian nursery reveal HERE and HERE.