Decorating the nursery is one of the most exciting tasks for expectant parents. Many will personalize the space based on their child’s gender, but for those who want the element of surprise in the delivery room, decorating can be tricky.
First-time mom Alison MacNaughtan felt that after nine months of pregnancy there would be nothing more rewarding than the surprise gender reveal when she delivered.
“Finding out beforehand would have been like knowing what’s in a present before you open it,” she says.
And while she expected designing a gender-neutral nursery to be a challenge, she found not knowing whether a boy or girl was on the way actually simplified the process.
“There are so many cute gender-specific items available (but) I didn’t find nearly as much of a selection in neutral items,” she says. A smaller selection made choosing gender-neutral decor easier.
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Gender-neutral design is also practical for couples who plan to have more children, as the nursery wouldn’t have to be redone for a new baby of the opposite sex, says interior decorator Maureen Coates, who recently designed a gender-neutral nursery for her grandson.
She offers these tips for designing a gender-neutral nursery:
Function first: Aim for longevity by choosing furniture that can be transformed into other pieces as the baby grows. A crib that changes into a single or double bed, for example, and a change table with a removable top that can become a dresser are great buys. Select furniture that is neither too feminine or masculine so it can grow up with your child.
Pick a theme: MacNaughtan was frustrated by the variety of gender-specific princess and toy truck themes, but she finally settled on a neutral theme called Bunny Meadow. The line features bunnies and dragonflies in white, green and chocolate brown; colours suitable for either a boy or girl.
Walls were painted tan and MacNaughtan hung a grey tree above the crib, surrounding it with silver-coloured dragonflies. She used a white carpet to brighten the room, giving it a cosy feel and tying the colours together, and added a few decorative bunny items on shelves.
Layer lighting: This is especially important in a nursery. In addition to overhead lighting, Coates recommends a soft reading light above the rocking chair, a task light above the change table, and a night light near the door so mom and dad can see where they’re walking at night without turning on a light and waking the baby.
Keep it simple: MacNaughtan admits keeping her nursery gender-neutral kept her from going overboard on cute boy or girl items.
Coates is a fan of simplified decor, especially in a nursery. To avoid clutter, she recommends stocking only necessary, functional items.
“Don’t put anything in the room that the baby doesn’t need right now.”
While Coates says some parents may want some open space to add gender-specific items once the baby is born, MacNaughtan says she didn’t feel the need.
“I loved it the way it was.”
