Prepping the nursery for your new bundle of joy is bound to be an exciting time in any parent or caregiver’s life. After all, this special space will be home to baby and host to a variety of new experiences baby will bring. From morning cuddles to bedtime stories (and everything in between), your nursery may just become the most important room in the house – and let’s face it, you’ll probably end up sleeping in there a fair few times as well! It’s therefore essential to create a space that you and your family will love spending time in—and one that is optimised to suit your unique needs.
Crown is here to help you paint your own possible. Check out our top colour and design recommendations for your nursery, straight from our team of interior design specialists.
Top colours for your nursery
Use colour psychology to find your perfect fit
We’re well aware of the impact that colour can have on human emotion, and while this matter is subjective and every individual responds to colour uniquely, there are some common themes that emerge when taking a closer look at the different colour families. Based on this knowledge, we often recommend the following colours when it comes to nurseries.
- Yellow: Yellow is regarded as uplifting and is often used in children’s classrooms or in areas of creativity. Lighter shades of yellow are gentle and fresh (i.e. Pale Gold, Sunrise) whereas darker, mustardy tones of yellow (like Mustard Jar) can reflect grandeur and opulence. Yellow also makes an excellent gender-neutral option for baby’s room.
- Delicate Pink: Often chosen for a girls’ nurseries (though we feel strongly that there are no set rules when it comes to colour!), soft hued pinks are welcoming and can create feelings of warmth, serenity and calm. Try our shades Fairy Dust or Le Petit Palais.
- Pale Blue: Blue is known as a cool and calming colour, and pale blues (like our shades Stepping Stone and Powder Blue) are seen to have tranquil effects as they suggest openness and air. Blues are popular for boys’ rooms, but we think blue makes a fabulous option regardless of gender.
- Soft Green: Greens are seen as restful and harmonious. Paler shades of green are perceived as fresh and cooling, and blue-green shades often evoke calmness and clarity. Our shade Botanical Extract would look beautiful on nursery walls.
- Neutrals: Neutrals refer to a broad spectrum of colours that contain little colour pigment, and these shades work brilliantly in both girls’ and boys’ rooms. Neutrals are classic and timeless colours that can be used as a backdrop, allowing statement colours in furniture and furnishings to really shine. Check out our shades Wheatgrass, White Pepper, and Organic Cloth.
- Greys: Another stylish gender-neutral option, greys are versatile in an interior—they work with a multitude of hues and are regarded as low intensity colours. They can be warm or cool and lend themselves well to modern spaces. We love the shades Spotlight, Seldom Seen, and Salt Spray for stylish and sophisticated nursery walls.
Create a peaceful oasis with softer shades
“Brighter colours can be over-stimulating and it is always easier to excite rather than calm children,” says Crown Colour Specialist, Jemma Saunders. “Neutral and softer tones can help to create a tranquil haven, balanced with brighter coloured accessories.”
For a serene sanctuary, try using Figment, Salt Spray, Mulberry Mist, Grey Putty, Pacific Oyster and Light Fern. These can also be described as gender-neutral and can help create a balanced scheme.
Add liveliness with bright colours
“Young children do not recognise the nuances between neutrals,” says Jemma. “I’ve not yet met a child who has said their favourite colour is taupe, as most are more responsive to brighter colours, usually learning the names of primary colours first.” Our shade Mustard Jar from our Walls & Ceilings range will add a daring dose of sunshine to a nursery and is also a great gender-neutral option.
Our Walls & Ceilings range uses carefully selected Vegan Verified ingredients along with our unique breatheasy® 99% solvent free formulation, which is especially important when decorating a nursery. Our breatheasy® paints work by limiting exposure to airborne triggers of asthma and allergy, helping you create a healthier space for your whole family. And we’re pushing what’s possible even further with packaging made using 100% recycled plastic!
In addition to our Walls & Ceilings collection, our easyclean® Durable Matt Emulsion also makes the ideal option for your nursery. For use on walls, ceilings, wood and metal, easyclean® is 200 times tougher than standard emulsion and is washable, wipeable, durable and scrubbable! Check out the shades Mellow Sage and Cloud Burst for an inviting atmosphere in your nursery.
Paint a fun pattern
The power of paint knows no bounds, and it’s simple to create a stylish pattern for your nursery that will delight and inspire your baby. We love the look of scallops, bold stripes, lively polka dots, vibrant chevrons, or charming murals. Stencils are also a fantastic option for adding a bit of whimsical excitement to any space. According to Jemma, if you’re looking for the ideal colour combination for your stripes, start with the dynamic shade Spring Heather. “Spring Heather is perfect to work with on-trend brighter stripes. Pair with colours such as Overjoyed, Stepping Stone and Botanical Extract.”
Design Tricks for zoning your nursery
Your nursery will serve many different purposes. From feeding and changing to rocking and resting, this multifunctional space will see plenty of traffic throughout the day (and night!). Zoning your nursery will help you make the most out of the space you have while creating a gorgeous ‘flow’ to the room. Read on to find the best ways to accomplish this.
- Create wall dividers: Utilise colour blocking to visually separate your nursery and make a striking statement. We love Mustard Jar paired with a lighter complementary shade such as Pale Gold. These two colours work beautifully together and will create a warm and welcoming habitat for your little one. For greater contrast and drama, we recommend pairing Mustard Jar with Endeavour, another shade from our innovative Walls & Ceilings range.
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Layer your lighting: Break up your room by using thoughtful lighting to create different focal points within the space. Use different light sources – such as overhead lighting, wall lighting, and lamps – to highlight particular spaces within the nursery while ensuring that you have the right amount of illumination for whatever activity you’re doing. “Lighting can enhance any design scheme,” says Jemma. “Night lights offer security and banish any monsters in the shadows, changeable colour lights can create a party vibe whereas fairy lights can add a touch of magic.”
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Use rugs to separate the room: Zone different areas of your nursery with rugs, which make fantastic horizontal room dividers. A considered arrangement of rugs will inject personality into the space while defining the multiple areas within your room. For example, you may want to use rugs to delineate your child’s play area from their sleeping area. Opt for styles that are similar in colour to walls and other pieces in the room as this will help to tie the whole look together.
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Split your nursery with a shelf: A freestanding shelf is a quick and simple way to divide a room. It also offers an excellent storage option, giving you valuable vertical space to organise baby’s belongings and books. These shelves can also be accessed from both sides, offering incredible convenience (which is especially important in the nursery). Depending on your style, you can make your shelf stand out or match the piece to your walls by using our multi-surface paints like easyclean®, Crafted™ and ELLE Decoration by Crown . Our Quick Dry Non-Drip Satin paint gives you a more durable finish. A highly gelled formulation means no drips even on tricky jobs, and our breatheasy® formulation means its 99% solvent free.
At Crown, it’s not just paint, it’s personal, and we’re delighted to be part of this exciting new chapter of your growing family’s life. Call into your nearest Crown Paints retailer for everything you need to get started transforming your nursery into a very special space.
