R-Guest Blogger: Creative Decor Ideas for Gender Neutral Nurseries

Guest Blog #238, Entry #738, November 2, 2011

Many couples these days are opting to steer clear of the five-month reveal so they can wait to find out about the gender of their baby the natural way; at birth.  Most choose this route because they feel that there are so few true surprises left in life, and this is one of the biggies.  Of course, it can make decorating the nursery a little difficult, and when you see the yellows and greens that make up the traditional “gender neutral” palette, you may reach for that envelope to peek at the sex of your unborn child.  But don’t despair just yet.  There are plenty of modern ways to create a nursery that will work for a boy or a girl.  Here are a few tips to get you started.

Image via: Decorateokc

A neutral color palette

You should start by making your base colors truly neutral.  Forget about the pale pastels of yesteryear and the bright, saturated shades that have become the modern alternative.  Instead, start with a neutral color palette in shades of warm cream or tan (steer clear of grays that can make your space feel cold and depressing).  You’ll likely add a lot of color with accessories so you needn’t go crazy with the wall color or flooring; and you don’t want to choose colors that are so bright they’ll overwhelm your child.

Wallpaper

If you want to do something a little less, well, boring, you could also consider using patterned wallpaper.  This will add some visual interest to the space without any color requirements.  In fact, many parents are opting for black and white decor.  Studies have shown that black and white images will capture an infant’s attention and hold it longer than colored objects, meaning that this combination could be more stimulating than colorful items, at least in the beginning.  They may also be interested in vibrant reds or yellows, but keep in mind that anything more than a foot away will be hard for them to see in the beginning.  So if you’re worried about the effect the wallpaper runner near the ceiling will have on your infant, don’t worry just yet.

Image via: Inspiration Resource Baby

Accessories

Finally, you need to think about accessories.  Linens can be white since that will make stain removal easy.  But you can add pops of color with bookshelves (brightly colored cubes in primary colors will appeal to any child), artwork, and toys.  And here there are plenty of gender-neutral options.  Skip the Barbie dolls and Tonka trucks that are gender specific and go for plush stuffed animals and toys that are suitable for infant play (with noises, lights, and so on).  These will likely come in a variety of colors meant to stimulate your child’s developing brain.

In the beginning of pregnancy, you may ask yourself many questions; what is morning sickness, why can’t I sleep, and why does everything smell so much stronger?  But eventually you’ll come around to the question of whether or not to learn the gender of your baby early.  If you choose not to, you can still create a beautiful nursery that is not gender specific.  With just a few tweaks (that eschew pink and blue) you’ll create a space that is by turns comforting and stimulating for your child, and that’s what really matters.

For more gender neutral nursery ideas on Stagetecture, click here