Nursery looks that are way cooler than your bedroom

Shove over, baby blue. Back in your box, pastel pink. All of a sudden, nurseries are looking all grown up.

With fashion-forward colour schemes and designer accents to rival the hippest rooms in the house, the latest crop of nursery looks will have style-savvy new parents going gaga. (If they can wipe the sleep from their eyes long enough to notice their physical surroundings.)

Here is a collection baby and toddler room trends that prove you’re never too young to make a style statement.

Wallpaper

Wallpaper can be an artwork in itself, such as the bold sparrow print in this baby girl’s room. There’s no need to cover every wall: you can just pick a feature wall to highlight. For fewer meltdowns, hire a pro to put it up. If you’re unsure about taking the plunge, wall decals are a low-risk alternative.

J and J Design Group via Houzz. Photo: John Woodcock

Persian rugs

Soft underfoot, with patterns to disguise a multitude of baby-induced stains: it’s a wonder Persian rugs haven’t had a nursery moment before now. Pro tip: consider removing the rug before the little one figures out how to finger-paint with Sudocrem.

Amber Interiors via A Cup of Jo. Photo: Tessa Neustadt

Monochrome

If you’re not a fan of wall-to-wall technicolour, you could make friends with monochrome. Melissa Lee of Young Folk on Sydney’s northern beaches styled this black and white and metallic toddler room. Muted tones give colourful books and accessories a starring role.

Young Folk. Photo: Richard Lee

Rattan furniture

Rattan and cane furniture are newly hip again, lending an air of understated cool to nursery spaces. If you’re salvaging delights from the vintage scrapheap, make sure they stand up to 21st-century safety standards (think paint finishes, safe sleeping guidelines). Or splash out on something new, like this rattan seat from Byron Bay Hanging Chairs.

Hide and Sleep. Photo: Hails and Shine

Greenery

There are plenty of ways to invite Mother Nature into a nursery. This Swedish home has generous windows overlooking lush gardens. Potted plants bring the green inside. If you have a black thumb, search Etsy for leaf mobiles. Intricate cut paper designs are impossibly pretty – and impossible to kill.

Street Monkey Architects via Houzz. Photo: Robin Hayes Photography

Dark walls

Dark blues, reds, charcoals and purples add drama and cosiness to rooms for tiny humans. Chalkboard paint can make the walls your canvas, or use embellished wallpaper like the one in this boy’s nursery. (Follow the mother and stylist Farra Mirron on Instagram @hostesshaven.)

Farra Mirron via 100 Layer Cake-let. Photo: Jamie Street

Statement light

Why should the grown-up rooms get all the lighting pizazz? Be bold with chandeliers made from stone, resin, crystal or glass. Make a statement with an oversized pendant light. For sleep’s sake, dimmable is best. Or invest in a nightlight too.

Nest Design Studio. Photo: Tillie Frank Photography