How to Create a Delightful Nursery for Less

Decorating a nursery that will be a safe, nurturing spot for welcoming your new little one into the world is an important job, and it's natural to want the best one possible. But that doesn't mean you need to overspend or stress yourself out to do it. You can create a beautiful, creative, stylish nursery on a tight budget — and by relying more on vintage and homemade finds, you may find yourself having more fun and stressing less to boot. Here are 20 ideas to get you started.

1. Create atmosphere with paint. Wide painted stripes along two walls are balanced by solid-color walls on the other side of this cheerful little nursery. Painting the interior of the closet and leaving the door open makes the room seem bigger and provides a fun pop of color. Be sure to paint well ahead of the little one's arrival and use natural or low-VOC paint.

2. Whip up homemade bunting. You don't need to know how to sew to craft some simple bunting. You can make it from colorful scrapbook paper — simply cut flag shapes (measure to get the same size) and glue or staple them to a string.


3. Crochet or knit a baby blanket. No one will claim it is easy, or fast, but if you have the urge to refine your knitting skills, making your baby a blanket by hand is a rewarding undertaking. Just do yourself a favor and choose a washable yarn!

4. Or buy a vintage handmade blanket. You may be able to find a vintage handmade baby blanket for a few bucks at your local thrift store. There is something special about handmade goods, and knowing you are giving new life to something a mom or grandma likely spent many hours working on is a lovely thought. Wash your vintage blanket by hand in mild detergent and air dry it before using it in your nursery. Never buy vintage textiles that have a bad odor — you probably won't be able to get rid of it.


5. Dress up a yard sale dresser with an ombré paint job. Start by painting the whole thing white, reserving a small amount of white paint. To create a gradient effect on the drawer fronts, choose a color and paint the drawers one at a time — before painting each drawer front, mix a bit more white paint into your main color to lighten it a shade.


6. Or just swap dresser knobs for a fresh look. A slightly larger grown-up dresser can be a great storage piece for toys and clothes in the nursery, but it may look too serious as it is. Replacing the old knobs with a new set in a fun color or shape is an easy way to give your dresser a kid-friendly twist.


7. Use a vintage armoire as a closet. If closet space is tight, why not revamp an old armoire to hold baby's sweet little clothes? It has so much more character than a new organizing system, and it can be just as neat when fitted with double hanging rods or little shelves. Just remember to secure any large pieces of furniture like this to the wall for safety.


8. Cover a basic chair with fun fabric. A comfy chair for feeding and snuggling baby is a must, but many cost an arm and a leg. One solution for those comfortable with a needle and thread: Re-cover a comfy yet basic chair in a fabric you adore. Just be aware that fully upholstered chairs will be trickier and more costly to re-cover than chairs with loose cushions.

9. Customize shelving in an awkward space. The colorful covers of little board books can double as decor when you fill an entire wall with picture ledges. Paint the narrow shelves to match the wall color for a sleek look.

Browse picture ledges


10. Paint the backs of plain bookcases. Make basic bookshelves pop with a background of vibrant color. Alternatively, you could cover the backs of the shelves with pretty wrapping paper or wallpaper scraps in a fun pattern.


11. Go cheap and chic for storage. Inexpensive paper boxes bring instant order to small toys and supplies. Stick with one color for all storage boxes and bins — the color will help the boxes look like part of an ordered collection.


12. Provide a cushy seat that will grow with your little one. A chair, couch or daybed large enough for an adult to comfortably sit on makes a great investment for the nursery, since it will last well beyond the baby years. Purchasing or making a slipcover to cover your nursery seating will extend its life — and you can always swap out the slipcover down the road for a new look.

13. Shop your house. Do you have a spare side table, pouf, lamp or basket that could be borrowed from another room, or even from storage? Making the most of what you already own is the easiest way to slash expenses when you're setting up a new nursery.

Budget Decorator: How to Shop Your Home for a New Look


14. String up an artsy clothesline. If you have some string and clothespins hanging out at the bottom of your junk drawer, you have the makings of a creative art display area. Fasten string between two small hooks or nails, and use the clothespins to clip up all of those cute "welcome, baby" cards.

15. Shop vintage before new. Instead of immediately heading to the big-box store every time you think of something else to add to the nursery, try popping into a local vintage shop or hitting the flea market. Vintage kids' furniture is brimming with character; the illustrations from vintage children's books too damaged to read make charming nursery art; and small buffets and chests can provide great storage — and everything often costs less than something new.


16. Make some embroidery hoop accents. For a few bucks, you can pick up plain embroidery hoops and small fabric scraps at the craft store (or look in your own stash); they're all you need to make one-of-a-kind decor for your baby's new room.

Fasten the fabric into the hoop, trim the excess and use a glue gun to secure the edges to the inside of the hoop. Embellish your new wall art with an embroidered message, sew on an appliqué or let a pretty fabric speak for itself.


17. Craft your own hanging shelf. Borrow an idea from a tree swing: Add wooden shelves to knotted rope for a beautifully rustic hanging shelf.

Use reclaimed wood if you can find it, or have wood cut to fit at the hardware store. Just be sure to hang your finished shelf high enough that your little one won't be able to climb onto it when he or she starts crawling and pulling up.


18. Spell it out. Have a set of alphabet blocks or Scrabble tiles? Use the letters to spell out your little one's name and put it on display. Alphabet blocks can simply get stacked atop a bookcase. For smaller letters, like Scrabble tiles, mount the letters in a shadow box and hang it on the wall.

19. Remember, less is more. A serene, peaceful nursery is also an uncluttered one, so don't go overboard on toys and artwork. A few carefully chosen toys, lovingly displayed, are more meaningful and more appealing to little ones than an overabundance of stuff.


20. Get creative with wall decals. Wall decals are a great option for decorating the nursery, since they can be easily removed when it's time to transition to a big-kid room. Use these inexpensive finds to create an imaginative scene or spell out your baby's name. They're especially great for defining space in a shared room.

Are you decorating a nursery? Please share your favorite budget finds and tips in the Comments!

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