14 Small Nursery Ideas Your Little One Will Love

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updated Apr 08, 2021

Small nursery with printed wallpaper and wooden crib. — Cathie Hong Interiors

Decorating a nursery for your baby is fun and exciting. But, it's also a labor of love that requires extra patience and creativity—especially when the space in question is pint-size.

That being said, we promise you can transform even the teeniest of nooks into a sanctuary when you have the right plan of action with plenty of small nursery ideas to take notes from. Read on for some of our favorite small nursery tips and ideas to recreate in your space.

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Choose One Statement Piece

Small Nursery layout — Jodie Snyder Morel

Choose one large piece of furniture that you love and build your space around that piece. No matter how adorable that giant stuffed animal is or how perfect that large changing table seems in the store, your nursery will look and feel better if it isn't overcrowded.

Some pieces may look off-scale or overly bulky if the room doesn't feature the right proportions. It's simpler to pick your favorite essential piece and go from there.

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Add Hanging Plants

Soft neutral nursery with two hanging plants. — Burchard Design Co.

Breathe a bit of life into your small nursery with the addition of hanging plants. These green machines not only purify the air, but because they can be hung, they won't take up any precious floor space.

FYI: These Are the 10 Best Hanging Plants for Self-Professed "Black Thumbs"

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Incorporate Shelving

Light blue nursery with white shelving. — Calimia Home

Why waste wall space when you can maximize it instead? This conjoining shelving unit is the perfect small space solution for your nursery. It holds décor pieces, baskets, and all the essentials to care for your little one.

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Maximize Closet Space

Organized baby girl's closet. — Finding Lovely

We are thoroughly impressed by this exquisitely organized and tidy baby girl's closet—just look how satisfying those tiny outfits on tiny hangers are. It can be easy to have clothes and shoes flung around the outskirts of the nursery, but with a setup like this, nothing will be out of place again.

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Bring in a Statement Chandelier

Neutral nursery with large rattan statement chandelier. — Calimia Home

One way to maximize a small room is to treat it like a grand, large living space, and this statement chandelier does just the trick. The rattan chandelier ties in perfectly with the cane shelf and neutral birds floating around the wallpaper.

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Layer a Plush Rug

Light pink nursery with wallpaper with fluffy rug. — House of Harvee

Leave it to an area rug to maximize and expand a room. Tiny rugs only make a space feel more minimal, so don't be afraid to lay a large area rug in your nursery, even if it lies under furniture.

Plus, a large rug only means more play room for you and your little one.

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Add Additional Seating

Sitting area in nursery. — MStarr Design

This nursery nook is perfect for any parent to put their feet up, or the perfect setup for two to sit and relax. Though there may not be room for large armchairs, a portable ottoman is a great option to add additional seating.

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Keep Just the Essentials

Small nursery with animal wall art. — Pure Salt Interiors

If you're left without much room to spare, consider clustering your nursery furniture to leave plenty of space for wiggle room. Here, any parent can move easily from the crib to cradling their little one in the armchair—all with space for a large plant, to boot.

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Paint It Pastel

Pastel blue nursery with white furniture. — Stephanie Hoey Interiors

If you're dealing with a room that's a bit odd or tight, feel free to go all out with the paint job. A sweet shade of pastel blue brightens up this room, and since the space is small, it doesn't look too overwhelming.

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Widen the Room With Wallpaper

Following suit with the fun paint color, feel free to add bold wallpaper to your small nursery as well. Small spaces, like bedrooms or bathrooms, are typically great places to experiment with bold, moody colors or fun printed wallpaper, as seen here.

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Invest in Wall Art

Pink nursery with "Dream Big" wall art. — Pure Salt Interiors

Even if there isn't a ton of wall space to spare, let whatever space you have make a statement with some sweet wall art. Large art gives the illusion of a bigger wall, and this is a great opportunity to incorporate some décor into your nursery.

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Make It Monochromatic

Neutral monochromatic nursery. — Design: Mindy Gayer, Photo: Lindsay Stetson Thompson

If you want to keep your nursery space calm and bright, make it monochromatic with different neutrals at the forefront. This keeps the room visually interesting without it being too overwhelming.

Keeping the space neutral is great, as when the time comes to convert the nursery to a big kid bedroom, you'll have a blank canvas.

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Work Around Angles

Baby boy nursery in angular room. — The House on Hillside Lane

Your small nursery might be squeezed into an attic space or another spare bedroom with plenty of interesting nooks and crannies. There are plenty of ways to avoid obstacles though, and here, the fun printed wallpaper moves the eye away from the awkward sloped ceiling.

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Go All Out

Vintage inspired nursery with yellow floral wallpaper. — Design: Becca Interiors; Photo: Rikki Snyder

A small room is sometimes the most fun room to decorate, as it keeps the risks contained in a tiny space. This vintage-inspired nursery leans heavily into textural details—like floral wallpaper and a velvet armchair—making for a unique nursery that doesn't necessarily match the theme of the home.

20 Modern Nursery Ideas Perfect for Your Baby Boy