20 Nursery Design Elements That Grow With Your Kiddos

Designing a kid's bedroom can be your chance to really let loose and explore playful and whimsical decorating ideas you maybe wouldn't try elswhere in your home. That said, it's a major bonus when the space you create for your baby can grow with them through childhood and into their teen years — with a few minor design changes along the way. Read on to get inspired by these gorgeous nurseries that feature tried-and-true design elements your kids won't outgrow.

This gender-neutral nursery with teal blue walls and playful patterns includes several age-defying accent pieces that will easily transition into childhood and teenage years. Case in point: the bright coral chair, sleek gray dresser and vibrant orange curtains.

Take it from the experts, and resist all urges to spackle that multi-colored, "fun" floral wallpaper on the nursery walls. Go the safer route, instead, and opt for soft, gender neutral hues and patterns to create dimension in the space. This sage green paper would look equally as elegant in a home office as it does in this nursery, don’t you think?

Make no mistake about it, folks, prints of baby zoo animals are adorable. They’re great. Are they great investment pieces for your home, though? Nine times out of ten, the answer is no. Instead, take inspiration from the nursery color palette (or from the rest of your interiors) and invest in abstract paintings or mature prints that could easily grow with your child or dress-up other corners of your home in the future.

When creating a space that grows as your baby grows, take note of this darling, polka—dot clad nursery. A chic zebra print hangs above a classic crib in the center of the room, nestled between two built-in bookcases. We’re obsessed with this idea because, as the baby transitions from a crib to a regular bed, the two bookcases remain as framing points in the room. Bonus? Storage galore.

One sure-fire way to ensure the nursery grows as your child does? Skip the played-out pink and barely-there blue, and stick to airy, neutral hues. With graphic wallpaper and simple gray and white accents, it’s easy to imagine this sleek nursery adapting all the way through high school.

Classic, hardwood floors are always a good idea. Yes, even in a nursery. Add a plush area rug for playtime and for a soft landing pad when your tot is learning to walk. Once they start running around the house, though, you’ll be happy to toss that tired rug out the window and be oh-so-happy to see that easy-to-clean hardwood flooring underneath. Trust us.

You don’t need to add hand-drawn cats and dogs to the walls to create a fun, whimsical backdrop for your nursery. We’re smitten with this understated mountain-themed mural art for nurseries because it features a soft, muted color palette that would easily work for a playroom or teen bedroom in the future. Bonus: This technique requires little-to-no detail work, which means anyone could do it. Yes, even you.

Can you say chic? These ribbon-trimmed shades are perfect for newborn naptimes and double as classic window treatments that will transition with any age, and in any space, over the coming years.

A fun, funky floor lamp is one way to make late night (i.e. early morning) feedings a little more bearable. Our point? Invest in a light fixture that you enjoy looking at. You’ll be spending a lot of time together, you know. As your kiddo grows, repurpose the lamp as a night light for bedtime stories or a task lamp for homework.

Snag a classic, sophisticated dresser to store all the tear-jerkingly-tiny baby clothes and changing table essentials. Pro tip: Select a neutral color or natural finish with a sturdy design to ensure that your furnishings stick around for years to come.

Whether your child is two weeks or twelve years, they will always need a space to store their stuff. This is a fact of life, friends. While outfitting your nursery, keep your eyes peeled for pieces that offer ample storage. Our suggestion? Opt for a cabinet that has opaque drawers so clutter is out of view as much as possible. Open shelving is chic for your all-white dream kitchen... but not so much for a nursery-turned-playroom.

You can’t go wrong with classic prints and timeless color palettes. Bring some personality into the nursery with prints and hues that you would use throughout the rest of your home. We think this navy and white, striped rug is sophisticated enough to snazzy-up a master suite.

Light fixtures are the jewels of a home, and the nursery is no exception. Set a good example (of style) from the start with a chic, statement-making chandelier in lieu of a dusty ceiling fan.

As a new parent, you’re bound to fall asleep in the nursery a time or two. When the time comes, you’ll be happy you invested in a nice, quality sofa for impromptu sleepovers. Instead of lugging your old futon out of storage, search for a sleeper sofa to put in your nursery. As your baby grows, use the sofa as an extra bed for houseguests.

Turns out, you can play it safe and still have some fun while designing your nursery. Paired with subdued blue and white furnishings, this bold, statement-making ceiling features a classic stripe design and a vivacious orange hue. Both work wonders for a nursery design, as well as a kids’ bedroom, a teen’s lair or a cheerful home office.

A nursery design should calm baby and parents alike, and this soft, neutral color palette with botanical prints and a natural jute pouf does just that. Parents should use nature as their muse and pull similar colors and textures into their design to create a simple, soothing design that stands the test of time.

Add a timeless mirror to your baby’s nursery, and watch as their reflection changes over the years. Go for an airy white, as seen here, or add a metallic touch with a silver or gold mirror instead.

Moment of truth: This nursery features style more sophisticated (and fun) than many grown-up bedrooms. Simple gray walls provide a pretty backdrop to vibrant art and unexpected details (goose lamp, anyone?). Recreate a similar, boho-chic design by throwing out all the nursery design norms, and curate eclectic accessories, instead, that you would proudly display throughout the rest of your home.

Can we all agree that this navy-blue wonder of a room is the epitome of sophisticated nursery designs? Yes? Yes. Steal their style, and purchase a neutral, ultra-soft rug for comfy and cute playtime.