Looking to decorate your new baby's bedroom with a gender-neutral scheme? The perfect nursery needs to soothe your little one, hold all the necessary equipment and provide a calm space for the parents to care for the new arrival. But there’s no need to reach for the pink paint if you’re having a girl or the blue paint if you’re having a boy, as these beautiful and practical gender-neutral nursery ideas go to show. 

Keep a small nursery uncluttered and coherent by choosing matching furniture. It's usually sold in sets of three; a cot, wardrobe and dresser with changing table top, and often with a discount if you purchase the full set. The cot is usually height adjustable and transforms into a toddler bed. Then, add character rugs and decorative accessories to personalise the room. An extra dresser in a quirky design makes a fun addition, as you can never have enough storage for baby. 

There's no reason not to decorate the nursery to your own tastes – you're the one who'll be spending the most time in it! A jazzy neon lamp, jet black walls and contemporary wall art that could be taken from the chicest of living rooms still looks wonderful as a rocking nursery.

A wallpaper mural will brighten up a nursery and can be easily updated later. A gender-neutral jungle design with adorable baby animals will enlarge the feel of the room and spark your child's imagination. Pare back the rest of nursery décor to allow the wall mural to steal the show. 

Isn't it fantastic when brands create adorable accessories that are practical too? We love these simple but super cute belly baskets with decorative animal faces. They are the perfect size to fit under a changing table too. 

If you’re looking for a gender-neutral colour, you can’t go wrong with green. It’s the perfect choice for a nursery or children’s bedroom thanks to its calming qualities. Choose pale, soothing tones and accessorise with accent colours in muted hues. Or, for a more on-trend look matching forest green nursery furniture will look perfect in a jungle theme. 

Black and white look effortlessly chic in any room, including the nursery. Go for white (or pale grey) as your base colour so the scheme feels light and airy then use black and darker greys as accents. The limited colour palette frees you up to be as playful as you like with details and patterns. Winter Daisy has added depth to white nursery walls with black star wall stickers.

You don’t have to stick to pale blues. Pops of navy blue makes for a smart, sophisticated scheme that will appeal to your grown-up sense of style. The contrast between the deep blue and light background will catch your baby’s eye, especially if you incorporate high-contrast patterns such as chevrons or stripes. 

Whether they are from the jungle, woodland or are aquatic, baby animal illustrations and photographs make perfect prints for modern nurseries. Each one can be as cute as the next, and they especially work well when mounted in a gallery wall setup. Use their colourway as a starting point for a relaxed and soothing scheme. 

Typographic artwork has been a popular part of our decorating schemes for a while now and so was bound to reach the rooms of the lovable little people, too. Words of wisdom, date of birth or illustrated namesakes can look adorable in a nursery. Or, try a wall sticker, fabric hanging, garland or framed print. 

Any experienced parent will advise if the nursery is big enough to fit a specially designed feeding chair or cushioned armchair. The new job will probably involve a lot of night work so having a comfortable place to regularly feed or soothe is a high priority! Invest in coordinating support cushions and even a footrest to prop you up when you need it most. 

Walls panels are an on-trend choice but also practical in a baby's room. As the child learns to stand, sticky fingers may start to adorn walls. So, panelling will offer protection, especially if painted with a darker tone. Peg rails mounted out of baby's reach creates a decorative extra for bunting and small accessories. 

Nurseries are an ideal opportunity to embrace the spirit of playfulness and really have some fun with your decorating. Bright, primary colours,  interesting storage, fanciful accessories, childish imagery – anything goes. Your imagination is the only limit. 

If you don’t know where to start with your nursery scheme, picking a theme can be helpful. Cute woodland characters work equally well for girls and boys and should stand the test of time as your baby becomes a toddler. Go for earth coloured designs with friendly faces that your baby will smile at as they develop.

Of course, you don’t have to plump for wallpaper aimed specifically at children. Using pretty vintage-style papers can add a sense of playful sophistication to a nursery scheme that's inviting. Look for child-friendly motifs that won't look out of place as they grow. Sweet birds, woodland animals or soft clouds will work. Restrict your colour palette to two or three hues to prevent the room from feeling hectic. 

Yellow has been a gender-neutral colour choice in nurseries for generations. Update the look by going for a more zingy tone. Team a dark grey feature wall with bright yellow soft furnishings and balance the look with warm wooden furniture.

Encourage a sound sleep schedule from the start with a blackout blind. The thick material will keep the nursery dark early in the morning as well as during daytime naps. You'd never guess this soothing safari print double roller blind would do the job with its bright white background. Complete the cosy theme with cuddly toys. 

If neutral colours are not your scene, let your creativity flow with a darker tone. One wall painted charcoal and paired with a matching two-tone cot will create the feel of sleeping under a soothing night sky. Enhance the look with moon and stars framed prints. 

Keen travellers? Maps are another classic – and gender-neutral – way to add character to a nursery, and will prove an endless source of fascination for your little one when they get a bit older. Add them in the form of posters, wallpaper, murals or even fabric hangings.

Looking for a colour combination that is not pale or bland? Soft sherbet shades will add a soothing and tranquil atmosphere and make the room feel spacious and airy. Create a stylish twist by carefully clashing the walls. Then, bring a soothing neutral into the mix to prevent the room from looking too busy and unbalanced.

A neutral backdrop and matching furniture will stand the test of time until your child is ready to inject their own creativity into their room. Add interest that can easily be updated with friendly wall art and alternative storage solutions like graphic paper bags and tactile baskets. 

Why pick a single style when you can have lots of fun mixing and matching objects from different styles and eras? Rattan furniture looks boho and relaxed in this jubilant nursery, while a bird motif fabric hanging and delicately printed wallpaper adorn the walls for a vintage twist.

So many nurseries are all-white so it's refreshing to see a touch of colour. Painted halfway, a pebble grey tone is suitably subtle to add charming character without being too much. Grey matching furniture and an adorable soft octopus character give this nursery a happy-go-lucky and contemporary vibe. 

Baby mobiles can be either soothing or stimulating for babies, so perhaps no nursery is complete without one. With so many styles and designs to choose from, there is no need to compromise on style. And, if one is not enough multiple mobiles securely hung together can become the focal decorative feature for you and baby. 

If you’re short on time or not so artistically-inclined, wall stickers are a quick and easy way to add an enchanted scene to your nursery walls. A forest theme works well in a girl’s or boy’s bedroom. These fern and eucalyptus wall stickers make a stunning focal point as a backdrop to a contemporary green crib. 

The whimsical misty landscape of this full-size woodland mural creates a subtle wonder wall that's calming and serene and totally magical for children. The choice of taupe for the canopy, chair fabric and cot bedding is inspired – it's soft, modern and suitable for everyone. Experts recommend there should be nothing within grabbing distance of a baby's sleeping area so hang the cloud bunting across a window or pinned to the wall, rather than on the cot.  

If you don't have room for a separate nursery or you simply want your baby close for some time why not zone your own space and theirs by wallpapering a corner of your master bedroom? A contrasting shade will keep the area intimate and dark for nap time, while a rounded crib will fit neatly into the space. Mount storage on the wall to maximise the small space.

If neutral colours are not your scene let your creativity flow with a striking paint palette and pattern. Sapphire blue and ochre shades probably aren't most people's first colour choice for a nursery but when teamed with an innovative pattern and plenty of soft fabrics the look is rich and cocooning. 

You can also incorporate more grown-up choices when it comes to colour and pattern. Natural wood furniture and a muted geometric wallpaper give this nursery a mid-century modern feel that wouldn’t look out of place in a contemporary living room. 

Pay homage to your property's period and create a nursery that is country chic. Team classic blue toile de Jouy wallpaper with white nursery furniture for a nostalgic and traditional vibe. Then, blend the farmhouse features into the scheme by painting the wood beams a matching blue-black tone. 

If you’re handy with a paintbrush painted murals and stencils are an affordable way to add wow-factor to a nursery scheme. Simple shapes, such as mountains and tree silhouettes are a safe bet if you’re a beginner. Be sure to look for paints that do not contain harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs). 

Of course, you can buy baby bedroom furniture in classic white or natural wood but how about making a statement by choosing a cot in a punchy shade or contemporary shape? Block-coloured pieces in dark greys, pigmented pastels and even rainbow brights are modern and make a refreshing change – just keep the rest of the room and soft furnishings muted.

Muted pastels are the perfect palette to choose to create a calming nursery.  And, when teamed with pale modern furniture, the room becomes a Scandi-style minimal space to build on with texture and character. Opt for geometric shapes in rugs, blankets and artwork for a cool scheme that's really easy to pull off.

Make existing furniture nursery-ready with an Insta-worthy update. This mass-produced pine chest has been transformed from bland to beautiful with a feature rainbow design. The unusual earthy tones add a vintage twist that is echoed in the rattan crib and rust-coloured canopy. 

If you’re blessed with twins, you may have to decorate one single room for both a girl and a boy. A refreshing neutral and a colour pop theme once again come into their own in this twin bedroom. Add interest with a rainbow-coloured textured rug. 

A nursery 'theme' is not to everyone's tastes, so why not choose vintage-style furniture to surround your kid in culture from the very start? Add colour with well secured wall art, wooden toys and a quirky yet minimalist mobile. 

Well-made pieces that are as beautiful as they are functional are a hallmark of Scandinavian design, and it’s these qualities that make Nordic style ideal for a nursery. Be sure to include plenty of natural texture and add gender-neutral primary colours in simple shapes for a child-like take on the look. 

If your nursery is tiny, give it contemporary character with a paint effect. Diagonal shapes in pretty colours can add a fresh touch as well as a shot of glamour. Measure and mark out the design with decorator's tape and fill in the gaps. Then peel off when almost dry. Finish the alternative style with some jazzy LED lights and a quirky mobile. 

Stars are a fantastic gender-neutral motif for a nursery. You can add them in the form of star-spangled fabrics or adorn your walls with them using wallpaper, stencils or stickers. The star and cloud wallpaper combined with decorative metal crib give this nursery a charming vintage feel. 

Until the middle of the last century, blue was considered to be a dainty colour more suited to girls than boys. While it may be more readily associated with boys today, its cool, soothing tones make it the perfect choice for a boy’s or a girl’s nursery scheme. Adding delicate patterns and soft fabrics – will give the room a more traditionally feminine feel which makes the on-trend tone a good choice for siblings sharing too.

Make the nursery warm and inviting with a nursery carpet that is soft and stylish. Gentle colours such as baby blue, pink and cream are subtle while pretty motifs add delightful interest. Choose a sensible and easy-going pattern like a star print so the carpet won't need to be updated as your child grows. Complete the scheme with pale furniture and matching star-shaped wall stickers that tie the look together.

A neutral nursery scheme can be jollied up by just one wow-factor wallpaper feature wall. A play on ancestral portraits, these delightful animal characters are framed in subtle and stylish olive leaf wreaths. The illustrative designs make the room more friendly and inviting as baby becomes familiar with the shapes and characters. 

New neutral grey is cool but in a nursery can look dull. Lighten the mood with fluffy, white cloud motifs to evoke a sense calm and weightlessness. Add soft accents of yellow and the sunshine will also break through.

Rainbow motifs are a classic nursery decorating choice that is appealing for both boys or girls. Whether you chose bright primary shades for a retro and vibrant vibe or prefer to scale down with more muted tones that create a soothing atmosphere, the familiar arches make a fail-safe and timeless solution for happy nursery spaces.

One thing is absolutely certain, a baby needs its nappy changed an awful lot, especially in those early days. Look out for nursery furniture with incorporated baby changing tables and plenty of compartments for changing gear. A colourful environment or wall-mounted shapes, like these red balloons, for baby to focus on will make the job much easier. 

Make the most of a small attic nursery by painting the walls in complementary colours. Pretty and tonal pastel shades will open up the room and create the illusion of space. Draw the eye by painting a feature wall in duck egg blue and keep the sloping walls a gentle cream. Shell pink will add subtle contrast. 

Make the most of small-scale furniture by packing as much storage into the room as you can. Babies come with a lot of stuff and go through bundles of laundry so having a home for everything will keep the nursery tidy and organised. The petite pieces leave plenty of wall space so utilise this with extra hooks and child-friendly bookshelves.

A cot that lasts from newborn to toddler is a wise investment. This stylish convertible cot is super chic, modelled on 1950s furniture design, and will go beyond the toddler bed stage by turning into a funky sofa fit for a preschooler! That'll free up space for getting them an incredible themed kids' bed when they are older. 

Even if the nursery is decorated and ready a baby probably won't need it for the first few months while they are sharing a bedroom with parents. Make a Moses basket look part of the master bedroom scheme by choosing one made from natural materials and use a coverlet and blankets that match your own bed linen colours. 

If the rest of your home is decked out in designer furniture and distinctive furnishings there is no reason why you can't continue this style into your nursery scheme. This ash and walnut cot with matching dresser has heirloom quality and craftsmanship which you could perhaps pass down the generations. When teamed with a contemporary rocking chair and bursts of modern colour, this new-age nursery is the ultimate editor's choice. 

Catch your baby's interest with a statement ceiling. Wallpapering fun and colourful prints onto the ceiling – and even continuing them on the walls – is an effective, affordable and stylish way to do this.

Read more: Absolutely incredible kids' bedrooms