Before and after – from bland guest bedroom to Scandi chic nursery

The owners bought this four-bedroom detached new build in Solihull, West Midlands in 2014. Initially they used this room as a guest bedroom and study, but as their family grew, it needed to become a bedroom for their new son, and so they set about creating a classic Scandi-style space that would grow with him.

‘The old room was functional, 
but not very inspirational or attractive,' says the owner. 'I found lots of ideas 
on Instagram, as well 
as at rockmyfamily.co.uk and rockmystyle.co.uk, where I work 
as a content manager.' With a love for Scandinavian style she chose to use lots of white, grey and natural colours. 'White walls are easy to patch up when they 
get covered in crayon and sticky fingermarks!'

‘I’m obsessed with interiors but decorating nurseries are by far my favourite (I’m a big kid at heart),' the owner says. 'You can afford to go a bit crazy and whimsical with the finishing touches. I’m particularly proud of the unusual colour scheme that I’ve used – grey, white and oak, with splashes of colour and sprinkling of gold.'

For more looks for little ones, see our children's room ideas.

The owner wanted to create a cosy, characterful and practical space for her son to play in during the day and snuggle down in at night. ‘I was torn between painting the whole room grey and trying a feature wall,’ she says. ‘I chose an animal motif paper to put behind my son's cot and it sparked off an ‘all creatures great and small’ theme!'

Get the look
Buy now: Sunshine cotbed, £319, Boori
Buy now: Grey Pebble wool rug, £149, Dunelm
Buy now: Portraits wallpaper, £59.95 a roll, Hibou Home

A comfy armchair has been used to create a corner for relaxing and reading. The textured upholstery and chunky knitted pouffe add an extra level of interest and warmth.

Fairytale solutions: What if your favourite children's authors designed your baby's nursery?

The owner has hung the peg rail nice and low, in the hope her son will learn to hang up his own clothes! Storage baskets for toys and clutter are a must in a kids' room and these ones fit perfectly into the simple colour scheme. plus crafted a poster hanger for the animal alphabet chart from a piece of dowel

Get the look
Buy now: Hambledon six peg rail, £35, Garden Trading

‘The wall shelves are the first thing you see when you walk in, so we wanted them to catch the eye,’ says the owner. ‘They’re 
just made from basic B&Q white matt shelf boards 
and oak-effect brackets.’ She accessorised them with inexpensive pieces that would add a splash of colour.

Picture ledges are a great way to create a kids’ book corner, with the covers facing out so that children can recognise their favourites before they’ve learnt to read the titles.

Get the look
Buy now: Mosslanda picture ledges, 
£8.95 each for 115cm, Ikea 
Buy now: Mountain Bear garland, £38, Velveteen Babies

The nursery is light, fresh and timeless, while the knits and baskets, and colourful books and pictures add warmth and softness. When the owners had worked out the colour scheme, they bought a simple cot bed, which will convert to a bed as their son grows, enduring that they won't need to redecorate the room any time soon. 'The project took two months and I really love the room,' the owner says. 'It’s such a tranquil, calm place.’