Grey and white nursery ideas - 10 ways to make your baby's room a soothing space

A grey and white nursery idea can be a dreamy, idyllic first bedroom for your baby. Just picturing the colours conjures up images of fluffy white clouds and soft earthy environments, scenes which are perfect to replicate in a nursery.

Nursery ideas should help to create a room that is both functional and aesthetic. The nursery should make changing, feeding and napping time run as smoothly as possible, while looking cosy, inviting and homey. You want to create a space that both you and the baby find comforting and calm, which the relaxing tones of soft greys and whites are ideal for.

'Paler colours work well in a child’s room as they tend to be more relaxing and soothing – both for the child and parents', says Justyna Korczynska, Senior designer at Crown.

Plus, grey and white are great base colours for adding layers, textures and patterns. 'Grey and white’s neutrality mean that there are many options in which you can style the space', an interior expert from Desenio commented. 'If the main pieces of furniture or walls are in these tones, there is an opportunity to add hints of colour for a contrast.'

Grey and white nursery ideas

Far from being plain, a grey and white nursery can be made to feel extremely welcoming if you bring other tones and textures into the palette. From creative feature wall ideas to practical storage solutions, our ideas will help you create a beautiful nursery for your baby, whatever your budget.

1. Create calm with pale greys and creamy whites

'A nursery’s colour palette is arguably more important for the parents than for the baby itself, as they will spend a lot of time in there', says Jumaimah Hussain, Showroom Store Manager at Kiddies Kingdom. 'So choosing colours that are calming and that the parent enjoys is important.'

Greys and whites in soft, warm shades will create an atmosphere that is soothing to both you and your baby, so stick to these tones on the larger aspects of the room like the walls and ceiling.

2. Choose white furniture for a crisp aesthetic

'White furniture provides a clean, bright scandi-style space', says Emma Anthony, Design Manager at Dunelm.

A white cot looks gorgeous set against grey walls, as does a chest of drawers with a matching finish. Choose your furniture in similar shades of white so that they tie in together and blend seamlessly to create a clean, crisp palette. Opting for matching furniture in a neutral shade will also allow you to be playful with your wall designs, this is a nursery after all. 

3. Use grey as a neutral base for decorative touches

The best grey paint for walls is ideal for the nursery because it will create the perfect neutral base to layer in different elements of colour, texture and decor, while avoiding an overly basic palette.

Soft grey pairs well with a range of other colours, but you could also mix up the tones of grey between walls as well, alternating between light and darker shades. This will contrast nicely with white furniture and create a clean, modern finish.

4. Create a mural feature wall

Enjoy the creative freedom that comes with a nursery by painting a mural feature wall. 'You don't need to be an artist to be able to create great mural feature walls for your kids', says Justyna Korczynska, senior designer at Crown. 'You can simply work out a design on paper then scale up for the walls, using good masking tape to create crisp lines.'

Grey and white are ideal colours for creating some simple designs too. You could paint some large grey triangles and top with snowy tips to create mountain scenery, or draw an easy cloudscape design. 'Do this by using a darker grey at the top and freehand painted cloud-shaped section for the bottom half of the wall', says Justyna.

5. Bring in a third accent colour

The neutrality of grey and white means the duo can be matched with an endless amount of other colours, which in a nursery can bring fun and cosy elements.

'With a grey and white nursery, colours such as sunny yellows, pretty pastels and traditional baby blues and pinks pair well,' says a design expert from Desenio. You can stick to the primary colour typically associated with your baby's gender, or keep things more neutral if you prefer with muted yellows and soft greens.

6. Cosy up the cot with a canopy

The cot is an important aspect of the nursery, so making this area as cosy as possible is a good idea, especially in a neutral colour palette like grey and white. Draping a canopy from the ceiling around the head of the crib will create a cosy sleeping zone and become a natural focal point in the room. 

A canopy which blends seamlessly with your grey and white tones would still add texture to the room. Opt for a canopy in simple white or grey and it can easily be worked into your child's bedroom ideas as they grow. 

7. Add a soft grey or white armchair

An armchair is a wonderful addition to the nursery, serving up both functional and stylish opportunities. As well as giving you a place to sit while you feed baby or read them a bedtime story, an armchair will make the nursery feel cosier and more inviting. 

There are plenty of grey and white options to choose from in the best armchairs, and either shade looks particularly cosy in a soft boucle material.

8. Create a monochrome gallery wall

Wall art can add a homey touch to the nursery through sweet and friendly designs. Playful designs mean you can stick to a monochrome palette without the display becoming too plain. 

'To add a little wow-factor to the nursery, a wall art gallery is an eye-catching yet personal attribute', says one of Desenio's design experts. 'Each print can be specifically chosen to your taste, the selection can either match or contrast and you can have full control over how you want the wall to look.'

9. Incorporate storage that blends into the wall

When it comes to nursery design, stylish storage is key. You want to incorporate storage that will help keep the clutter at bay, but also give you the space to display some of baby's cuter items, like booties and cuddly toys.

A modular shelving system is great because you can include a mixture of open and hidden storage within one unit, keeping everything together in one area. However, it is a good idea to keep the unit to your white and grey palette. 'With a modular shelving system, you have the flexibility to curate a configuration that grows with your child, and their equally expanding toy collection', says CMO at String Furniture, Bo Hellberg.

10. Bring in all the fluff

Fluffy textures will add the finishing touches to a grey and white nursery, creating a cosy, inviting vibe within the neutral colour palette. 

A fluffy rug next to the cot will warm your feet up when you put baby down for a nap, and a soft blanket on the armchair will add cosy texture to the room. Opt for these in white if your walls are grey, and vice versa to create a subtle colour contrast.

Is grey a good colour for a nursery?

Grey is a popular colour choice for a nursery, and though it may seem less fun than traditional nursery colours like blue, pink and yellow, it can do a wonderful job of creating a space that is both peaceful and playful. 

Soft greys with warm undertones can help to create a soothing atmosphere, but are also a good neutral base to layer in other elements, like patterns and pops of colour.

'Grey may arguably be on the safer end of the colour spectrum, but that doesn’t mean a grey nursery will be boring', says Jumaimah from Kiddies Kingdom. 'If you choose to go for this neutral palette, you can go all out on patterns and textures to keep the room looking fun and stylish.'

What colour goes with grey for a nursery?

The best thing about grey is that it pairs wonderfully with a wide range of other colours, from lighter shades like white, yellow and pink, to brighter pops of orange and red, through to the deeper tones of dark green, navy and purple. 

For your baby's nursery, you may prefer to keep things light, so pairing pale greys with warm toned colours like pink or muted yellow would work well. White and grey make a terrific pairing because their neutrality create calm, peaceful vibes, perfect for the nursery.

'Grey and white nurseries are popular from an aesthetic standpoint, as the neutral colour scheme won't date quickly and is easy to accessorise', says Jumaimah from Kiddies Kingdom. 'It also makes it easy to add pops of colour like green or pink to the room as your little one gets older.'