A gender-neutral nursery theme works well if you don't find out the gender of your baby before the birth. Avoiding a gender bias in the decoration also allows you to use the same nursery for all of your children without needing to redecorate each time. Neutral colors and designs make it easier to change the theme of your child's room as he gets older.
Colors
Themed bedding is common for nurseries, but you don't need to lock yourself into a theme revolving around cartoon characters, animals or ladybugs. Designing the room around one or two gender-neutral colors allows you to create a simplified baby nursery with room to adapt the decor. Various shades of green, yellow and purple work well for a unisex nursery. Neutral colors, such as white, beige and brown, work well as base colors for the room.
Patterns
Patterns offer a similar general design for a unisex nursery. Geometric shapes, including squares or circles, create a whimsical feel in the nursery and work equally well for girls or boys. Look for bedding in gender-neutral colors that feature geometric shapes. Squares or circles painted onto the wall complement a plain bedding set if you cannot find a geometric pattern. Look for removable vinyl wall stickers in geometric shapes if you don't want to paint shapes directly onto the wall.
Nursery Rhymes
Nursery rhymes appeal to both boys and girls, making this theme a fitting choice for a gender-neutral nursery. Think back to your childhood to identify your favorite nursery rhymes as inspiration for the room's design. A mural painted with nursery rhyme scenes or stenciled lines from nursery rhymes add a customized look to the nursery. Framed pages from a nursery rhyme book create simple artwork for the walls.
Family Heritage
Using your family heritage and history as inspiration for the nursery makes the room a personal space for your baby. One option is to decorate your baby's room based on your cultural heritage. This exposes your child to the culture at an early age. Consider including flags of the countries that represent your baby's heritage and illustrations of folk characters from the countries as well.
Another option is to base the room on your childhood, incorporating your favorite toys and memories in the decor. Combining your childhood mementos with your spouse's items symbolizes your child's combined heritage. Photos of extended family members adds to the cozy, personalized feeling of the room.
