7 Nursery Layout Tips

As with any room in your house, your nursery should not only be fun / cute but it should also be practical.  There are several things to think about when it comes to layout but our advice is to put functional needs ahead of style in the early years.  

They key to designing a nursery so that it works for you is to think about how and when you will be using the room.  Although at first the room will be used predominantly for feeding and changing nappies, it makes sense to lay it out to suit your needs as your baby grows.  

We find that using squared paper to draw out your room to scale and then using cut outs to represent furniture is an exercise that is well worth doing before you start assembling furniture.  This enables you to try out various configurations without the hassle of moving furniture around. 

Another tip favoured by DIY enthusiasts, is to lay old newspaper across the entire nursery floor and then use marker pens to draw out where everything will go.

Our 7 tips for getting the layout right are as follows:

1.  Create a Sleeping Zone

The positioning of your cot or cot bed is one of the most important things to consider.  

Ensure that it is not next to a radiator or a window in order to avoid any draughts or excessive heat and if possible position it where you can see it from the doorway - this will not only make it the key focus in the room but will ensure that you are able to easily check on your baby without disturbing them.

It is sensible to keep all other furniture out of reach of the cot, as toddlers love to climb and will use anything that they can get their hands on to pull themselves up and out! 

The ideal space for your nursing chair is next to the cot so that you can easily move your baby into their bed after a feed. 

2.  Create a Changing zone 

Changing Units (changers) should ideally be positioned near wardrobes / dressers.  However careful you are, explosive nappies often result in a full change of clothes and it makes sense to have everything that you need on hand so that you are not tempted to leave your baby alone on the changer.

Whether you have opted for a nappy disposal system or just an ordinary bin, it goes without saying that the ideal place to position it is next to the changing unit.

3.  Consider allocating a small area for play

However old your child is, it is likely that they will have a collection of toys and stuffed animals from very early on.  If space permits, creating a play zone makes sense.  This should be positioned away from the cot so that your child isn’t able to try and reach for toys from their bed.  

 Shop Toys

4.  Include a Reading Corner

One recent trend in nursery design has been the inclusion of a reading corner.  The Internet is awash with clever ideas for developing an early interest in books and this is one of them.  Our Nursery tips board on Pinterest has some inspiring examples of reading corners and is well worth a look! 

https://uk.pinterest.com/kubnursery/nursery-tips/

5.  Remember Lighting

Often forgotten and Oh so important, lighting is very important when it comes to a nursery.  If you haven’t got dimmer switches on your main lights, then give some thought to ensuring that you can access low wattage lamps or nightlights around your changing zone and nursing chair.  The last thing that you want to do is wake a sleepy baby when you change their nappy!

6.  Think Storage!

Quite simply put, a nursery cannot have too much storage so we suggest that you avoid compromising where possible.  From toys to giant packs of nappies and the countless gifts that you may receive from family and friends, it is likely that you will at some point fall short in the storage department.  Consider planning in where you might be able safely position some hooks, baskets and also give some thought to how and where you will store items that need to be kept secure such as medication etc.

Shop Storage

7.  Plan Ahead

Sadly, your baby won’t be in their cot forever, so if you want to avoid having to replace all of your nursery furniture in 5 or so years, consider the space that will ultimately be required for a single bed and build that into your plan.