Interiors: How to decorate a nursery fit for a little prince or princess

Baby wing chair and Baby Sheraton sofa, available in leather in various neutral shades including white, from White Rabbit England (Image: Archant)

Of course, all parents, whatever their budget, lavish care on nurseries and children’s rooms. Here’s how to give your own little one’s space the regal touch...

Petite Palace

“It’s a room on which parents lavish a lot of thought and care, and second time around, if they want a decor change - perhaps because of a different sex sibling - are often more confident about opting for a specific style and bolder in their colour choices,” says Lucinda Croft, owner of Dragons of Walton Street, who created nurseries for Princes William and Harry and their cousins, Beatrice and Eugenie.

“A space which is functional but stylish is always the most successful, and after a first baby, people are aware of the must-haves and the pieces which took up space needlessly.

Undated Handout Photo of Notting Hill three-piece nursery set, Silver Cross. See PA Feature INTERIORS Nursery. Picture credit should read: PA Photo/Handout. WARNING: This picture must only be used to accompany PA Feature INTERIORS Nursery. WARNING: This picture must only be used with the full product information as stated above. (Image: Archant)

“Warm cream, antique white and dove grey are still classic choices for walls, but there’s a growing enthusiasm for brighter colour. We’re seeing deeper blues, bright pinks, sharp, citrus yellows and vivid greens coming through this year. Wall murals, which are enjoying a huge revival, are becoming more dramatic in vivid, rich colours too.

Decor tip: Two By Two, a parade of Noah’s ark animals, is one of the delightful designs in Little Sanderson’s Abracazoo fabric and wallpaper collection, fabric £69 a metre, wallpaper £40 a roll.

It’s reportedly being considered by the Duchess of Cambridge, who chose furniture and furnishings decorated with Beatrix Potter illustrations for George’s nursery.

Toddler’s Kingdom

When a little one moves out of the nursery to make way for a new baby, he needs to be given his own little kingdom, reflecting his personality.

“Be inspired by your toddler’s favourite books or TV programmes to help you decide on a scheme, which will also help your child feel involved in the choice,” says Toks Aruoture, designer and founder of online nursery specialists, The Baby Cot Shop.

“A simple rule to follow is ‘less is more’. Children love colour, but an excessive amount of bright colours can over-stimulate, so reserve those for a playroom. Grey is ultra-fashionable and can be paired with reds, yellows or oranges for an adventurous scheme, or consider on-trend geometric prints, which would work well picked out on rugs, bed fabrics and pictures.”

Decor tip: Make an engaging focal point in a room by repainting a key piece of furniture, such as a chest, and stencilling it with a pattern featuring nature, animals or flowers. There’s a wealth of designs to choose from at The Stencil Library (stencil-library.com).

Royal Revamp

After your toddler’s grown out of the nursery, you may find it needs a right royal makeover to get it ready for a newcomer.

“Simply turning one wall into a feature, by painting it in a deeper, more striking version of a shade which complements your existing furnishings, may be all that’s needed,” says Marianne Shillingford, creative director of Dulux.

“Alternatively, give a neutral scheme new life by painting the bottom half of the walls in another shade. Beauty Cream and Honest Touch [available from the Dulux MixLab Him + Her range, £24.99 for 2.5l] are super emulsion shades which are warm and gentle, and tone with most versions of white.”

Decor tip: Accents of colour in accessories and pictures put zing into a room. Frame an older child’s paintings, so they feel they’ve helped decorate a room, and bring in further colour with a decorative blind.