Unisex nursery ideas for parents who love surprises

“We’ve decided to keep our baby’s gender a surprise, but we’re worried a neutral decorating scheme will look a bit bland. How can we add personality to the scheme?”

According to AkzoNobel research, around two thirds of expectant parents say their baby’s gender isn’t a priority when it comes to decorating the nursery.

Whether you’re waiting until the birth to discover the sex of your baby, or you’re simply not excited by traditional blue and pink colour schemes, gender-neutral nurseries are an increasingly popular decorating option. It certainly makes things easier when baby number two makes an appearance!

But a gender-neutral baby room can appear a little cold and bland, so we’ve come up with four colourful ideas to pack your scheme with personality.

1. Choose natural beige, soft turquoise and ochre yellow

When choosing your gender-neutral colour scheme, think simplicity: the idea is to create a beautiful, neutral canvas that can be dressed up with soft furnishings and other accessories once your baby is born.

That’s exactly what this colour palette of natural beige, soft turquoise and soft yellow delivers.

Calming, peaceful and cosy, these hues can be used together in equal measure by creating a striking stripe effect on one wall of the room. Alternatively, choose one hue for the majority of the walls and offset it with a trim and an accent wall painted in the other shades.

Which paints?
Crispy Crumble
Mint Macaroon
Butter Biscuit

2. Blend shades of green

Green is famed for its harmonious qualities, making it the perfect gender-neutral shade for your little one’s nursery.

As with nature, most shades of green work exceptionally well together, and it’s generally considered one of the most restful of all colours.

In the nursery, start with a darker shade – such as fern, forest or teal ¬– on the wall, and use a lighter hue, such as a pale sea green, on the trim as well as the ceiling.

Create interest and depth by adding patterns and textures in different shades of richer green, such as emerald.

Which paints?
Putting Green
Peppermint Beach 4
Grecian Spa 1

3. Make a subtle statement

Feature walls don’t have to be bright. An accent wall in a subdued colour suits both boys and girls and makes a great alternative to an all-white scheme if you’re naturally drawn to neutrals.

Think gorgeous powdery-pastel hues like lilac, apricot and pistachio green or taupe.

Pair with a white cot, accessories in a similar colour and soft muslin curtains for an understated nursery both you and your baby be happy to spend time in.

Which paints?
Potters Clay 3

4. Add interest with a themed nursery

If you’re after something a little more exciting, why not bring a touch of the outdoors inside with a nature or woodland-inspired nursery?

A muted green, blue and grey palette will keep the look crisp and fresh, while subtle flashes of warm yellows and oaky browns will add a cosy note to the scheme.

For a personalised touch, get crafty with stencils and create some original artwork for your baby to gaze upon. Keep it simple with one or two colours to begin with, or get creative by colouring in your stencilled leaves or fruit in different hues.

Which paints?
Willow Tree
Mineral Mist
Polished Pebble

Top tip

Add interest to a pared-back colour scheme with some vintage-style wall art. Find posters your favourite cartoon or children’s book characters from when you were a kid and display them in simple natural wood frames. After all, you’ll also be spending a lot of time in the nursery.