Putting together a beautiful nursery takes a lot of work. From deciding on a theme to finding decor and nursery furniture that fits with that theme, you want your baby’s room to be perfect.  Today I am going to share some great nursery shelf decor ideas that will be both functional and beautiful! 

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Nursery Shelf Decor Ideas You’ll Love 

Babies may be small but they come with a lot of gear.  You’ll need to make sure you have a well organized nursery to keep up with your little one’s ever-growing collection of small items. 

Nursery shelves are the perfect solution to help keep your nursery functional, but also are a unique way to display nursery decor and can enhance the visual interest of your baby’s room. I’ll go over my favorite nursery shelving ideas and how to display those beloved items for a personal touch.

If you are in the process of designing your baby’s nursery you may feel a bit overwhelmed with all of the options out there.  To get a good idea of where to begin, check out my blog post on nursery decor ideas. 

Once you’ve decided on the theme of your child’s room, you can get into decorating.  Decorating isn’t just about adding different colors to the room.  Your decor should be intentional and purposeful.  

Tips for Styling Nursery Shelves 

A great way to add to your nursery design and keep your space organized is by investing in different types of shelves.  Whether you have a full nursery bookshelf, floating wall shelves, or small shelves, there are many creative ways to display those cute details you’ve acquired and further enhance your nursery’s’ color scheme.  

Before we get into ideas on nursery shelf decor, we need to know some basic information on how to style your shelves.  

These built-ins are the perfect place to showcase all of your decor.

Start With An Empty Space

Before you begin, you need to start with an empty space.  Clear out anything on your shelf.  This will give you a good idea of how much space you are working with and will give you a  sense of the space.

Take Inventory 

Next, you’ll want to take inventory of what you have already acquired.  Perhaps you have some family heirlooms that are important to you to have on display in your little one’s room.  

Your nursery is the perfect backdrop to display family heirlooms and meaningful items you want passed down to your child.  Put what you have acquired aside and we’ll come back to it. 

Check out this boho nursery.

Have Fun with Color

Since your shelves are empty, now is a great time to do some maintenance.  You may need to dust or add touch up paint to any shelves that have been in use.  You may even decide to enhance your nursery’s color scheme. You can paint your shelves a color within the color palette of your space.  

For a whimsical touch, consider a bold wallpaper pattern for added depth, texture, and fun.  I love the look of a fun wallpaper design added to the back of shelves or even lining shelves.  This is an easy way to create visual appeal and if large enough can serve as a feature wall within your nursery.  

This is such a fun and bright nursery! 

Accumulate Items Slowly

You don’t need to go overboard on buying decor ideas for your space. While I love places like HomeGoods and Hobby Lobby for knick knacks, you don’t need to buy your shelving decor in one shopping trip.

 Instead, try to take your time finding pieces that speak to you.  It may be an item that has meaning or reminds you of something meaningful.  I love checking out antique malls for unique one of a kind finds.  

Sometimes I find pieces that I love, but the finish or final color leaves me less than excited.  You can always change the finishing or paint to make the decor your own. 

A simple and neutral nursery for a little boy.

If you are fortunate enough to have built-in storage shelves, you’ll have a lot of space to fill in.  This doesn’t mean you need to fill in all of the space. 

 This will be a process and it is okay to not have it fully finished by the time your baby girl or boy arrives.  You can have fun adding pieces together as you experience different adventures.

Use Books

No matter what type of shelving unit you have, books are a great way to add height and depth.  A fun way to incorporate your childhood is by adding some of your favorite books from when you were a kid. 

If you are lucky, you may even still have some of those titles. Check out antique malls and used book shops for some of your favorite children’s books. I love the look of vintage items and books are a great conversation piece to\ add to the decor. 

When adding your child’s favorite books to your shelves, make sure you play with the height and arrangements.  Feel free to stack multiple baby books to create different heights.  You can also place them vertically and add decorative bookends.  

Such a sweet and simple gender neutral nursery.

For my baby showers, guests brought Sam and I their favorite book with a sweet message inside in lieu of cards.  I love this idea and love that we still have books from our family and friends that we get to share with our children.  I plan on keeping these for each of my kids so that they have these books when they have children of their own. 

Add Personalized Items

I love featuring your child’s name somewhere within your nursery.  If you remember Goldie’s sweet and subtle rainbow nursery post, I added an homage to Goldie’s name with a sign that read “A Drop of Golden Sun.”  

Add those personalized items to your shelves.  You can get some cute personalized puzzles, embroidered hoop art, piggy banks, and art on Amazon and Etsy. A great idea is to use wooden initials as bookends.  I also love those rainbow baby’s nurseries which feature wooden rainbows.  With these personal and meaningful items, you can share your child’s story with them as they grow. 

This little boy’s nursery is filled with family heirlooms. 

Add In Greenery

I am a big fan of using greenery in every space of your house.  Not only does greenery improve mental health, but it also improves the air quality of your home.  Greenery is a great way to break up neutral colors and add texture to your space.  

If you opt for live plants, you get the benefits of air purification and noise reduction. While I love greenery, I definitely don’t have a green thumb, so I stick to faux plants.  

Use Stuffed Animals Sparingly

I don’t know about you, but my kids have approximately three billion stuffed animals.  While I tend to shove plush toys into baskets and storage cubes, I do think that displaying a few favorites (one to two) is a great way to add warmth to the space.  

While they are young, they will love looking over at them during diaper changes or before falling asleep.  As they get older, they can take them off the shelf and snuggle.  

Super sweet nursery reveal.

Keep It Organized

If you have a full set of nursery bookshelves or built-ins, a good use of the space is to incorporate baskets towards the bottom of the shelves.  By keeping these baskets on the bottom shelf, they are easily accessible and can help organize all those small items like toys, socks, diapers, books, stuffed animals, etc.  

Keeping your nursery room organized is essential for a functional space for you and your baby. If you tend to throw items into closets as a way to ‘cleaning, make sure to keep an organized closet following some of my favorite nursery organization tips.

This is such a fun mid century modern nursery reveal.

Keep Weight and Decor In Mind

If you have any decor made out of glass, ceramic, or anything breakable, you’ll want to have it reserved for the top shelf.  This is still your child’s room and tempting a toddler to not break a glass vase is just not fair to your toddler.  

Breakable items are like catnip to them and the first time they throw a ceramic llama at your head, you’ll be ready to rearrange.  

Keep in mind that items that appear heavier or bulkier should stay close to the bottom of the shelf.  This is not only from a practicality standpoint, but it is also more aesthetically pleasing.  

Symmetry 

Another great idea is to remember to keep your shelves balanced and symmetrical.  If you have multiple shelves, you should make sure that you are balancing both the weight and height of your shelves.  

That doesn’t mean you have to have a perfectly symmetrical shelf.  Rather, start with your larger objects.  If you place an object on one side of a shelf, place the next larger object on the opposite side of the next shelf. Similarly, keep this in mind while you are placing items both horizontally and vertically. 

This is a fun way to use a geometric shape as a shelf.

Layer Framed Art

Use framed art to help enhance your nursery’s theme.  I love tying in the personalized aspect with your art to display something meaningful about your child.  While you can frame their birth statistics or name, I love the idea of something less obvious.  

You could frame their birth flower, constellations on the night of their birth, the sound waves from the first time you heard their heartbeat, or a custom watercolor of their ultrasound. You don’t need to go overboard on family pictures. Stick to more classic decor and reserve the family photos for your scrapbook. 

You can layer your picture frames on the shelf to create dimension.  Start with larger frames towards the back of the shelf and display smaller frames towards the front.  The artwork should be complementary and not compete with the rest of your decor.

This serene nursery is filled with personal touches.

My Favorite Nursery Shelf Decor Ideas

Now that you have an idea on how to style the shelves in your nursery, let’s take a look at some of my favorite nursery shelf ideas.  You may decide you want only a bookshelf or you may have a whole wall dedicated to shelf space.  

Regardless of the size of your shelf space, you need to first decide what you want to display on your shelves.  Once you determine whether you want a traditional bookshelf versus a shelf to display vintage treasures, you can then begin to map out how you intend to style it.

To help you with some inspiration, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite nursery shelf decor ideas. 

DIY Shelves

You know I love nothing more than a good DIY.  The best part is I’ve already done this DIY and I can attest that this DIY arched built in would be perfect for a nursery.  You would not only get amazing storage space, but also a great display of nursery shelf decor. 

Similarly, I’ve already made DIY floating shelves and they would be the perfect addition to a nursery!

Along with DIY, you know I also love a good IKEA hack! An IKEA DIY dollhouse hack is a great idea! You can use the dollhouse to display books, stuffed animals, and other favorite items that you’d like your baby to be able to reach, and then transition to a traditional dollhouse once they get older.

A dollhouse used as shelving is a great way for form to meet function.

For small spaces, adding shelves may be necessary to keep your space organized.  I love the idea of creating a DIY ladder shelf to your space to help display sentimental items and house baskets for organization.  I created this DIY ladder in Walker’s nursery and loved how functional it was for his space.

Below is another great example of a ladder shelf that can be utilized in small spaces. You’ll notice that baskets are along the bottom two shelves, with lighter and more breakable items along the top shelves out of the way from little hands. 

Ladder shelf in small space

Book Shelves

If you opt to have a reading nook in your kid’s room, you are going to need space to display all the books they’ll collect.  I love using clear ledges to display books in our kids’ rooms. The clear ledge gives the appearance of floating shelves and allow the books with beautiful covers to shine as the work of art.

If you’d like to have something a bit brighter and that adds a lot of color, try a rainbow bookshelf.  I love how the bright colors pop off the white walls. This is a great use of color in an otherwise neutral corner.

Simple rainbow shelves make a big impact

Boho Shelves

Boho is having a moment and I am here for it. I love the neutral undertones and earthy elements that create this look.

This dollhouse shaped shelf has tons of personalized items to complete the look.  From a personalized name sign, a wooden letter “M”, a birth flower embroidered hoop, and dried flowers; this is a shelf that tells a story. 

 I also love how there is a hint of color incorporated with the wallpaper that lines one of the shelves. 

Personalized shaped shelves never looked so good!

This same room has staggered wall shelves above the changing table.  This mama repurposed some of the decor from her dollhouse shelf and moved items above the changing table. This is a great example of repurposing items.  You are never truly finished designing a room and this is a prime example of how spaces can evolve and change. 

White Shelves

White shelves are classic for a reason. They go with almost any decor and it is a traditional look that can be used to display more whimsical or sentimental items. I love the look of this next shelfie.  The shelf is well balanced with large and small items. The wrapped pink books are a great example of adding symmetry to your shelves. 

You’ll also notice that the framed mirror is balanced by the larger plant with smaller items sprinkled throughout the shelf.  What makes this shelf even more amazing is the toddler sized full length gold mirror.

Simple white shelves work in nearly every nursery

Multipurpose Shelves

Talk about function! This pegboard shelf idea is genius for moms with multiples.  Sometimes you need something that is both functional and stylish. I love that you can quickly grab items you need like burp cloths, bows, a ring sling, teethers, or diaper bag.  At the same there are elements of personalized decor from the rainbow stackers to the greenery. 

A pegboard wall is a great piece of ‘grow with me’ decor

Sometimes it just makes sense to display items you use on a daily basis.  You may have clothes that you wore as a baby that you want to frame to display on a shelf or hang to display below a shelf.  In this instance, this shelf is complete with a row of bows that are easily accessible and can be grabbed on the way out the door.  

Don’t forget to use beautiful outfits and accessories as decor when you can

Shaped Shelves

Geometric patterns and different shaped shelves are a great alternative to traditional flat shelves.  Not only is it a great focal point, but it also adds depth to a room by varying shapes.

Geometric shaped shelves are also great for babies to look at while changing

I will always love dollhouse shaped shelves and you can’t change my mind!  This dollhouse shelf is larger and has plenty of space for organized baskets, books, and some personal touches.

Dollhouse shelves are great for pretend play and toy storage.

This little boy’s nursery shelf is complete with personalized items and decor that perfectly complements his nursery.  I love that cacti were included and as a bonus they take very little watering to keep alive. 

Shop My Favorite Items To Decorate Your Nursery Shelf

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1. Pegboard shelf
2. Brown shelves with leather accents
3. Clear book ledges – I have used these in nearly every space that my kids use in our houses.
4. Wooden rattle – put this on a shelf above your changing table, and if you need to grab it to entertain the baby while changing them, it’s right there!
5. Stacking rainbow toy – decoration and a toy!
6. Star felt garland
7. Ballerina doll
8. Jellycat dragon
9. Faux succuclents
10. Mini potted plants – set of 3 so you can spread them out in the room too
11. Eucalyptus garland – I love the depth that this would add to shelving
12. Dried pampas – such great texture
13. Woven baskets
14. Navy basket
15. Rope basket
16. Wooden initial piggy bank
17. Personalized constellation map – you could choose your little one’s birth or the date you found out you were expecting
18. Round birth announcement
19. Floral personalized birth stats

Shelves can be a place to not only display personal and meaningful items, but also can be key for your room organization.  Pick out some of your favorite items that you find meaningful to display in your little one’s nursery.  

Remember you don’t need to have a completed shelf by the time your baby arrives.  Take your time to acquire items that tell a story. As your baby grows, you’ll change out those items over time with other pieces that tell a new story.

Other Posts You’ll Love

Nursery Decor Ideas  | Goldie’s Rainbow Nursery  | Nursery Closet Organization | Best IKEA Nursery Hacks

Pin This Photo Below For Later

Hopefully this post gave you some great nursery shelf decor ideas. Be sure to pin the photo below for later, and if you don’t already – follow me on Instagram (@arinsolange) and Tik Tok (@arinsolange) for more decor tips!

It is hard to believe that it has been two years since I last gave you guys a nursery decor post. Don’t even think about asking. No, this is not a major baby announcement! With Goldie turning 3 years old soon and being my last baby I had to sneak in one last post on nursery decor ideas girl mamas will love before she heads into a big girl room.

Baby Girl Nursery Decor Ideas Girl Mamas Will Love 

I’ve been reminiscing about past baby girl nursery ideas.  Soon, Goldie will want to have her own big girl’s room. We’ll say so long to our baby girl’s room and hello to her little girl’s room.  In honor of me being an emotional mess with her impending birthday, here is a post dedicated to those of you who are needing inspiration for baby girl nursery themes!

Nursery Design 101: The Basics 

When I originally wrote my Amazon Girl’s Nursery Decor post, I had just completed Goldie’s nursery.  At almost 3 years old, Goldie is going to be ready to move out of her baby room and into a big girl’s room.  

One of my most favorite rooms to decorate in a house is a baby girl’s nursery. If you are on the hunt for inspiration for a beautiful nursery, I’ve gathered my favorite decorative items,  nursery furniture, and wall decor that will match any design style for an adorable room for your little one. 

Find Your Focus: Ideas & Decor For Your Girl’s Nursery

Let’s talk about how to design your baby’s room before we get into the details.  I’ve always been in favor of functional yet stylish pieces.  Every piece should have a purpose for the room and make your life easier, not harder. 

 It should be useful and pretty.  To begin your process of designing your baby girl’s room, try finding a piece that piques your interest.  It may be wall art, wall paper, an heirloom or even bedding. 

 Whatever you pick, you’ll want to make sure this is your focal point for your entire nursery design process and baby’s room.  This is the item that you’ll build the rest of the room around for a themed nursery.  

Pick A Color Scheme To Complement Nursery Ideas She’ll Love

Once you’ve found that item that piques your interest, you can decide the type of theme you want.  There are tons of baby girl nurseries when you look on Pinterest.  The inspiration is there, you just have to decide what you want. 

 Before I go over my favorite girl nursery ideas, keep in mind there are many different styles that can complement any nursery room.  Do you naturally lean towards a more modern design or do you prefer traditional designs?  

You’ll want to pick your color scheme to complement the design and style of the room and the item of interest.  From white walls to floral wallpaper, you can create a huge impact in a small space.

While you should pick a theme for your room, you don’t need to go overly themed.  Gone are the days of buying matching wallpaper, art decor, bedding, lamps, and curtains.  To avoid that early 90s nightmare, you’ll want to stick to your theme loosely.  Pick items that complement each other, but don’t necessarily match exactly.  You can mix and match decor that can easily grow with your child. 

Stick To Baby Girl Room Ideas Within Budget

This brings me to my next point- your budget.  While you plan your daughter’s nursery, you’ll want to consider your budget.  Many of us wish we could go into Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware and buy the entire line, that just simply is not practical for most people.  

If you can afford to do that, then more power to you! Those of us who need to be intentional with our budgets should prioritize what is important for you and your nursery.  

If you happen to know you and your partner are planning on having more children, you may opt to go with a more gender-neutral nursery that could be used with your next child.  Earth tone accents could work in a girly boho nursery or a boy’s dinosaur nursery.

Be Intentional With Your Purchases

Keep in mind what you want to grow with your child.  Is it more important for you to get a standard crib that your child will outgrow, or do you want to invest in a crib that can be turned into a full bed.  Most convertible cribs don’t convert into queen sized beds.  I have many friends who opt to skip the toddler bed all together and go straight for a queen size bed.  In this instance, buying a convertible crib really doesn’t do you any favors.  

Ultimately, I prefer to invest in pieces that my child can grow into and won’t be replaced in the next 3 years.  You can invest in nice lamps, curtains, and basic furnishings, and then update your wall decor, bedding, and rugs. 

 I also like looking for dual purpose items.  For example, a doll house can double both as a bookshelf while your child is younger and then as a dollhouse once they grow older. 

You can find my post on DIY nursery decor. This ice cream mobile I made for Ave’s nursery, which seems like a lifetime ago.

Look To IKEA Furniture For Affordable Pieces

One of my favorite ways to help save costs is to turn to IKEA furniture and tackle some IKEA nursery hacks.  IKEA furniture is durable, can be easily personalized, and is affordable. 

You’ll find tons of ways to create your dream nursery without breaking the bank. I don’t know about you, but my kids can be hard on their furniture.  My boys enjoy jumping and crashing into their furniture in their room, while my girls tend to think furniture is an art canvas.  

Should you decide you want to update the space with something different or if you want to avoid buying expensive pieces that your kids will ultimately use as a canvas or for target practice, then IKEA is a great idea. 

Consider The Main Functions Of Your Nursery Before Decorating

When you are picking out furniture and decor for your nursery, you need to keep one fundamental principle in mind: consider the function of your baby’s room.  The overall goal of your nursery should be to promote sleep, growth, and a safe place for exploration.  Keep that in mind when you go to pick out pieces for the room.  

Promote Safe Sleep

To help promote sleep, you’ll want to create an environment that is calm.  This ties right back into your color scheme and theme.  In general, you tend to see a baby nursery with soothing tones or even an all white nursery. 

 Pastel colors tend to be more soothing, you can still use bright colors in accent pieces or decor, and still create a serene environment.  A feature wall is a great example of where you would see this in action.  This is a great way to create texture and interest, while still maintaining a calming atmosphere. 

 By only having that one accent wall you not only create a focal point, but you also have taken care of a large part of the decor. 

Set Your Baby Up For Successful Sleep

Another way to create an environment for sleep is to make sure you have curtains around your windows.  Curtains are a great way to frame your windows and also provide darkness for sleep.  I’m a big fan of black out shades and curtains during the early years.  My kids must have a pitch black room in order to sleep.  While white curtains are beautiful they can also allow a lot of light to filter in. 

 If you have an older child who isn’t sensitive to light or perhaps a unicorn baby who isn’t sensitive to light then sheer curtains can be dainty and darling in a little girl’s room.

Check out how you can make your own DIY rainbow.

Storage Is Paramount

You’ll want to make sure you take inventory of your storage space.  Do you have a walk-in closet with plenty of space in your nursery or is space lacking?  Make sure you look at my post on nursery closet organization tips. I have lots of tips on how to make the best use of your space for an organized and functional nursery. For small rooms, you may need to get more creative.  

Whether you have a small room or large room, you will need a place to change your baby.  My personal preference is to forgo a changing table and opt for a dresser that can be used as a changing table on top.  If you must use the dresser space for clothes, keep a few wicker baskets or this foldable cart on wheels nearby for essentials like diapers, wipes, and creams or create your own portable station. 

My go to dresser is the IKEA Bjorksnas dresser, but really you can’t go wrong with any of the IKEA products.  To get some great ideas on setting up your changing space, check out my post on the best IKEA dressers for your nursery.

Have A Feeding & Soothing Station For Baby

Along with a changing station, you’ll need to have a place for rocking and feeding your little one. Again, if space is an issue, creating a portable feeding and changing cart is a good choice to help maximize space.

 A cart filled with essentials can still be decorated with a nice lamp and other decor pieces.  The cart can be stationed next to a rocking chair and then can be placed in your closet to hold smaller toys or in a bathroom once they’ve outgrown the diaper stage.

  Rocking chairs not only provide a place to fall asleep during those long nights, but is another way to tie in your decor.  Throw pillows can bring a pop of color or provide texture to your room.

Promote Growth & Exploration

Your nursery should promote sleep, but it should also allow your child to grow and explore. As your child grows, you’ll want to set aside some space for them to explore and play safely.  I like to bring in different textures, patterns, and colors to help stimulate their brains. 

 To incorporate texture, a good idea is to bring in different sensory experiences.  A nice soft plush rug provides a great surface for sensory exploration and enhances your nursery’s decor.  Mirrors and lighting can also serve as sensory items as well. 

A crystal chandelier can have a huge impact on a room.  Not only is it unique, but it creates light and different shadows as the sun hits it.  If you don’t particularly love the idea of a crystal chandelier and still want to have a fun lighting effect, the good news is you can buy rainbow catchers for your windows and get the same effect. 

Have A Set Up That Makes Sense For Baby

Now that you’ve acquired all of your essential furniture pieces you’ll want to ensure that you set up the nursery in a manner that makes sense and is safe.  Putting the crib on the wall directly in front of the window may look nice in pictures, but do you really want sunlight pouring in when your baby is trying to sleep? 

 Don’t forget to check out the arrangement of your furniture and accessories. Your diaper pail should be within reach of your changing station.  Ultimately, you should have separate areas for sleep, changing, feeding or snuggling, and playing.  

Once you’ve set up your room, you can now fill in the gaps with textiles and accent decor pieces.  These accent pieces should complement the theme of your nursery.  Consider the decor you put up around the room.  You may opt to have a name sign, birth statistics, or paintings.  I think having something from your own childhood to incorporate into your own child’s nursery is such a sweet and unique sentiment. 

Shop These Favorite Baby Products To Decorate Your Nursery

Below are some of my favorite Nursery decor ideas girl mamas will love when putting together your own nursery.  These are great options that when put together would make a gorgeous nursery, or pick and choose and add your own elements to create your own perfect room! 

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Shop Nursery Ideas Here

1. Diaper basket – This diaper basket can go from room to room with you and has removable dividers to use it exactly as you want
2. Crib – this crib is delicate, light, and airy for a great night’s sleep
3. Touch lamp – perfect for late night feeding sessions and then a night light as they grow
4. Crib sheets – you can easily change these sheets in the dark with the zipper enclosure
5. Acrylic shelves – these are a staple in nearly every nursery I’ve designed
6. Beaded chandelier – another option for a sensory experience as the beads create shapes on the wall
7. Scalloped rug – jute for more sensory exploration
8. Velvet blackout curtains – create the perfect atmosphere to rest
9. Blanket – snuggle up with this cozy blanket
10. Storage Ottoman – You can never have too many so opt for items that pull double duty when you can
11. Changing basket – this would be beautiful atop a dresser
12. Rocker + footrest – you’ll practically fall asleep rocking your baby girl all night
13. Wall hooks – this is another fun way to add affordable wall decor – hang your baby’s cutest outfits
14. Mirror – play peek-a-boo with this adorable mirror
15. Shell pillow – this shell pillow has tons of personality and is great on your rocker
16. Neutral rug – a nice neutral rug to tie your whole room together is perfect for your daughter

7 Favorite Nursery Decor Ideas: Girl Addition 

Now that we’ve covered the basics around putting your nursery together, let’s take a look at some of my favorite baby girl room ideas.  

Neutral & Natural

This gorgeous neutral nursery gives off major natural inspiration vibes.  With lots of light, gold accents, and natural materials, it easily achieved a calming environment. The greenery throughout is subtle, but gives such a nice touch of color and highlights the natural elements.  

The natural wood crib complements the side table, footrest, curtains, and wallpaper.  Speaking of wallpaper, this is a great example of nursery wallpaper that isn’t too busy and adds the perfect amount of depth and texture. The designers kept the decor simple on the walls which does a good job of highlighting the wallpaper.  

Check out this neutral nursery.

A Gender Neutral Boho Room

This next nursery is technically a little boy’s nursery, I couldn’t help but feature it. Who says you have to have a typical girls nursery with pink walls, gold accents, and a white crib? It would work for both a girl or boy and would be a great place for your little one to grow into as they get older. The rattan lamp, mirror, rug, crib, and footrest all tie in perfectly with this coastal boho themed nursery.  I also am obsessed with this area rug for sensory exploration and safe play.  

Read more about this organic coastal nursery.

Mature & Modern

If you are looking for a great example of a modern nursery that a little girl can easily grow into then look no further.  The best thing in this room is the custom built-in bookcase and window seat. What a smart and functional way of keeping this small area organized and cluttered free.  Rather than having a very girly pink color, there are shades of pink ranging from blush to rust.

A perfectly simple modern nursery

Minimalist Tiny House

Contrary to popular belief, babies don’t need a whole lot of space as seen in this minimalist nursery which was once a closet.  If you are limited on square footage, this is a great example of just how much you can do in a small area.

  The white baby furniture brings in plenty of light which makes it feel roomier.  Greenery adds a natural element and ties in nicely with the french doors nearby to the outside.  There are plenty of baskets and a whimsical mural complete the design. 

The smartest solution to a nursery in a small space

Floral Motifs 

Floral themed nurseries are a trend I don’t see stopping anytime soon.  Between floral accent walls, floral wallpaper, and floral decor, there are plenty of ways to bring this theme to life. 

The floral accent wall can be tricky.  You’ll want an area that is large enough, as smaller spaces can feel even smaller by the large mural. The nursery below ties in the floral mural with touches of vintage decor ranging from the gold crystal chandelier to the brass mirror and silver vase.

A floral and feminine nursery

I can’t talk about floral themes and not mention my sweet Ave’s daisy room in our last house.  I absolutely adored this wallpaper!  I also created the daisy mural via yarn and pom pom balls. Check out my post for all the information on how to recreate this DIY.  Simply swap out the bed for a crib and you have the perfect little girl’s nursery. 

Earth Toned 

Pink and gray nurseries have had their moment.  Moving into popularity are earth toned nurseries. The rich colors, natural elements, and modern design are pure perfection.  You can create such a serene environment with inspiration from nature. 

Make sure to check out all the details in this earthy nursery. 

Ceiling Details

This retro modern nursery is full of personality and details.  From the wallpapered ceiling to the neon sign of her little girl’s name, Stella; Dani Austin hit it out of the park with this nursery. The wooden crib, light rug, curtains, and furniture are all more subtle which allows for the light fixtures and ceiling to take center stage.

A ceiling statement in the nursery

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I hope this post gave you some great baby girl nursery decor ideas so you can start on your own sweet nursery.  Decide what you like and enjoy the process of picking out items to make the space your own.  Remember, you don’t need to go overboard on the theme.  Mix and match materials, textiles, and decor to can create a room that will grow with your little girl. Be sure to pin the photo below for later, and if you don’t already – follow me on Instagram (@arinsolange) and Tik Tok (@arinsolange) for more fun!

How much does a clawfoot tub weigh?  This is either a question you NEED answered, or a question you have never thought about.  There is no in between.  We were in the latter group until 2 years ago when we fell in love with a 150 year old home that had a gorgeous original clawfoot tub.  The weight of that tub was a factor in our renovations…and we have since learned a lot, so I wanted to pass along that knowledge! 

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It Weighs How Much?  How Much does a Clawfoot Tub Weigh?

 When we first bought our 1860’s historic home in Kirkwood, I couldn’t help but see all the potential.  Of course there were walls falling down, stained carpets, and hideous wallpaper, but there was also a ton of character- cozy nooks, beautiful archways, and a clawfoot tub!  

As soon as I saw that claw-foot tub in the upstairs bathroom, I couldn’t help but think of all the long soaks I could take after a crazy day of wrangling my four kids. If you’ve ever dreamed of taking a hot bath in a classic clawfoot tub and wondered how to make your dream into a reality, I’ll walk you through some considerations for clawfoot bathtubs to keep in mind.

Ultimately, we hit the jackpot when it came to our antique clawfoot tub.  Our vintage tub was original to our 1860’s home and was in really good condition.  We painted the claw feet black, refinished the traditional cast iron surface, and updated the faucet hardware to help it reach its full potential.    

Here is a photo of our primary bath when we purchased our home.  The bathroom was one of the nicer areas of the home, and the bathtub was a must keep. 

Because we had it in the bathroom already, we knew our bathroom floor could support the weight of the tub.  Keep in mind that knowing the size and weight of the bathtub is crucial before purchasing one.  We’ll touch on the importance of why later in this post.  In the meantime, you’ll need to know a bit about the different styles and types of tubs.

Check out this incredible bathroom reveal here complete with a restored clawfoot tub.

Type of Bathtub Materials

Clawfoot tubs originated in 19th century Holland and quickly gained popularity as a luxury item.  Original clawfoot tubs were made from cast iron with a porcelain glaze. 

These old cast iron bathtubs are not only durable and retain heat well, but they are also extremely heavy.  If you have your heart set on an antique cast iron clawfoot tub, then make sure you look for one that has had the proper care, otherwise, expect to pay to restore it back into good shape.  

In general, you should expect to pay a hefty price tag for a new tub.  The average cast iron tub costs about $4,000.  

Check out this post for before and after pictures of this refinished cast-iron tub surface.

On the flip side, the average cost for acrylic tubs is anywhere from $700 to $2,000.  One of the reasons cast iron tubs are so beloved is because of their durability.  Acrylic bathtubs tend to be less durable and prone to scratching, but are much more budget friendly.  

If you want that antique look, acrylic clawfoot tubs are a great alternative.  You can expect to spend roughly $1,200 on average to install a clawfoot tub, plus expect to pay up to $300 per joist if additional floor support is needed due to the weight of a cast iron bathtub.  On the flip side, an acrylic tub is about $500 to install and because of its much lighter weight, floor support is usually not an issue. 

This is a great example of an acrylic clawfoot tub. You can still get vintage vibes without having an antique.

Different Designs of Clawfoot Tubs

Once you’ve decided on your tub material, you’ll need to pick out the style of your clawfoot tub. Depending on the look you want for your bathroom, you’ll need to decide between three main styles: a slipper-style tub, classic roll top clawfoot, and double-ended tub. 

A single slipper clawfoot bathtub has a raised backrest on one end with the drain and faucet at the opposite end. Double slipper tubs have two raised ends to create backrests for two people to bathe and have the faucet and drain centered.  

The traditional style clawfoot tub has a rounded end on one side and a squared off end on the opposite side.  You’ll see that the top is rolled over with a ridge and the faucet and drain can be at either end.  

The double ended or french double-ended clawfoot tub is similar to the classic style, but rather than having a squared off end, both ends of the bathtub are rounded.  The drain and faucet are then centered.  

Check out more pictures of this beautiful claw-foot bathtub reveal here.

We have a single slipper clawfoot bathtub and I love the support of the raised backrest.  Each style has different pros and cons.  If you need more support, then a slipper style tub would be a great choice.  Ultimately, it comes down to looks.  If the squared and rounded ends bother you in the traditional tub, then the double-ended tub is a great symmetrical choice.  Ultimately, you have to decide on the look that is right for your bathroom.

Check out this bathroom reveal and how they created a clawfoot tub shower for their space.

Keep in mind that most iron clawfoot tubs are traditionally freestanding bathtubs.  Meaning, they aren’t built into a wall or space and are finished on all sides of the tub.  That means you are able to see more of the plumbing features than you would in a standard bathtub.  If you have a freestanding bathtub, it will take a bit of creativity to have the option to shower. 

You do, however, get a vintage vibe with claw feet. These claw feet can come in different styles as well.  You’ll need to pick between cannonball, paw, and ball and claw for the claw design.  

The ball and claw design is very ornate with either a lion’s paw or eagle’s talon holding a pearl.  On the flip side, the cannonball design is simple with a ball shape, yet vintage feel.  The paw design is an animal’s paw serving as ornate feet to the tub. 

 Modern cast iron tubs have different options for claw feet designs and can range from the traditional styles to more modern designs. The feet can come in bronze, iron, brass, or acrylic.   

This bathroom shows how to make a clawfoot tub work in a small space.

There are options available for alcove cast iron bathtubs for those bathrooms that warrant that space requirement.  Alcove bathtubs are built around three walls and only finished on one side. Because of the wall space, you have the ability to input a shower head and hide the plumbing within the walls.  This gives you a bit more flexibility in using your bath space.  

This bright and colorful space can be viewed here.

The Importance Of Math – Calculating the weight of your clawfoot tub

While the style and design of your clawfoot tub is an important factor, you’ll need to know how much your bathtub weighs before you install it. I mentioned that cast iron tubs are extremely heavy.  

An empty cast iron tub weighs a lot less than that same tub with a bather in it that is filled with water. Because of the weight of the actual tub itself, the weight of the bather, and the weight of the water, you are putting your floors under a tremendous amount of stress.  

It is a good idea to know if your floors can actually handle the stress of the weight before you end up sailing through your second floor in your expensive tub.  If you need a visual of this, feel free to check out the movie, Money Pit.

Such a dainty and bright bathroom!

Calculating the Answer to How Much does a Clawfoot Tub Weigh

So how do you determine if your floors are strong enough?  Contrary to what I believed as a kid, the only way to know for certain is by using math.  

To know how much stress is on your floors, you’ll need to know how much your tub weighs, how many gallons of water it can hold, the weight of water, and  the weight of your largest bather.   I’m all of a sudden back in my high school algebra class.  

I should have spent more time paying attention and less time writing notes to my friends.  But who didn’t love getting a note passed in class in the shape of a mini triangle and the results of MASH inside?

Excuse me while I move into this modern vintage bathroom with a clawfoot tub.

To solve for X, or the total amount of weight on our floors, we need to know how much our tub weighs and how much water it can hold.  The average cast iron tub weighs between 250 to 500 pounds and can hold up to 82 gallons of water. 

On the flip side, an empty acrylic bathtub weighs up to 120 pounds and generally holds around 32-40 gallons of water.  The specifications will vary depending on the type of tub you have: freestanding baths versus alcove baths.  

Keep in mind that water weighs 8.34 pounds per gallon.  To solve for X let’s take the following scenario:

This double slipper tub from Signature Hardware weighs 440 pounds and holds 46 gallons of water.

I want to install this beautiful tub in my master bathroom.  To know how much weight will be available on my floors, I’ll take the information I obtained from the website and plug it into our equation:

Total Weight Floors Hold = Weight of Empty Tub + (Gallons Held *8.34) + Weight of Heaviest Bather 

X = 440 + (46 * 8.34) + 220 lbs 

This means that my floors need to be able to hold 1,044 pounds.  You’ll want to check with a contractor to determine if your floors can handle that weight or if you’ll need to add additional support. This is less of a concern if you have a main floor master bathroom and plan on installing it there since you have a concrete foundation to support it.  

The concern arises when you have to take your tub to your second floor or beyond.  Floor joists may need to be added to help support the load.  Your best bet is to consult a professional to ensure you have the support needed to handle the weight.

This bathroom takes a vintage tub and adds a modern twist.

Keep in mind you’ll also need to check your bathtub’s specifications for the depth, length, and width.  You want to make sure your tub can actually fit through your spaces to get into the bathroom without having to knock down walls or remove doors.  

That would not be a fun surprise to discover you have to either return your tub or knock down a wall for it to fit.  You also don’t want to get your tub into your bathroom only to discover that your space is too small for the large tub.  Small bathrooms may struggle with this and it would be beneficial to make sure you have outlined your space prior to installing it.  

If all else fails, you can always have an outdoor soaking tub like this incredible space!

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I hope this post provided you with some great factors to consider before you buy a clawfoot tub, and you fully understand the answer to  ‘how much does a clawfoot tub weigh?’.  The weight and size of your tub can have a big impact on your plans for installing it in your bathroom.  Fortunately, you can still get a vintage cast-iron tub look for less.  Acrylic tubs are a great alternative and not only cost less but also weigh less too.  Whatever tub you go with, I hope you are able to grab a glass of wine, light a candle, and enjoy a warm relaxing bath sans kids.  If you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comments section, and follow me on Instagram @arinsolange and TikTok  for more home, decor, and DIY.

Are you trying to figure out the right dining room rug size for your house? The dining room is such a special place to gather with your friends and family.  Do you use your dining room for every day dinners or is it reserved for holidays and special occasions? You’ll often see dining rooms as one of the first rooms when you walk into a home.  This means that this is one of the first impressions people get of your home when they walk in your front door.

Create a dining space that is warm and inviting by setting the perfect ambiance.  Find the perfect rug for your dining room table to create that atmosphere.  If you’ve ever wondered how to find the correct size rug for the size of your table and dining area, then you are in the right place. I’ll go over how to find the perfect dining room rug size for your space.

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All About Dining Room Rugs

For many years, I longed to have every room in my home picture perfect.  That longing is still there, but with four kids, I get hit with a dose of reality any time I look over and see a rogue pair of underwear.  

One of my favorite milestones in my kid’s lives is when they finally outgrow the messy food eating phase.  Goldie is now at an age where she actually keeps all her food on her plate and avoids throwing it most days.  

This means, Mama gets her floors back! That’s right, no more cleaning up spaghetti off my hardwood floors! I’ve been waiting for this day where I can finally put down a beautiful dining room rug and have a completed room.

Why a Rug in the Dining Room?

Of course not everyone chooses to pair their dining room furniture with a rug.  So why even do it? Won’t this just be another surface area you need to clean and another excuse to avoid using the dining room altogether to keep in neat tidy. 

 In my family, we only used our dining room on special occasions and holidays.  As a kid, I always remembered that the dining room was off limits.  Avoid getting anything dirty in there at all cost, and on the rare occasion we did eat in there, you better be on your best eating behavior. 

I’m a firm believer in adding a rug to help frame a room. Rugs can go a long way. They can bring a room together, create a focal point, provide texture to a room, add a splash of color or pattern, or tone down and neutralize when necessary.

While rugs can add warmth and comfort to spaces that may lack carpeting, they also add to the style of the room altogether.  Rugs aren’t just a good choice for hardwood floors. You can add rugs over carpeted areas too. 

Neutral boho dining room rug by Black & Blooms.

So how do you know what is the right rug size for the amount of space you have? What shape do you get and how do you pick the right material? 

Dining Room Rug Size Guide

Finding the correct rug size for your whole room is important.  If you go with a large rug that is too big for the space it will make your room look cramped and feel like smaller. 

 If you get a smaller rug that is too small for the space then your dining chairs will catch on the rug, creating tripping hazards.  Plus, it will just look odd- like someone cut off the rest of your rug. 

I love this neutral dining space with pops of blues and greens for color designed by California Daydreams.

To find the correct dining room rug size, you’ll need to pull out your tape measure.  Don’t worry, this measuring isn’t going to involve much math.  As a general rule of thumb, the best dining room rugs are larger than all sides of the dining table by 24 to 30 inches all the way around.  

In other words, the size and shape of your table dictates the size of your rug.  As a starting point, get all your furniture pieces that you intend to have in your dining room in place.  This means that if you have a dining room table that can extend, extend it fully prior to measuring.

I’m sharing Cara Loren’s beautiful dining space once again because I love these neutral boho-Scandi vibes.  Plus that rug is full of texture. 

Pull your dining room chairs out away from the table, as if you were to sit down.  Mark this spot with masking tape and measure it.  Again, you’ll want 24-30 inches of space around your table, including when you pull your chair out.  

You’ll also want about 8-12 inches between the wall/furniture pieces and back of your dining room chairs.  Mark this set up with tape and then measure the length and width to get the correct size of rug.  

Another important thing is to avoid the rug going under any other furniture pieces.  You’ll want it to stick to just under the legs of the chairs and dining table.  If you have other furniture pieces, it should be framed around it and have enough space to show the divide.

For a dining room rug with a pop of color, check out this dining room reveal.

If all that measuring sounds too complicated, then you can follow these general guides to help you find the right size of rug. 

Consider the Table Shape

Rectangular tables that fit 8-10 people will require a larger rug size.  Most dining tables with a seating area that can fit up to 10 people are about 4’x6′ in size.  Take into account the 24-30 inches of space all around for the chairs, and you are looking at a 9’x12′ or 8’x10′ area rug.  

Either size would work, but keep in mind the space.  If you have a larger space with an open dining area, the 9’x12′ oversized rug would complement the room better and be the perfect size.  

If you have a more enclosed space or other furniture pieces nearby, you’ll want to avoid having the edge of the rug be under other furniture or too close to other pieces.  In that case, the 8’x10′ size would be the right rug for your space.

This modern farmhouse dining room was designed by Cuisines Action. 

A dining table that seats up to 6 people is generally about 3’x5′ in total space.  Your best bet is to get an 8’x10′ rug.  This would give you enough room to have your chair legs stay on the rug when moving them in and out.  

For dining tables that are on the smaller size, you’ll want to pay attention to their shape.  A round dining table that seats up to 4 people is generally about 3 feet in diameter.  This round table and size would best be complemented by an 8 foot round dining room rug.  

For dining tables that are more square shaped, then square rugs would be more suitable.  Of course you can still go with a more standard rectangular rug of 5’x7′ or 6’x9′ and have your table and chairs be placed in the center.  Ideally, you want to pick the rug shape based on your table’s shape.

This is a great example of how a bold color can warm up a space and create a completely different atmosphere. This is a great guide to how to use a rug to define a space.

Pay Attention to Rug Materials – It Matters

The rug’s material is entirely up to your aesthetic, use and budget.  If you intend to use this space heavily for entertaining and dining and you have small children, then I’d suggest a rug material that will clean well and hold up to stains.  

Natural fiber rugs aren’t the easiest to clean since you really shouldn’t get them wet, but they can create great texture in your space.  On the other hand, synthetic rugs are much easier to clean, but can appear flat. 

Indoor outdoor rugs are great alternatives.  If you need a rug that can easily be taken outside and hosed off to be cleaned, but still has fun patterns and colors, then this may be your best bet.

This coastal dining room by Studio McGee uses an indoor/outdoor rug in the dining room to keep the space casual. 

Keep in mind that the right area rug can also help bring your entire room together.  If you need something to help emphasize the style of your room, pick a rug that adds the perfect finishing touch.

 If you need to create the illusion of a wider and larger room, then a striped area rug may be the right rug for your space.  If you have a dramatic mirror or art work in your dining room that you want to be your focal point, then pick a color that is more neutral and a pattern that is muted.  Likewise, if you want to create a focal point, pick a rug with more colors and patterns. 

The jute rug complements the textured chairs perfectly in this neutral dining room. 

Dining Room Rug Round Up

To get you inspired, I rounded up some of my favorite rugs that would look great in any dining room.

Shop Favorite Dining Room Rugs Below 

1  |  2  |  3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12

1. Atrium Medallion Washable Rug

I love this low pile washable rug by Rugs USA.  We currently have this rug in our living room but this would make a great dining room rug too.  The neutral gray tones in fun patterns would look incredible in any room.  As an added bonus, there is a great sale going on right now too! 

2. Unique Loom Sofia Vintage Beige Area Rug

    You know I can’t resist pink tones. While it says beige, I’m definitely getting some pink tones from this area rug and I’m not mad about it. This would look great in any space for a vintage upscale feel.  The best part is this is a stain resistant rug! 

3. The Knitted Co: Jute Area Rug

I am a sucker for a natural jute rug.  The texture and neutral color gives me major boho vibes and I love the look in a neutral dining room.  This would look incredible next to a large fiddle leaf fig tree, open floating shelves, and vintage dining set.  Keep in mind this is spot clean only, so plan accordingly – consider layering it with a smaller, more stain resistant rug for added texture.

4. SAFAVIEH Moroccan Tassel Shag Collection

If you are looking for a boho rug, look no further.  This shag rug would be so fun.  It is non-shedding and looks ultra comfortable.  I love the added texture and neutral tones that would complement any space.

5. Artistic Weavers Melody Farmhouse Rug

This is another great neutral rug.  It has a vintage farmhouse look to it and would complement both light and dark wood tones.  The rug is stain resistant and easily cleaned.  

6. Fab Habitat Machine Washable Rug

    This rug was made from plastic bottles!  It is handwoven, stain resistant, and UV resistant with both indoor and outdoor use. I love that this rug has been repurposed from plastic bottles and is environmentally friendly.  The striped design would also elongate your space.

7. SAFAVIEH Adirondack Collection ADR108B Oriental Medallion 

    This 8′ round is a great neutral rug to add a round 4 seater table.  But, it comes in multiple colors, sizes, and is stain resistant.  

8. Loloi II Skye Collection

    This 9’x12′ rug is on major sale right now- 50% off! If you are looking for something with a bit more color but still has a neutral upscale vibe, this is a great option. I love how it complements the light wood tones in the coffee table but also looks great with the darker chair.  Check it out for more sizes and colors! 

9. Unique Loom Utopia Collection

This 8×10 or 9×12 rug would be a great option to warm up a space with more neutral tones.  With pops of color from red, blue, and mustard, to more neutral tones of brown, cream, and beige this rug would make a great statement.

10. Amber Lewis x Loloi Georgie Collection

This is my dining room rug, and I adore it! It adds a perfect blush tone that isn’t too pink. You can read all about how I decided to use this rug and how it works in the room in this post about how to add texture to a room.

11. Amber Lewis x Loloi Billie Collection

I have this rug in my Small Home Office design, and I absolutely love it. There are so many different hues in the rug that you can hone in on one color to accent the room. I chose pink accessories to pull out the salmon color, but you could also opt for more modern charcoal accessories for a more masculine look. And it is stain and fade resistant so don’t worry about putting it in a high traffic room!

12. Herdanza Black & White Rug

This is such an interesting rug! The pattern is busy, but the neutral colors allow it to play well off of other patterns! I used this in Jack’s room and it adds so much interest. I also love that you can just throw the Ruggable into the wash and call it a day. Now, if I could just throw the rest of his room in there!

Don’t forget Accessories! 

Don’t forget your rug pads! You’ll want to put these down before placing your rug down.  This will help prevent slips and slides and will keep your rug in place.   I also swear by this rug tape that will keep your rugs from going anywhere but doesn’t damage floors! 

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I hope this post gave you some good insight on how to pick the right rug for your dining room. One of the best ways to create a cohesive dining room is to frame your dining area with the right sized rug.  Choose the size of the rug based on your dining table’s shape and size.  The material can be entirely your choice, but you’ll want to keep in mind how you intend to use your dining room to find the perfect material. 

Adding texture, patterns, and colors can further enhance your dining room’s aesthetics and create the perfect place for your family to gather. If you have any questions on my dining room rug size guide feel free to leave them in the comments section, and follow me on Instagram @arinsolange and TikTok  for more home, decor, and DIY.