Who says you have to spend a fortune on your baby’s bedroom? Our amazing nursery costs less than half the average!
It’s a fact that setting up your child’s nursery can be a costly business. In fact, the average family in the UK spends over £1000 on furniture and decor, including £327 on a cot and £186 on toys, according to research by Debenhams. Woah! But the good news is, it doesn’t have to take up that much of the family budget – and wouldn’t you rather spend less and put the difference towards a summer holiday, your maternity leave (or even those Kurt Geiger ankle boots you’ve been coveting)? We’ve put together the essentials for an amazing nursery for under £350. Start booking that sunshine break now…
Smart Storage
Invest in inexpensive, easy-to-access storage tubs and shelves to create a corner where your child can play. Colour-coded or picture-labelled boxes help teach toddlers to tidy up after themselves, too. Floating shelves (£13.99, Homebase) are cheaper than buying a solid unit, and will free up the area underneath.
Baskets, £35 for 2, berryred.co.uk
Inexpensive Wall Art
You’ll want to add a personal touch to your baby’s bedroom, but bespoke art can send your budget soaring. So, skip the expensive baby portrait session, instead print black and white versions of your own family snaps, saving money by framing them yourself. John Lewis has a huge range of frames from just £1. Artwork is something that can easily be updated as your child grows – plus, it adds character and warmth. Try art.co.ukfor a great selection of prints from £10. Cluster your chosen pictures or photos together for a gallery feel.
Frames, £45 for 5, johnlewis.com
Keep The Décor Simple
When choosing the colour for your nursery walls, remember that your baby won’t be a newborn for very long, so farm animal wallpaper isn’t necessarily the most cost-effective choice. Minimal white not only looks on-trend, it also costs less, so grab a tin of emulsion and you won’t have to redecorate for at least a few years (other than the odd scribble touch-ups, obvs!) Add a modern white cot (£38.49, Kiddicare) and an Eames repro chair (£69, Cult Furniture) for comfortable (and cool) feeding times.
Main Pic Above: Loupe Images
Shelving Solutions
Furniture that multi-tasks is a great purse-saver. This shelf unit not only houses toys and books, it also provides a framework for imaginative games. Your child will be able to use it as Rapunzel’s tower, a multi-story garage or even a space station. You’ll save a fortune on plastic playsets and the shelves can be used for different objects as your child grows, such as vintage ornaments and craft materials, making them a great investment.
Shelves, £39.99, argos.co.uk
Make A Changing Area
Create a changing station for a fraction of the cost of a made-to-measure version. Turn a wardrobe (£65, Ikea) into a one-stop storage and changing solution by putting a chest of drawers inside with a mat on top. Add a nappy waste bin and you have everything you need in one compact space. And, best of all, you can shut everything away afterwards.
Chest Of Drawers, £45, ikea.com
Lessen your cleaning time with this wipe-clean mat. It’s great for rolling dough and pastry on and has a conversion table to convert weights and volumes to different measurement units.
Are you planning your baby’s room on a budget? Share your ideas below