Home > Newborn > Nursery & Kids Room, Kids Room, Nursery & Kids Room > A Stylish Take On The Animal-Themed Nursery

A Stylish Take On The Animal-Themed Nursery

An animal-inspired nursery is a classic choice for your baby’s room, but that doesn’t mean it can’t also be stylish! Interior stylist Magdalene Liacopoulos shows you how.

Magdalene Liacopoulos Interior & Nursery Stylist

Nothing quite hits a sweet note like an animal-themed nursery. It’s a popular choice for both boys and girls alike. After all, who can resist cute and fuzzy animals? While it’s a much-loved nursery favorite, an animal nursery is a style choice that can end up looking overdone, and not in an effortlessly wild and free kind of way. It often starts with one adorable animal décor piece then leads to another, and before you know it, the room is cluttered with an animal menagerie. However, if you subscribe to the style guide below, you can create a chic animal-themed space.

Stick to a narrowed scope

An animal theme is broad—it can be anything from safari, woodlands or jungle, and that’s just scratching the surface! At the beginning of your design process, outline a plan that considers the room’s layout, furniture styles, color palette and a detailed theme. Collate your inspiration images and try to identify a common thread. Perhaps the rooms are modern safari-inspired and bold and bright, or jungle-themed with pops of green paired and mid-century furniture. Whatever your desired style, try to stay on track so your room looks cohesive not chaotic.

Very rarely will you stick to your original plan completely, as things inevitably change along the way. If you are starting to feel overwhelmed, remember to refer to your original plans and stick to them as best you can.

Furniture selections

The best piece of advice I can give when putting together any themed room is to pick furniture that you love, that is well-made and has the potential to grow with your child. When making furniture selections, remember that all the trimmings and accessories will help to tie your animal theme together. With that in mind, I suggest picking furniture that is simple, will translate well across different styles, and will also look smart and sophisticated in a nursery, toddler or tween room. The Million Dollar Baby Classic Winston Convertible Crib in Vintage Iron is a great example. This piece features a refined style and finish and can also be converted to a toddler bed, daybed and full-sized bed (by purchasing additional conversions kits). The same can be said for the Nico & Yeye Lukka Six-Drawer Dresser in Maple and Black, which ticks all the boxes and looks great in children’s room of all ages.

For the best use in a nursery, add the Olli Ella Reva Changing Basket with the Organic Cotton Liner so the drawers double as a changing station. Finish off the space with a Fiona Walker Wall-Mounted Giraffe and a few of your favorite safari-inspired wooden pieces and before you know it, you have created a lovely vignette.

Million Dollar Baby Classic Winston 4-in-1 Convertible Iron Crib

$499

Available in more colors

BUY NOW

Nico & Yeye Lukka Six-Drawer Dresser in Maple and Black

$1299

Available in more colors

BUY NOW

Olli Ella Reva Changing Basket

$89.90

BUY NOW

Fiona Walker England Giraffe Head Wall Mount

$130

Available in more animals

BUY NOW

Petit Collage Safari Wooden Animal Puzzle

$30

BUY NOW

Shopping for accessories

There are so many wonderful opportunities to inject some fun and creativity in an animal-themed nursery. Decorative pieces like prints, bedding and toys will help to tie the room together. However, not everything on your wish list needs be an ode to the theme itself. For a beautifully balanced and stylish room, your accessories need to be well thought out. I recommend starting with art prints and a rug (as these are the larger pieces) and then working your way to the smaller items like bed linens and toys.

The L’amour Fou Print Shop has a range of adorable prints, including safari, woodland and farm animals that are available in sets of four and six and make a great bedroom feature. When selecting accessories that are not obviously in theme, try and bring them together with a commonality like color. The Lorena Canals Azteca Rug in Blue is a great example with its hints of black woven throughout that ties in with The Million Dollar Baby Winston Convertible Crib in Vintage Iron and L’amour Fou Safari Nursery Prints.

Smaller decorative items like bed linens, toys and books are great final additions to the bedroom. Opt for a fitted sheet and blanket in contrasting prints — a simple way to introduce some fun that can be easily refreshed seasonally or as your child grows. Lastly, select books and toys with your little one in mind. They’ll grow to enjoy playing and reading in the room you have so lovingly created.