Some nursery inspiration:
Creating a nursery is one of the quiet joys of preparing for a new baby. A thoughtfully decorated room becomes a gentle little world of its own — a place for first stories, peaceful sleeps and the early days of family life.
Many parents begin with a simple theme to guide the room. A favourite animal, a countryside scene, or a small collection of storybook characters can bring warmth and personality to the space. From there, colours, fabrics and decorations naturally begin to fall into place.
All of the nursery décor on this site begins as original illustrations painted by Kate Garrett in her Devon studio, allowing the artwork to form the heart of the room’s design.
Below are a few ideas to help you create a nursery that feels calm, welcoming and full of character.
Simple Tips for Decorating a Nursery
Begin with one focal piece
A height chart, picture or door sign can quietly guide the rest of the room.
Keep colours soft and restful
Muted greens, warm creams and pale blues help create a calm nursery.
Choose decorations that can grow with the child
Illustrated animals and storybook themes often feel just as lovely in a toddler’s room.
Popular Nursery Themes
Each theme is created from Kate Garrett’s original illustrations, painted by hand in her Devon studio.
Farm Nursery Decorating Ideas
For families who love the quiet charm of rural life, a countryside nursery brings the outdoors gently inside.
Farm animals, tractors and country scenes pair beautifully with muted greens, cream walls and simple wooden furniture. A countryside theme often feels relaxed and traditional, echoing the familiar comfort of fields, hedgerows and friendly animals.
A farm-themed height chart or illustrated door plaque can provide a cheerful focal point in the room.
Explore the farm nursery collection:
Shop the Farm Nursery Theme
Farm Height Charts
£35
Farm Nursery Door Signs
£15
Farm Nursery Wall Decals
£42
Personalised farm name painting
from £80
Jungle Nursery Decorating Ideas
A jungle nursery is lively and full of curiosity. Lions, monkeys and elephants bring a sense of adventure while still keeping the room playful and welcoming.
Green plants, leafy wallpaper or soft jungle baby blankets can complement illustrated jungle artwork beautifully.
Explore jungle nursery themes:
Shop the Jungle Nursery Theme
Jungle Height Charts
£35
Jungle Nursery Door Signs
£15
Jungle nursery wall clock
£42
Personalised farm name painting
from £80
Woodland Nursery Decorating Ideas
British wildlife themes create a nursery that feels rooted in nature. Foxes, hedgehogs, rabbits and little woodland birds bring a gentle sense of the countryside indoors.
This theme works beautifully with natural colours — soft moss greens, warm browns and pale sky blues. Wooden toys, wicker baskets and cosy blankets help complete the peaceful woodland atmosphere.
A few illustrated wildlife pieces on the wall can create a room that feels calm, traditional and quietly charming.
Explore woodland nursery décor:
Shop the Woodland Nursery Theme
Woodland Height Charts
£35
Woodland Nursery Door Signs
£15
Woodland Nursery Wall Decals
£42
Personalised woodland name painting
from £80
Under the Sea Nursery Decorating Ideas
A seaside or ocean-themed nursery can feel wonderfully peaceful. Soft blues, sandy creams and gentle aqua tones create a calm atmosphere.
Illustrated whales, fish and sea creatures bring a sense of quiet wonder to the room, especially when paired with simple nautical touches.
Shop the Under sea Nursery Theme
Seaside Height Charts
£35
Sea Nursery Door Signs
£15
Seaside nursery birth sampler
£25
Personalised under sea name painting
from £80
Fairy Tale Nursery Decorating Ideas
Fairies, castles and magical creatures create a nursery full of imagination. Soft pinks, pale greens and delicate bunting can help bring the room together.
A fairy-themed picture or door sign can add a charming storybook touch above a cot or beside the nursery door.
Explore fairy tale nursery décor:
Shop the Fairies and Flowers Nursery Theme
Fairy Initial Paintings
£40
Flower fairy Initial cushion
£30
Personalised farm name painting
from £80
Keep the Nursery Calm and Simple
It can be tempting to fill every wall with decorations, but nurseries often feel most peaceful when they remain light and uncluttered.
A few carefully chosen illustrated pieces can give the room character while still leaving space for calm and quiet.
A height chart, a picture above the cot and a small door sign are often enough to create a charming nursery that still feels restful.
Original Illustrated Nursery Décor
Original Illustrations
Every design begins as one of my own hand-drawn illustrations. Each character, animal and scene is first sketched and painted by hand in watercolour.
Not Clip Art or Stock Images
These nursery designs are not made from digital graphics or purchased artwork. They come entirely from my own original paintings, giving each piece a distinctive character.
Traditional Hand-Drawn Style
Soft watercolour, gentle lines and carefully observed details give the illustrations a timeless feel — the sort of artwork that belongs naturally in a child’s room.
Created by an Independent Artist
All designs are created by illustrator Kate Garrett, working quietly in her Devon studio, where each collection begins as a real painting on paper.
Shop Nursery Decor
All themes are created from Kate Garrett’s original illustrations, drawn and painted by hand in her Devon studio before becoming part of the nursery décor collection.
What You’ll Find
Personalised Height Charts
Mark the passing years with illustrated height charts designed to become keepsakes. Printed with Kate’s original artwork and personalised with your child’s name, these charts turn everyday growth into a family record worth keeping.
Personalised Nursery Cushions
Soft, comforting and full of charm, our illustrated nursery cushions feature your child’s name alongside original artwork. Perfect for rocking chairs, reading corners or as a thoughtful personalised baby gift.
Illustrated Wall Decals
Transform nursery walls with gentle, removable wall decals that tell a story without overwhelming the space. Each design is created to sit softly within a room — a quiet companion rather than a bold statement.
What decorations should you put in a nursery?
A nursery does not need many decorations to feel warm and welcoming. Often a few carefully chosen pieces are enough to give the room its character.
Many families begin with one focal point, such as a picture, height chart or illustrated wall decoration. Smaller details — a door sign, soft bunting or a themed cushion — can then quietly echo the same colours or characters.
Illustrated nursery decorations work particularly well because they add personality without overwhelming the room. Gentle themes such as farm animals, woodland creatures or storybook characters can bring warmth and imagination while still keeping the space calm and restful for a baby.
What are the most popular nursery themes?
Some of the most loved nursery themes include farm animals, woodland creatures, jungle animals, seaside scenes and fairy tale illustrations. These gentle themes bring character to the room while still keeping the space calm and welcoming for a baby.
How can I decorate a nursery without making it feel cluttered?
A nursery often feels most peaceful when it is decorated lightly. Choosing a few thoughtful pieces rather than filling every wall usually creates a calmer atmosphere. One illustrated focal point — such as a height chart, picture or door sign — can guide the theme of the room, with small decorative touches echoing the same colours and characters.
What makes Kate Garrett’s nursery décor different?
All of the nursery décor on this site begins as Kate Garrett’s own original illustrations, painted by hand in her Devon studio. The animals, characters and scenes are not taken from stock graphics or clip-art libraries, but from real paintings created especially for these collections.
Because the artwork is drawn and painted by hand, each design carries a gentle traditional charm — full of character, colour and small expressive details. These illustrations are then used across the nursery décor pieces, allowing parents to build a coordinated theme using artwork that comes from a single artist’s hand.
The result is nursery décor that feels thoughtful, distinctive and quietly timeless.
Can nursery decorations move with you when you move home?
Yes, many families take their nursery decorations with them when they move house. Illustrated pieces such as height charts, pictures and door signs often become little keepsakes that travel from one home to the next.
Because these designs are based on original illustrations rather than temporary wall graphics, they can continue to be enjoyed long after the nursery years. A height chart can record a child’s growth wherever the family lives, and a favourite picture or sign can easily find a place in a new bedroom.
Many parents enjoy the idea that these pieces carry small memories of earlier homes and childhood milestones, quietly continuing their story as the family moves on to new places.
What is the easiest way to decorate a nursery?
A simple approach is often the most successful. Many nurseries begin with one illustrated feature such as a height chart, wall picture or nursery door sign. Once this piece is in place, the colours and characters within the artwork can guide the rest of the room.
How many decorations should a nursery have?
Nurseries often feel most peaceful when they are not overcrowded with decorations. A few carefully chosen pieces — perhaps a picture, a height chart and a small door sign — can give the room personality without overwhelming the space.
How can I make a nursery feel more personal?
Adding personalised artwork or decorations can give a nursery a special meaning. A personalised name picture, illustrated height chart or door plaque can become a keepsake that grows with the child.
Where should nursery wall decorations be placed?
Many families place illustrated artwork above a chest of drawers, beside the nursery door, or on a clear wall where it can be easily seen without being directly above the cot. This helps create a focal point while keeping the room calm and uncluttered.
Are illustrated nursery decorations better than printed graphics?
Illustrated designs created from original artwork often bring warmth and character that digital graphics cannot quite match. When nursery décor begins as a real painting, the gentle colours and hand-drawn details give the room a more traditional and timeless feel.