5 Tips for Decorating a Gender-Neutral Bedroom

There are lots of reasons that a parent might choose to go with gender-neutral bedroom decor for a nursery or kid’s room. Maybe you’re waiting until your child is born to find out their gender. Perhaps the traditional pink-or-blue isn’t your thing. Or maybe your kid is ready for their own room and you want to encourage them to express themselves however they want.  

It can be liberating to work outside the pink-or-blue, princesses-or-cars stereotypes, but it also requires a little bit of imagination. For parents interested in creating gender-neutral bedrooms for babies and children, read on for five tips to help you craft the perfect kid’s bedroom without relying on gender-specific decor. 

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1. Simplicity makes it easy to be stylish. 

When it comes to decorating a gender-neutral bedroom, simplicity is often the easiest path to a great-looking space. Skip over-the-top or ostentatious decorations and focus on a few high-quality pieces that really work. For example, opt for peel and stick nursery wallpaper with simple and stylish patterns that can easily be removed as your child grows older.

An easy way to get started is to choose your basic must-have furniture pieces such as a bed, crib or changing table and then build the rest of the room around them. Look for clean lines, high-quality materials and comfortable designs. Then, instead of buying every cute knick-knack at the store, you can complement these pieces with simple and effective additions like area rugs, curtains. 

2. Focus on function. 

Many parents find that once they’ve got the key functions of a kid’s room in place, the decor falls together naturally. If you’re creating a gender-neutral nursery, the focus should be on making sure that you can easily access things like the changing table and the crib. Take a look at some matching gender-neutral nursery sets for a decoration solution that does most of the work for you. 

For a slightly older child’s gender-neutral bedroom, play and stimulation should be the focal point (unless they have a separate playroom). Add plenty of storage like toy boxes and bookshelves, and make them easy for your child to safely access. A creative space is also a great idea, so think about adding a feature such as a whiteboard wall sticker to give your kid an easy way to draw whenever they want. 

3. Incorporate your kid’s interests. 

For parents whose kids are old enough to tell them what they want from their bedroom, listen up! By tailoring your child’s bedroom to their interests, you’ll create a space that’s full of wonder and excitement for your tiny human. Mental stimulation is crucial for healthy development, so give your kids more of what they love in their personal spaces. 

Of course, we all know that kids’ interests change frequently — dinosaurs one month, space the next and then on to race cars. That’s why so many parents use removable wall decals. It’s easy to decorate with Fathead’s Disney wall decals one year before switching to superhero wall decals because both types are easy to remove without damaging the wall. You can even reuse them if you have another kid who shares the same obsessions! 

4. Choose one or two statement colors.

Just because you’re not relying on gender for color choices doesn’t mean that you can’t add pleasant and eye-catching colors. Pastel colors are a classic for their balance of calm and stimulation, while warm earth tones are ideal for creating coziness. 

Using color in clever ways will help you get the most out of it without going overboard. An accent wall is a great way to go since it allows you to focus the room’s energy using a single wall as the anchor point (and saves you from having to repaint a whole room later). 

5. Add personal and family themes. 

Incorporating family-centric decor is a great way to make a gender-neutral bedroom homier and inviting. Custom wall prints of favorite family photos are wonderful for creating the warm fuzzies, while custom cardboard head cutouts always provide a touch of lighthearted fun. 

Decorations that center a child’s growth and achievements are also excellent choices for gender-neutral bedrooms. A wall growth chart provides an easy way for you and your child to track their constant growth — it’s guaranteed to amaze both of you! Bulletin boards are also excellent choices because they allow kids to add favorite photos or award certificates from school, although boards for younger kids should be equipped with magnets or clips rather than pins.