Our Jungle Nursery And How To Create Your Own Beautiful Design
Revealing our jungle themed nursery has been a year in the making!
As soon as we found out we were adding a little one to our family, we started dreaming about what style nursery we would want to create for them.
We landed on a jungle nursery design because we loved being able to incorporate both animals and greenery into our space - two of our favorite things!
The room needed to feel warm and cozy, visually interesting, but not too busy.
We had a decent sized room, but not too large so we needed to be smart with the pieces we chose. We wanted big impact without having too much stuff cluttering up the space.
It really needed to be both beautiful and functional! Comfort and easy to use - we wanted to enjoy using being in there as much as the baby did!
Below we discuss the details of our jungle nursery design and each of the must-have pieces we included to create our dream baby’s room.
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Elements To Create The Right Feeling In A Jungle Nursery
To design a room that had the feeling we wanted, we took time to discuss the elements that should be included to make it cohesive and true to the jungle theme. The following two items were what we focused on with our design:
Greenery, Natural Materials & Wood Tones -
When picturing a jungle, you see trees, lush plants and natural earth tones. There is blue sky above and brown dirt below your feet. It feels warm and comfortable while also being light and spacious.
Animals and/or Baby Animals -
The jungle is a perfect natural habitat for all types of animals, so including animals and/or baby animals in the design was something we knew we wanted to do. We also love animals, so it was an easy decision!
Our Jungle Nursery Design Main Elements:
This gorgeous wallpaper is the wow-factor of our jungle nursery. It is absolutely beautiful and makes a statement without overwhelming the space.
We found this on Etsy and it came in either peel-and-stick or traditional wallpaper. We chose the peel-and-stick option because we had brand new walls that were very smooth. When purchasing, the seller will discuss which option is best for you depending on the texture of your walls - which is incredibly helpful. You can also order custom sizes to fit your specific wall!
The application of the peel-and-stick wallpaper did take some patience. We found that using a squeegee was really helpful in getting it to lay smooth.
We also loved that the background of the wallpaper blended well with the paint we had on the rest of the walls in the room, which were all Sherwin Williams Ice Cube.
These beautiful images of baby animals are also from Etsy! The artist has the option for you to choose your any 6 images you want. They are then sent to you and you frame them yourself.
To keep things easy, we ordered the frames that included optional mats, which we chose to use.
For easy install, we put the pictures up using Command Picture Hanging Strips.
This lovely collection of images added a lot to the design without adding much work, which was exactly what we were looking to accomplish.
We loved the idea of adding an artificial plant to our nursery for a few reasons: we wanted the greenery and added texture to make the space feel more organic and interesting, and we also liked that the plant could hide some of the cords that were coming down from the TV.
The benefit of an artificial plant was that it would not need watering, could be wiped down easily if it got dusty, and since there would not be damp soil, there was less chance for moil and other bugs to be in our baby’s room.
With all the cool colors in the space like the wall color and the white furniture, we knew we wanted to go with a warmer tone to the rug to help keep the room feeling cozy.
The warm gray-brown color ties in well with the wood floors and also mimics a natural jungle environment by anchoring the floor and allowing the upper parts to feel light and airy.
The mixed color of the threads means that this rug is less likely to look dirty or stained with wear and use.
We chose a cushy shag style of rug because it felt very expensive and is nice on the feet. The texture of the rug also adds visual interest without drawing too much attention.
Related: The Best Pet And Baby Gates
A List Of All Of Our Jungle Nursery Must-Haves:
Before we jump into the full list of items for the jungle nursery, we want to emphasize the importance of making sure all furniture and shelving units are secured to the wall with anti-tip wall anchors to make it safe for baby!
An adjustable and attractive crib is an obvious must-have. We chose white for our furniture to have it tie into our white trim and be a neutral color that wouldn’t compete for attention with our decor.
A waterproof crib mattress will be both comfortable for the baby, and practical when accidents, leaks, or spit ups happen in the crib.
A waterproof mattress protector is a practical choice to add to your crib as it is easy to remove and clean while also offering a second layer of protection for your mattress.
There are so many fun designs of crib sheets! We particularly loved the leaf patterns to play off of our jungle theme for the nursery.
A comfortable rocker/glider recliner will be your favorite addition to your jungle nursery! This comfortable swivel glider is everything we wanted. It has buttons to electronically recline the chair so you avoid jerking movements that could wake your sleeping baby. It also has a USB charger built-in so you can stay charge your phone when stuck in one place.
Shelves or Bookcase
A shelf or bookcase unit is a great way to store multiple necessary items to make them convenient for you when you need them.
A lamp is helpful when you need light but don’t want to turn on overhead fixtures that might wake the baby up. We chose to pair the lamp with a shade that had some texture to add a more natural look to the space.
Using a baby monitor is a no-brainer and this camera option makes it easier to see what is going on and hear your baby clearly, even when you can’t be in the room with them.
Many babies sleep better with a white noise machine because they are used to hearing a lot of noises while in the womb. The added nightlight on this noise machine is really helpful at night because it helps you see but won’t wake the baby.
Dresser With A Changing Table Topper
A dresser is a must to store all of your babies clothes, swaddles, and more. This dresser has a changing table topper that can be attached and makes it serve two purposes, which was perfect for our space.
A quality waterproof changing pad goes inside of the changing table topper. It comes with a buckle you can click together to secure around your baby.
Covers for your changing pad make it more comfortable for your baby and are easy to remove and wash when accidents happen.
This wipe warmer was one item we didn’t think we would need that quickly became one thing that made life a lot easier because diaper changes no longer had to include screaming or tears!
If you have a fussy sleeper, blackout blinds can be a lifesaver to keep the sun out and help them get more restful sleep even during the brightest times of day.
We wanted curtains to play off the height of the ceiling and to add softness and texture to the space. The curtains help to break up an otherwise boring wall and are easy to install and very cost effective.
A simple curtain rod can add style and also be very functional. We liked the clear finials that added some interest without drawing too much attention.
With all the diapers that get changed, we wanted a quality diaper pail that also looked great. This diaper pail helps to lock in odors and is a great size.
A rolling clothes hamper was one of the best decisions we made in our baby’s room. It makes doing laundry with one hand even easier - since you’ll often need to multi-task with baby in your arms. The liner can also be removed as washed as needed.
An air purifier is a small but mighty machine that can keep the air in your baby’s room smelling sweeter and cleaner. This is perfect for next to your diaper pail in case any smells escape!
With all the time you’ll be spending in your new nursery, adding a smart TV can be an easy way to binge watch shows while feeding, cleaning, rocking, folding, and all the other things you’ll need to do in your new baby’s room. To make sure the TV didn’t take up counter space, we decided to use a wall mount that kept it flat and out of the way, or allowed it to be swiveled if we needed to change the direction it pointed.
Most houses don’t have enough outlets where you need them. In a baby’s room with lots of things to be plugged in, an extension cord with a power strip that allows multiple things to be plugged into it, can be your new best friend.
How To Create Your Own Jungle Nursery Design:
Step 1:
Choose 1 or 2 focal points for the room that set the tone for the jungle nursery design. Don’t overdo it or it could end up looking busy and cluttered.
Examples of focal points - large art prints, wall decals, tropical theme wallpaper, oversized stuffed animals, a gallery wall or even a book wall.
Step 2:
Look at the focal point/s you selected. Based on what you chose you will want plan a cohesive color scheme that uses similar tones throughout. I like to select one or two vibrant or bold colors, and otherwise stick with neutrals and natural color tones.
Step 3:
Make sure your jungle nursery will functional by choosing items that have more than one purpose. Unless you have a lot of space available, you’ll want to choose larger items that can serve two or more purposes. For instance, a dresser that is also a changing table, or a shelf that can hold both the baby monitors, books, burp cloths and other necessary items.
Step 4:
The most important step of all - Choose things that make you happy and relaxed. You want a space your baby will enjoy, but you also want somewhere you like spending your time!
Conclusion
Creating a beautiful nursery for our baby was a really fun way to prepare to meet him and made us really think in advance about what we would need and how it would function. Now that he is here, he loves to stare at this mural wallpaper and the animals on it. Just as importantly, we love spending time in there with him! A comfortable, cozy and well-functioning nursery is really the gift that keeps on giving with new babies. We hope our nursery helped inspire you as you design your own space!
Now we want to hear from you - Are you expecting and planning for a jungle or animal theme to your nursery? What is something special you can’t wait to incorporate for your little one?
