When we become a parent, sleep becomes a huge topic, because let’s face it – it’s a time in our lives when we truly become sleep deprived. This is why it’s important to do what you can to prioritise sleep right from the start, even when you’re decorating your beautiful nursery in readiness for your new arrival.
As your interior designer, who absolutely loves designing kids bedrooms and nurseries, I want to help you make the right interior choices during this wonderfully exciting time. And to ensure your nursery is stylish but also geared up to help your little one sleep like a baby, I’ve teamed up with sleep expert, Naomi Hilliard, from Catching Little Dreams, to bring you the best sleep-friendly and stylish interior products and accessories!
1 John Lewis Snüzkot Skandi Natural Edit Cotbed, Walnut
One of the most important parts of your nursery is the cot and this one in my opinion ticks all the boxes! I love the earthy dark walnut wood combined with a modern style. It’s sturdy and built to last so that it grows with your child – overall a great long-term investment.
From a sleep perspective, “getting the right cot can be a game changer” says Naomi. “Your little one’s cot needs to provide a safe and secure space to sleep and this cot is a perfect choice. I recommend keeping a little one in a cot until they are at least three years old, this is because until then they may not understand what ‘stay in bed means’ and moving them into a toddler bed too soon can result in them getting out of bed during the night, causing safety concerns for parents when this happens.”
2 Argos Mother&Baby 120 x 60cm Anti-Allergy Pocket Cot Mattress
Style isn’t necessarily the priority when it comes to a mattress and mattresses aren’t the most exciting thing to spend your budget on, but as your interior designer, I still want to bring you the best, and when it comes to value for money – this is it!
Naomi adds “In their early months, babies are particularly vulnerable to allergens, and a mouldy mattress can be an overlooked risk in the nursery. Mould grows in damp conditions, and since infants and toddlers frequently have spills or accidents, a non-waterproof mattress can easily become a breeding ground for mould and mildew. The waterproof element to this mattress will ensure the inner layers stay dry and shielded from messes that could result in mould growth. Sleeping your baby on a firm, flat mattress is also the safest sleep environment for your little one, so this particular mattress is perfect for keeping them safe too”.
3 The White Company Blue Cloud Baby Blanket
The stunning soft blue tones of this blanket are perfect for creating a sense of calm in your nursery, and just like having wood and greenery in a room which brings the outdoors in, this will help create visions of a dreamy blue sky.
“When it comes to blankets, it’s important to note that sleep safety is the number one priority” says Naomi. “If you are using this blanket overnight, ensure the loose bedding is tucked in on both sides of the cot and no higher than their shoulders. And placing a baby with their feet touching the end of the cot (known as the feet-to-foot position) helps to prevent them wriggling down under the blanket!”.
4 John Lewis Munchkin Ssh Sleep Sound Machine
You might have noticed that with all these products, we’re creating a bit of a modern coastal feel for this nursery and this sound machine fits that perfectly. And when it comes to great sleep for your baby and you, Naomi confirms that “sound machines are fantastic! If you live in a busy home with older children or pets that can disturb your little one during their naps in the day, the white noise masks the other noises in the home. Your little one may even start to associate the sound machine with naps and bedtime, cueing them that it is time to sleep, which makes the bedtime routine smooth sailing”.
5 Dunelm Montreal Ultra Blackout Eyelet Curtains
“When it comes to the sleep environment, a dark room is the most sleep conducive space for your little one. Light, especially certain colours in the spectrum, can suppress your little ones’ melatonin, so keeping the room dark allows their sleepy hormone (melatonin) to signal to the brain that it is time to sleep.” says sleep expert, Naomi.
And from an interior design perspective, I love the contrast of these dark navy curtains – they will frame your windows beautifully, whilst complimenting the light blue tones in the rest of the nursery. Be sure to hang them from the top of the wall (as high to the ceiling as you can) and full length to the floor to give the grand appearance of taller ceilings.
6 Wayfair Edgeworth Abstract Machine Woven Ivory Grey Teal Area Rug
When it comes to a nursery, because it’s a place where we want our little ones to relax and sleep, we we don’t want the room to be over stimulating, so we don’t want lots of bright colours when it comes to soft furnishings. This rug is perfect – it’s not too busy, but still provides great texture, colour interest and the softness for those cosy vibes.
Naomi agrees: “This rug is a great spot to cosy up and read bedtime stories with your little one, having a good bedtime routine helps your little one to know bedtime is approaching and sharing a book is a lovely way to connect with them before bedtime”.
7 Cox & Cox Dipped Glaze Table Lamp
Every room, and especially a nursery, needs soft lighting options to create the right ambience. And “using a lamp in your little one’s room means that you can avoid using too much light during the night when you may be up feeding or changing your little one.” says sleep expert, Naomi. “Light can suppress your little one’s melatonin, however certain colours suppress it more than others. Make sure you team this lamp with a warm orange or amber bulb as these colours have less impact on melatonin production.”
8 H&M Metal pendant light
Back in our caveman days, humans would sit around the fire before heading to bed. One of the reasons for this was because the orange and red colours are the right tones to bring on sleepiness.
Both Naomi and I, as your sleep expert and interior design specialist, agree that this light will be perfect for helping your baby get plenty of quality sleep hours.
Make sure you paint the ceiling a warm white, which will allow this product to blend in and bring the warmer bulb tones to life when scattered across the ceiling.
9 M&S Mamas & Papas Wedmore Dresser Changer
I love how this changing dresser incorporates more earthy tones in the room. Don’t be afraid to mix woods and not match everything – the more wood tones the better for an authentic feel.
A lot of changing dressers have open shelves but with that usually comes clutter, so I love how this has convenient storage, but it’s neatly tucked away so there isn’t the pressure of constant tidying required for the room to stay looking stylish.
Naomi adds, “every nursery needs a quick and easy way to change little ones in the night with minimum disruption as possible – this is a great option for a quick and convenient space to change your baby during the night so that they are back into their sleep space with little fuss. Use the top drawer to organise the nappies, wipes and creams, so you have everything you need at your fingertips. And like Jennifer said, it’s best to have your essentials stored neatly away – it looks far better, but also having less on show means less distraction for your little one from a sensory perspective too, resulting in a better nights sleep for all!”
We’ve loved sharing with you our top stylish nursery products that will ensure you have a beautiful space for your little one to thrive in, and a special thank you to Naomi Hilliard, from Catching Little Dreams for providing her expertise on how these items can help achieve the perfect sleep environment.
If you’d like further help from Naomi on how to improve your little ones sleep, visit her website for more information on how she can help you and your family get through this magical but sometimes challenging time.
And if you’d like our expert interior design support to create a nursery you and your little one will love for years to come, click here to get in touch to chat about how we can help!