Best Black and White Nursery Inspiration
There’s something simple, clean and cool about a monochrome nursery. Here are 6 we love + how to get the look.
A black and white color scheme may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re thinking about designing your nursery space. But it should be—and we have the (beautiful) photos to prove it.
Monochromatic nursery spaces are clean, modern and ultra cool. They’re also endlessly customizable. You can stick strictly to black and white for a minimal, sleek look, add a pop of (any) color for some fun, work in some florals for a boho style…the options are truly endless. It’s also easy to keep a monochromatic nursery gender neutral.
We turned to our favorite Instagrammers for some B&W inspiration and tracked down all of the links where you can shop to get the look.
Black and White and Cool All Over
You may as well accept the fact that your baby is going to be way cooler than you could ever hope to be. Example A: this amazing nursery. This mom used black and white with a pop of electric blue to create one of the coolest nursery spaces we’ve ever seen. She made the simple white walls and ceiling pop with the addition of stick-on decals, awesome artwork (we’re looking at you, Biggie Smalls), tons of fun bookshelf accents and other accessories purchased from a variety of small businesses. We also love the contrasting black accents on the dresser.
How to Get the Look: Peel-and-stick wall decals are an easy, commitment-free way to add style to any wall; you can find these cool stars over at Project Nursery. The dresser panel accents are from O’verlays. You can snag the custom name pillow at Miles & Tate and the sweet doll at Rosie Girl London. And for lots of one-of-a-kind decor and room accents, check out The Little Homie, Delirious Digital and Piccoliny.
Modern Monochrome
If you’re going for a nursery with a modern aesthetic, a monochrome color palette is a great choice. Lots of black and white furniture and accent pieces lend themselves to a cool modern look. (We also love the choice of the bold, black accent wall here.) Another great perk? Your little one won’t “grow out” of a black and white nursery. It’s easy to update the look as your baby grows and add different accents and details based on their age and interests.
How to Get the Look: Nursery Works makes beautifully modern, comfortable nursery furniture; the Compass Rocker is the one pictured here. The rug is from West Elm and the accent wall is Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black. The personalized wooden name sign is from the Etsy shop Mod Wood Co.
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A Personal Touch
View this post on Instagram<https://www.instagram.com/p/CCtZC4fjKxY/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Is black and white ever a bad idea? I think not! Classic, cool, and always high impact. 💚 #DesignedbyFran.</a>
A fun way to liven up a white wall is with a fun accent—in this case, a hand-painted name. (Although you can get the same effect with stick-on decals, too.) And don’t forget the ceiling, the ultimate blank canvas. Because monochrome nurseries don’t use a lot of color, you have the freedom to use wallpaper or decals on your ceiling space, too. We love how it gives this nursery a completely one-of-a-kind feel.
How to Get the Look: The ceiling in this nursery is actually hand-painted (swoon) but you can get a similar look using peel-and-stick removable wallpaper like these polka dots from White Corner Designs or these irregular dots from Project Nursery. The crib is similar to Babyletto’s Hudson 3-in-1 Convertible Crib (though it doesn’t currently come in black, so you’ll have to do some painting if you want this look), and the monogrammed blanket is from Butterscotch Blankees. The rocker the Compass from Nursery Works.
Big and Bold
Looking for a really bold statement? This interior designer mom (can’t you tell by her gorgeous taste?) contrasted her son’s dark black nursery walls with stark white wall decals. The result is a super stylish, super sleek nursery space that will grow right along with baby.
How to Get the Look: The Kalon Caravan crib is the centerpiece of this nursery. It’s on the pricier side, so if you love it but it’s not in line with your budget, check out the Lolly 3-in-1 Convertible Crib from Babyletto—it has a similar look but is about a third of the price. You can find the hot air balloon wall decals at Wayfair. For affordable, versatile picture frames for wall art, IKEA’s selection (and prices) can’t be beat.
Sleek and Stylish
Black and white might be simple, but when done right, it’s far from boring. Adding a focal point to your monochrome nursery, like the incredible light fixture in this space, can really make a room pop. We also love the storage space built right into this crib—because babies have a lot of stuff, and you can never have enough places to stash it all. (📸:@paularallis)
How to Get the Look: This one-of-a-kind chandelier is from Dhier Home. The wallpaper is from Dorothy Shain, and the black and white rug is from the Etsy shop Berber Artisanat Fine. The crib is similar to the DaVinci Asher 3-in-1 Convertible, though to get it to look like the crib pictured here, you’ll need a couple coats of black paint and some decorative metal accents on the outer corners.
Neutral Accents
A monochrome nursery doesn’t have to strictly feature black and white. There’s lots of room to work in neutrals for a softer look, and this nursery is a great example of how to do just that. The warm tones from the wood floor and the crib soften the bold black and white pattern of the wallpapered accent wall. And we’ll never say no to some framed Pharrell + Jay-Z lyrics.
How to Get the Look: The monochrome wallpaper is the Noah print from Loomwell. The crib is the Lolly 3-in-1 Convertible from Babyletto, and the chair is similar to Nursery Works’ Sleepytime Rocker. The dresser is the IKEA Hemnes 8-Drawer with the knob handles swapped out for pull straps, and the rug (which is washable—a super convenient feature to consider for any nursery) is Ruggable’s Thalia pattern.
Babylist Staff
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Babylist editors and writers are parents themselves and have years of experience writing and researching, coming from media outlets like Motherly, the SF Chronicle, the New York Times and the Daily Beast, and the fields of early childhood education and publishing. We research and test hundreds of products, survey real Babylist parents and consult reviews in order to recommend the best products and gear for your growing family.
