No spare room for a nursery? How to maximize a small nook or cranny

Emily Motayed Lancaster knows personally and professionally how important maximizing nursery space is.

“The minute you get pregnant, the temptation to start buying ‘stuff’ kicks in,” said Lancaster, a mother of two and co-founder of Nurture&. But, “the reality is that babies start out very small and don’t need very much.”

The essentials are a crib, chair and dresser. “Resist the urge to clutter your space with bouncers, baskets and ancillary items…[wait] until you really understand your family’s needs.”

Alanna Murray, interior designer with Murray Craft Builders, based in Larchmont, NY, and serving NYC and Westchester, got creative for a project in Sunnyside, Queens, carving out a corner of the living room for the nursery and installing wall-to-wall closets to hide all the necessary baby things.

Along with some custom corner shelving and a larger corner cabinet, the space had just enough room to comfortably fit a regular sized crib (convertible to a toddler bed) and a standard dresser with a changing table on top, said Murray.

Two key features for making this all work? Space-saving sliding barn doors and a stained-glass transom window from an architectural salvage shop in Brooklyn, which allowed more light in. Plus, “because of the flex design, it can easily be transformed into a functional office at resale,” said Murray.

Ahead, pros share their best pointers for maximizing precious space.

Choose multipurpose furniture

“Especially in a consolidated space, it’s important to incorporate multifunctional furnishings for plenty of extra storage,” said Gideon Mendelson, founder of Mendelson Group in New York City. A storage ottoman serves as a seat, he said, but can slide under the desk when more space is needed.

Similarly, Olma Fuentes, founder of Deni + Dove Interiors in West Caldwell, NJ, points out that toy storage benches come with a lot of benefits and are a great solution for keeping nurseries organized and a mess at bay. “They provide ample storage to hold larger items such as games and stuffed animals, and they also double as a fun seating area for reading,” she said.

Add pizzazz

Murray shared that many people are afraid to use color because they think it will make tiny spaces feel smaller, but the opposite is true. Whether it is a mural, wall paint (low-VOC recommended) or wallpaper, it can elevate small spaces, said Murray. “If you’re in a rental, use artwork, decals or temporary wallpaper,” she added.

To paint a tiny room without making it feel more cramped, Lancaster recommends painting the window trim and baseboards for “that pop” of color while still maintaining a sense of light and airiness.
Or, go the wallpaper route. “Wallpaper is having a major moment in small nurseries,” reports Latifah Miles, senior commerce editor at Babylist. “Certain patterns like vertical stripes and airy motifs actually trick the eye into seeing a larger space.”

Rethink rugs

“You want a soft landing spot, so invest in a bold rug to bring everything together, preferably one made from natural materials to limit off-gassing,” when materials release chemicals and gases into the air, said Murray.

What’s more, a “rug under a crib or toddler bed can visually carve out a nursery zone, even if it’s a nook in a primary bedroom or other shared space. Look for styles that frame the space or add a pop of color rather,” said Sara Adam Slywka, co-founder and CMO of Nestig.

Hit the wall

Don’t let wall real estate go to waste in pint-sized rooms. “Floating wall shelves and vertical bookshelves are great options to display books and other small decorative accents,” said Fuentes.

Think ahead

This is Lancaster’s go-to phrase when designing a little one’s haven. You’ll definitely want to buy pieces that make your life easier and more functional, but remember that this life stage is short-lived. “You’ll be much happier if you invest in furniture that can live outside the nursery.”

Design a room that your child can grow into, so once you remove the childlike elements — such as mobiles, cribs and changing tables — your youngster will still find the room appealing.