Gender Neutral Retro-Vibe Nursery

February 22, 2024

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by Nikole

Welcome to Baby Oakley’s whimsical retro-vibe nursery! This gender-neutral nursery has jungle forest vibes, soft, colourful tones, and unique touches. With handmade art and a feature wall with wallpaper, I am so happy with how this nursery turned out!

We didn’t find out if we were having a boy or girl this pregnancy, which was such an exciting surprise (highly recommend!). That being said my mommy intuition was telling me all along I was having a baby boy so I feel like secretly my design choices were leaning one way. I think this nursery design turned out perfect for a gender-neutral room.

Favourite Things In The Nursery

Let’s start with the nursery’s focal point, the wallpaper! This was the first thing I picked out and really set the tone for the rest of the room. This removable retro-vibe wallpaper mixes neutral colours with a hint of greens and yellows. I love that it creates a statement but it’s not too overwhelming or busy.

hamper / diaper pail / dresser / rolling cart (similar) / rug / bassinet / curtains / rug wall art / lion wall art / animal poster wall art / mobile / lion pillow / bassinet

I love natural elements when decorating our home; the same goes for the nursery. I want it to be fun and playful but also have a sense of calm. At the last minute, I found this beautiful wooden lion wall art and thought that it might look cute layered on top of the wallpaper (permanent discussion since we put a hole through the wallpaper), and it was perfect! There are little pops of lions throughout his entire room.

changing pad / diaper caddy / sound machine / humidifier /

The Changing Station

My favourite piece is this mid-century style dresser. I’ve had my eye on this dresser for some time, and it did take convincing Matt as it was a little on the pricier side but we both agreed it was beautiful and that Oakley needed this in his nursery. This piece will grow with him and transition with him to his “big boy room” down the road. This dresser is also part of a whole set, so we can buy additional pieces to be added to his room later.

This changing pad I love! It’s sleek, easy to wipe, soft, and has a natural non-slip grip. We did use this for our daughter Sage’s nursery, and it’s still in excellent condition with zero stains from you know what. Definitely worth the money.

You can’t have a cozy nursery without a rug on the floor to give that extra warm and cozy feeling when changing diapers in the middle of the night or for playtime. Trust me, you spend a lot of time on the ground when you have little ones, so don’t forget about this important part of the room. Also, when Oakley starts crawling, this will be easier on his knees and legs.

mobile / dresser / rug / rolling cart / humidifier / changing pad / cloud brush holder (sold out) / dapier caddy / daiper pail

I love this mobile that I added above the changing station, it’s made of brass and definitely adds to the whimsical feeling of the room. I love incorporating different textures and materials into a room, and it’s a fun little detail that also gives him something to look at when I’m changing him.

Since Oakley will be sleeping in our room until he’s around six months old, we have him in a bassinet right now. This is actually the same one we used for our daughter, who is now 3, and we purchased it second-hand (since it’s quite a pricey one), but it holds its value, and since we’ve now used it with two babies, it’s been worth the splurge. Not only does it look sleek, but it is rated one of the safest bassinets and has white noise, a clip-in swaddle, and a rocking feature built right in that all connects to an app on your phone. If you have a fussy sleeper, you NEED this bassinet. The plan is to transition Sage into a big girl bed when she’s ready in the next few months and for Oakley to use the crib that Sage has been using. Sage sleeps so well in her crib and has shown zero interest in climbing out, so we’re trying to wait as long as possible to switch out the beds.

bassinet / rolling cart / rug / curtains / crib / wallpaper

Staying Organized

Organizers are an essential element when it comes to a nursery because you want to ensure you have everything at your fingertips when you need it. An organized nursery is essential because things will get busy quickly once the baby arrives, and all their stuff is tiny and can get lost or mixed up easily.

I put together a diaper caddy with everything we need for diaper changes (diapers, wipes, butt cream, you name it). Having a caddy next to the changing area makes it easier if you need to change the baby in another location or if you need to send a family member or helping friend to grab something for you (It’s easy to explain where something is located).

I also strategically put items like Oakley’s onesies, pajamas, and other items in the drawers below the changing table into drawer organizers. Having these items organized and located close by makes changing blow-outs and post-bathtime much easier.

dresser / drawer organizer / changing pad / rug

I love this sound machine so much that we have one in both of our kids rooms.. We have used it with our daughter Sage since she was a baby and still love it. It uses real recorded nature sounds, and you can control everything from your phone, which has been super helpful.

A humidifier is another essential in a nursery. Babies can be stuffy those first few weeks, and if you have a winter baby like I did both times, the air can be very dry from the heating. It can also help prevent getting sick as it helps to keep your airways hydrated and not dry and cracked. I like this one because you can add essential oils (if you needed down the road), and it can be used as a nightlight.

Beside the changing table, I have this cart on wheels. Perfect, so I can roll it where I need it to go, and it’s great for extra storage. This cart is full of diapers (lots) and baby wipes, and I have a diaper warmer, too (which I recently donated to a friend since we weren’t using it as much this time around). This is just extra storage and at-hand reach if we run out of essential baby supplies. You always want to stock up on diapers and wipes, and this caddy gives us the space to do so.

Decorative Wall & Storage

I love wall storage that also gives a decorative touch. These shelves were very affordable; I just got them off Amazon. I love that he’s already working on his very own book collection. I decorated the shelves with functional items like this portable egg night light (that you can carry around during late-night diaper changes. For a fun little hack, I turned the bottom shelf upside down so I could sit items on the top and use the rail to hang clothing. (The clothing of the day or just some of my favourite pieces).
The closet isn’t as grand as Sage’s custom budget-friendly nursery closet (second baby haha). So, if you’re looking for that classic built-in nursery closet setup, check out My Boho Floral Nursery Tour.