Creating a Gender Neutral Nursery for Twins

When we learned that we were pregnant with our twins, I was excited for the opportunity to put my HGTV degree to use and design their nursery! We knew we were having girls because we opted to find out their genders ahead of time. So, I personally wanted a girly themed nursery with light pastel pinks and whites, flowers, and neutral tan accents incorporating texture and fabrics (see below).

Our girls’ nursery

But, that was 2020, and this is now. I love the idea of neutral colors to create a soothing, relaxing space that is also functional for both boys and girls. And, by using natural elements and earthy tones, you can create a space that you’ll be happy with for boy/girl twins as well! So, let’s dive in and get to creating!

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Color Palette and Themes for inspiration

A. Choosing gender-neutral colors

1. Soft pastels: Discover the soothing charm of gentle pastel hues that create a serene atmosphere.
2. Earth tones: Embrace the warmth and versatility of earthy colors for a timeless appeal.

Photo credit: KMCC Design Co.

B. Theme ideas that work for any gender

3. Nature-inspired: Bring the outdoors in with natural elements for a calming space
4. Animal kingdom: Dive into a world of whimsy with animal-themed decor that will inspire curiosity and creativity – our girls still love the wall art we chose with woodland animals
5. Neutral colors: maybe color IS your theme. Choosing different colors and texture combinations can make the space inviting, warm and cozy for you and your twins

Photo credit: Project Nursery

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Furniture and Layout

A. Versatile crib options

6. Convertible cribs: personally I am a fan of anything that can be used for as long as possible to get your money’s worth – which is why cribs that can be converted to toddler beds are a win in my book. (Tip: Hiccapop also makes a universal toddler rail that can convert virtually any crib into a toddler bed)
7. Neutral bedding choices: Opt for bedding that complements the overall theme while maintaining neutrality. We love these waterproof crib sheets by BlueSnail on Amazon that are great especially once they reach the potty training stage! Read our post on potty training twins in 3 days, here.

Photo credit: Project Nursery

B. Practical layout for twins

8. Space optimization: Maximize the nursery’s space for both play and rest. We placed our cribs against one wall to free up the rest of the room for playtime. We still had room for a rocking chair and a dresser that doubled as a changing table
9. Accessibility: Less is more. Make sure the furniture you choose is appropriately sized for the room. Sometimes less stuff means less clutter = less things to tidy up that might drive you crazy later on.

Photo credit: Emily Gerald Photography

Wall Decor and Art

A. Neutral wall colors

10. Explore the timeless elegance of neutral wall colors that provide a blank canvas for creativity.

B. Wall Art

11. Customized prints: Personalize the nursery with bespoke artwork that tells your family’s unique story.
12. DIY wall decals: Infuse a personal touch with do-it-yourself wall decals that express your creativity.

Photo credit: Cozy Nursery

Personalized Touches

A. Customized name decor

13. Add a personal touch by incorporating customized name decor that celebrates each twin’s individuality.

Photo credit: Kristen Roberts

B. Handmade items from local artisans

14. Blankets: Snuggle up with locally crafted blankets that add warmth and character. You could include a personalized monogram for each twin.
15. Stuffed animals: Choose handmade stuffed animals to introduce a touch of whimsy and comfort.
16. Pillows: I’m all about nursery accent pillows. They can really bring a space together, and also come in handy on a nursery rocker. We chose a cute, pink, soft furry pillow that looks like Bambi to go along with our pastel girly woodland animals theme.

Lighting Choices

17. Dimmable lighting: we love having a modern, dimmable floor lamp in the nursery to use during the night on its dimmest setting so that it’s bright enough to see, but not so bright that it completely wakes up the babies
18. Night light: along with our dimmable floor lamp, we also have a night light that stays plugged in all the time. It turns off when the overhead light is on to save energy.

Photo credit: Nursery Design Studio

Unique Toys and Books

19. Babys’ first books: We love these cute baby books made especially for twins
20. First dolls: Hand-knit twin dolls with personalized outfits and matching accessories.
21. First stuffed animals: Personalized plush animals with each twin’s name embroidered on them. The girls had a hand-knit deer that was so precious. It’s still one of my favorite gifts we received. The cuddle + kind shop has so many cute options.
22. Loveys: I love that Angel Dear came out with loveys that are packaged with 3 together. So you have a pair and a spare! Also, stock up with a couple extras, because if your babies are anything like mine, when a lovey goes missing it can be the end of the world.

Photo credit: Minimalist Mama

Storage Solutions

23. Baskets: Woven seagrass or woven fabric baskets with a neutral look for organizing toys and small items in the nursery are key – if things get messy, pick up the entire basket and gather things to toss in as you go
24. Over-the-door storage: Hanging over-the-door fabric organizers with pockets for easy access to diapers, wipes, and other necessities.
25. Closet bins: Clear plastic or fabric bins with labels for organizing and storing different-sized clothing items in the nursery closet. We also store all their little baby shoes in these, too!
26. Diaper caddy for dresser: Basket diaper caddies with compartments for diapers, wipes, and other changing essentials that you can even pick up and easily move with you into other rooms of the house.
27. Diaper stackers that hang on a dresser or door: Hanging fabric diaper stacker organizers with cute designs and multiple pockets for organizing diapers on the back of the nursery door.
28. Over-the-door hooks: Decorative hooks for hanging clothes, towels, diaper stackers, or diaper bags on the back or front of the nursery doory.
29. Under-bed (or crib) storage: Fabric underbed storage bins for keeping extra blankets, bedding, or out-of-season clothing came in clutch for us. I stored all of the girls’ hand-me-down clothes that they would eventually grow into underneath their cribs in these.
30. Children’s hangers & clips: Small colorful hangers and clips designed specifically for children’s clothing. I loved the velvet hangers and clips, personally.
31. Clothing closet dividers: Closet dividers with size/age labels are extremely helpful in keep all of those cute little clothes easily accessible and organized. You’ll be able to quickly glance and know what you have for each season.
32. Dresser drawer dividers with labels: Drawer dividers for the dresser with labeled compartments for socks, onesies, and other clothing items.

Photo credit: Nursery Design Studio

Photo credit: Nursery Design Studio

Greenery & Plants

33. Corner plants: Low-maintenance, child-safe potted plants placed in the corners of the nursery. I think bringing a little greenery into the space brings nature and the outside in. It can be calming and relaxing.
34. Hanging plants: Hanging macramé plant holders with baby-safe plants.

Photo credit: Minimalist Mama

Black-Out Curtains

35. Nursery Curtains: Customized nursery curtains featuring a whimsical design that matches the nursery theme.
36. Black-Out Liners: Blackout curtain liners for additional light-blocking capabilities.

Did you know? You can purchase black-out curtain liners to hang underneath your favorite nursery curtains

Photo credit: Alyssa Roloff

Rugs

37. Non-wool rugs: I bought a gorgeous wool rug for our twin nursery, it was absolutely beautiful. But after a few weeks, I HATED that thing. It shed constantly. It was not easy to clean. It was not soft for my babies to crawl on. So the moral of this story is, avoid a wool rug at all costs. The cuteness doesn’t make up for the material being impractical for a nursery. Get a cute, soft nursery rug instead.
38. Washable rugs: We love our Tumble rug. It comes with a pad that goes underneath and it’s washable. A great option for a nursery or pretty much anywhere else in your house.

Photo credit: UW Decals

Safety Measures

39. Childproofing: Stock up on childproofing essentials such as outlet covers, cabinet locks, and corner guards.
40. Air purification: Clear out the dust particles in your home (especially if you have pets!) and create a healthy space to breathe for your littles. We love this quiet, HEPA air purifier.
41. Non-toxic materials and finishes: Furniture and decor items made from non-toxic materials and finishes. Make sure your home is free of lead based paints.

Budget-Friendly Tips

42. Furniture that can grow with your twins: Convertible cribs and dressers that can be adapted as the twins grow older.
43. Thrift stores: Second-hand furniture and decor finds from thrift stores. This can also be a great place to find storage solutions!
44. Updated hand-me-downs: Refinished or repainted hand-me-down furniture to match the nursery theme.
45. Facebook Market Place: We bought our girls’ dresser that was an antique refinished piece off of the Facebook Market Place. If you get lucky you can find some really unique pieces that are a bargain compared to purchasing online brand new.
46. DIY Projects to save cost: If you’re handy, you can pretty much DIY anything to save a few dollars and they even sell plans on Etsy for furniture and other items. See our list below.

Photo credit: The Lovely Drawer

DIY Projects

47. Book shelves: DIY bookshelves made from reclaimed wood or recycled materials.
48. Board and batten walls: DIY board and batten accent walls for a stylish and cost-effective nursery decor. This can really give the room an upscale look without the price.
49. Girls’ headband and bow storage: Headband and bow storage using repurposed materials, or an IKEA floating bookshelf with a dowel rod hung underneath like we did for ours!
50. Personalized names: Etsy is a great place to look for these!
51. Curtain tie-backs: I found some super cute ideas on Pinterest for these that can be homemade.
52. Murals: If you’re feeling artsy you could paint your own nursery mural accent wall, or use stencils.
53. Dresser refinishing: Bring an old dresser to life by refinishing it with a fresh coat of paint or new hardware.
54. Lighting: We found these cute DIY cloud lights on Pinterest.
55. Ikea nursery hacks: Clever and budget-friendly nursery solutions using Ikea furniture and accessories like placing the IKEA KALLAX cube storage on its side to fit into a long closet for storage baskets.
56. DIY Baby Crib Mobile: We love these cute little mobiles from Pinterest.

Photo credit: Style Curator

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What are some of your favorite twin nursery designs at the moment? Share with us in the comments!