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Nursery Furniture Buying Guide

Expecting a new addition to the family? If you’re planning out your nursery, you might be feeling overwhelmed by all the furniture options out there. Maybe you’ve watched what feels like 4 million must-haves-for-newborns videos - but you’re still not sure what nursery furniture you actually need for yours? Never fear! We’ve pulled together this handy nursery furniture buying guide, so you can figure out exactly what pieces you need to shop for before the baby comes.

Creating a bedside nursery

When your baby is a newborn, it’s best for them to sleep in the same room as you. This dramatically reduces the risk of SIDS, but also makes it easier to check on baby during those anxious first few weeks - and wake up for feeds in the middle of the night. This is recommended for the first 6 months of their life, so many parents decide to create a mini bedside nursery until their baby is ready to graduate to their own room.

Bassinet or moses basket

Unless you’ve decided to co-sleep with your baby, the most important thing you’ll need for a bedside nursery is a bassinet or moses basket. Many parents choose this over a full-size crib as it takes up less space - and you may not have room for a full-sized crib next to your bed! There are many options to explore, including some which rock, or can be easily moved around the house when needed - so take the time to choose the option that’s right for you. And remember: other than your baby, the mattress, and their blanket or sleeping bag, there shouldn’t be anything else in the bassinet while they are sleeping in it.

For the full rundown on creating a safe and calm space for your baby to sleep, we recommend reading the NHS advice on sleep safety for newborn babies.

Storage for the newborn stage

Other than the bassinet, you’ll likely want somewhere to keep all the newborn paraphernalia you’ll need through the night - we’re talking about nappies, wipes, a changing mat, feeding accessories, and all the postpartum bits and bobs for mum. A wheeled cart is a popular option - but a bedside table with drawers might be a better investment for the long term, and can also be a great way to keep all those things tidy and within reach.

Furnishing the nursery

Giving baby their own space is an important part of the nesting process for many new parents. But what pieces of furniture do you actually need? Here’s our run-down of what you’ll want to prioritise…

Cots and mattresses

Once baby is old enough to graduate to their own room, they’ll likely need a bigger cot to see them through the next few months and years of their life. Many cots have different height settings to maximise flexibility as your child starts to sit and stand, and some even transform into toddler beds, so have a think about what functionality you want in a cot while shopping for it.

Generally it’s fine to re-use a cot - whether it was used by an older child or you bought it secondhand - but it’s very important that you invest in a brand new mattress for a new baby. This way, you can be sure their immune systems are properly protected - very important at such a young age. Our special range of cot mattresses are made with carefully selected materials that are safe for babies and toddlers - and come with washable covers or mattress cores, so there are no worries about nighttime accidents or poonamis!

Twinkle cot mattress

Lullaby cot mattress

Snuggle cot mattress

A comfortable chair

A comfortable chair in the nursery is a godsend for lots of things - feeding baby, rocking them to sleep, reading bedtime stories… the list is endless! While many of us quite rightly focus on the things baby needs, it’s also important to take care of the new mum and dad. A comfortable, dedicated chair is an excellent investment for the nursery you’ll get a lot of use out of.

There’s plenty of options depending on your preference too - of course, a classic rocking chair is a great choice, but you could also invest in a cosy wingback chair and footstool, or even a luxury power recliner.

And don’t forget somewhere for mum and dad to stash their drink! A well-placed side table is the ideal way to keep that water bottle or book handy, particularly during contact naps or nighttime feeds.

Nappy changing

A nappy changing station keeps all your essentials, and is the perfect spot for nappy changes. You could opt for a changing table, but a chest of drawers can be just as good - and has a bit more longevity. It’s also ideal for stashing baby clothes!

Iona

Grange

Jordan

Nursery clothes storage

Every new parent we know ends up with too many baby clothes…! What with them being so cute - and family members wanting to get in on the baby clothes shopping action - it can be a bit of a mission to organise all those little sleepsuits, onesies and outfits. Having a great clothes storage system in the nursery - particularly one you can arrange by age or size - will make finding the 5th clean outfit of the day much easier!

You have a couple of options here - chests of drawers and wardrobes both work well. A combination of both is perfect, and will be ideal as your little one - and their closet - grows.

Storage for toys and books

Another important storage system for your nursery is somewhere to keep all baby’s books and toys. A shelving unit is a great option for both - you can use the higher shelves for display, and as baby starts to toddle, they can even get toys from the lower shelves down themselves to play with, giving them a little bit of independence as they start to show more preferences.

And don’t forget, toddlers love to climb! Make sure any units in the nursery are secured to the wall so little ones can’t pull heavy furniture down on top of them - most pieces of furniture come with wall ties included to make this easy.

Nursery accessories and decor

With all your main furniture pieces covered, it’s time to choose the finishing touches for your nursery! A soft, cosy rug makes the room instantly feel warmer - and it’s also great for tummy time, too. A baby mobile hung above the crib is a classic, and some lovely wall art for them to admire is the ideal way to add personality to the nursery. You’ll want to invest in a lamp for bedtime stories, and a nightlight is brilliant for middle-of-the-night feeds or nappy changes where everyone is still feeling sleepy. Last of all, don’t forget a laundry basket for all those dirty clothes!