Decorating your baby’s nursery in Victorian style

Classic Victorian-style nursery furniture is elegant and long-lasting – so select quality pieces of furniture that are an investment for the future and can be passed down through the generations.

If you want your nursery furniture to last, then buy flexible pieces that grow with your child. A cot will only last until your child is around two years old, but if you buy a cot bed, they could be half way through primary school before you need to buy a new one. A cot top changer saves from having to buy a separate change table (great for small bedrooms). Alternatively, if you buy a chest of drawers with a removable changing tray, this becomes a practical and beautiful piece of furniture for any bedroom.  Don’t forget the essential toy box: this elegant Victorian-style storage chest will keep all the toys and pink plastic out of sight.

Victorian nurseries were grandiose and extravagant, with patterned wallpaper on the walls and lots of ruffles: around the cot, on blankets and clothes. A light-coloured wallpaper allows you to have a strong pattern without darkening the room, or creating an oppressive effect. A chandelier in the nursery might seem like an odd choice but actually works beautifully, giving the room a timeless elegance and keeping tiny babies amused with the twinkling light.

In the main, you will need to source brand new pieces of nursery furniture such as these, rather than looking for antiques. Unfortunately, original Victorian cots (if you are lucky enough to find one) would not meet today’s safety standards. So you will need to rely on modern replicas of the genuine article.

Victorian nurseries were often pink and frilly, with a strong floral theme, which might not be to everyone’s taste. But you could still keep the Victorian theme by turning to leaf or tree patterns, in grey or gold. Lightweight lace curtains at the windows provide the finishing touch to your Victorian-style nursery.

If you find a dresser that you love, but doesn’t look quite Victorian enough, consider changing the drawer handles for something a little more appropriate. Check out our range of Victorian door and drawer handles for inspiration.

When should you start decorating your nursery?

Many mothers-to-be are superstitious and don't want to start decorating their baby's nursery in the early stages of pregnancy in case it brings bad luck. In the first trimester you are also likely to be feeling especially tired and possibly unwell so best save your energy for the baby. Until the 20 week scan the sex of the baby can rarely be determined and if you wish to decorate in a colour to fit a boy or a girl rather than a generic colour scheme, you will need to wait for the sex of the baby to be determined before committing yourself to blues or pinks. So the ideal time to decorate a nursery would be between 20 and 30 weeks. After 30 weeks as you get bigger, you will become more tired and as many babies arrive early, its best not to leave it too late. If you don't want to find out the sex of the baby, generic baby colours are purples and yellows - this is a good choice so that your baby can remain an it until it's born.

Your Victorian home can still maintain its style even when your family is expanding. A Victorian-themed nursery for your baby is stylish and classy and is easy to recreate with a little help from the Victorian Emporium!