The animal themed nursery has been a popular choice for decades, and that trend doesn’t seem to be changing anytime soon.
The cool thing about animal themed decor is that you can take it in so many different directions. You can choose one favorite animal to focus on or you could bring several animals into the decor (circus, jungle, merry-go-round, etc.) to add a little variety.
Once you’ve settled on an animal or animals for your decor, you get to build your theme out from there. What environment does this animal live in? Can you bring some of those elements into your baby’s room? Mountains, woods, and the jungle all make for awesome backdrops, as you’ll see in some of the pictures below.
Parents have done so many cool things with their animal theme kids room, and we went out in search of some of the best examples. Check out these pictures, and begin building up inspiration for your own project.
Whether you’re looking to completely DIY a room from the ground up, or if you’re just looking to add some finishing touches, you’re going to find some really great ideas right here.
Monika Sollis ~ @sunsetsandbubblyblog
"I’m Monika a 26 year old wife and mama to the sweetest little boy, Roman Liam. I am a lifestyle blogger and I love sharing about my motherhood journey!
Q. – Tell us about your design process. Do you begin with an initial object or theme as an inspiration?
A. – When I started my sons nursery I already had a theme in mind. I wanted something that would be sweet for a boy but also kind of gender neutral and not too loud.
Q. – What was the most essential goal you wanted to achieve when you initially designed this space?
A. – I wanted the baby’s room to fit the style of the rest of our home. I wanted it to be an extension of our house but also something sweet and bring in a little more color hence the pale blue walls we chose instead of the grey we have throughout the rest of the house.
Q. – Did you face any unforeseen challenges while creating this space? How did you handle it?
A. – The challenge we faced was actually not being able to find a nice dresser that would serve as a diaper changing station and be functional as well. We ended up using one of our old pieces of furniture we already had from Ikea and bought some cute bins on Amazon and that ended up working so well for us and fit in perfectly with the rest of the room too.
Q. – What was the most exciting/thrilling part of the design process?
A. – I am the type of person that already has a vision in mind of what I want a space to turn out like. Seeing it all come together and actually all work so well outside of my head was so exciting.
You know when sometimes in your head something sounds like a much better idea than it is when you do it in real life? Well, with the nursery it wasn’t like that. Everything turned out perfect, just how we have dreamt of it to be!
Q. – Any tips or advice you can share with other designers and parents?
A. – I got a lot of my inspiration from following different accounts on Instagram and Pinterest.
I took things from here and there and didn’t just copy one style. Have fun with it, make it a space that is relaxing for you and your baby because you will be spending a lot of time in that room at all different times of the day.
The most important thing about a nursery I think is it’s functionality. You want it to be as easy as possible for both you and your partner to find what you when you need it!
Alex Davies ~ @the_wiggleroom
"I am a DIY-loving stay at home mum to a cheeky, happy 2 year old. Having loved my previous job as a teacher and tutor, I am now taking on my next challenge of renovating our dilapidated Victorian house with a toddler in tow.
Q. – Tell us about your design process. Do you begin with an initial object or theme as an inspiration?
A. – As much as I like to think that I have a vision when I begin a room, I tend to be inspired by items that I find. For my daughter’s room, I began with a ‘scandi’ vibe in mind but the items I bought led me towards a more safari/adventure-themed space.
Q. – What was the most essential goal you wanted to achieve when you initially designed this space?
A. – I wanted my daughter to have a fun room that inspired her creativity and adventurous spirit. It was important for her to have items that she could freely interact with and a space that made her excited to play.
Q. – Did you face any unforeseen challenges while creating this space? How did you handle it?
A. – Nothing unforeseen, however little people come with a lot of stuff so I had to think creatively about how to organise and store all of her toys.
Q. – What was the most exciting/thrilling part of the design process?
A. – Definitely seeing how happy and excited my daughter is using her playroom which, after all, was the main aim of the whole design!
Q. – Any tips or advice you can share with other designers and parents?
A. – Take your time and don’t be afraid of changing the vision you initially set out with.
Kate Boucher ~ @fiveminutespeaceshop
"I'm a stay at home mom of two little ones in the Pacific Northwest. I love making and creating and currently sell some of my creations in my Etsy shop.
Q. – Tell us about your design process. Do you begin with an initial object or theme as an inspiration?
A. – The inspiration for this nursery began with a sweet stuffed lion. The second inspiration was a colorful quilt I had in my head, and eventually created. The lion was a stepping stone towards a jungle animal theme and the quilt lead me to bold and simple aesthetics.
I didn’t want to go overboard with a theme, so I opted to keep the walls and furniture simple and add in the jungle elements in the bedding and artwork. These can also be changed out overtime as he grows up.
Q. – What was the most essential goal you wanted to achieve when you initially designed this space?
A. – I wanted to create a space that was colorful and playful and that would grow with my child. The room doesn’t get much natural light so I knew I needed light and bright colors on the walls.
I love the two toned walls and the playfulness of the triangles on top. The best part is they’re just black tape and can be removed if/when he grows out of the style or needs a change! But I love color and couldn’t bear to stick to just black, white, and grey, so I added pops of color in the art, bedding, and accessories.
Q. – Did you face any unforeseen challenges while creating this space? How did you handle it?
A. – I purchased a dresser on Craigslist to use as a changing table. Unfortunately, I didn’t smell the inside of the drawers before bringing it home. They reeked of cigarettes! I tried everything I could to get the smell out, sanded and repainted the whole dresser, but eventually I had to just let it go.
I definitely learned my lesson! I ended up purchasing an unfinished dresser and painting/staining to my taste and in the long run, I like it even more.
Q. – What was the most exciting/thrilling part of the design process?
A. – I love when all of the elements finally fall into place. I wanted to DIY the mobile and was searching for affordable materials. When I found these 3D animal cards on Etsy, I nearly squealed with delight!
I had the same feeling when I found the fabric for my little guy’s baby blanket. I love hunting for unique and colorful items from a variety of sources, so I get excited when they all come together to create a cohesive space.
Q. – Any tips or advice you can share with other designers and parents?
A. – Try not to commit too strongly to a theme. If you were putting together an outfit you wouldn’t want everything to be the same color and pattern, right?
Designing a room should have a similar principle. Also, choose things you love and that makes you smile. For the first few years the nursery is for you as much as it is for your child. Make it a space you both will love.
