Especially if you’re expecting your first baby and it’s a girl, you want the nursery to be a special and magical for your little one’s first years. When designing a nursery, pick a theme. This is an easy way to start decorating your baby’s first bedroom, because everything you select will be related to the theme, giving the room a cohesive, finished look that will be both stylish and inviting. Don’t forget that you will also be spending a lot of time in the nursery. So choose a color palette, nursery furniture and a theme that is pleasing to you. A festive fair, circus or carnival theme gives you plenty to work with in terms of decorating ideas. With a circus theme, you can make the nursery as simple or elaborate in design; as frilly or tailored in appearance as elaborate as you want. 

To capture the sights, sounds and flavors of a carnival or a circus pick colors that are sunny, bright and bold or reminiscent of cotton candy. The darker shades of pink shown here can be used as accent shades in the room. Since carnivals, fairs and circuses mostly occur during the summer months, pastel blues and greens could also be brought into the nursery by way of window treatments, wallpaper patterns, wallpaper borders and crib bedding.

Don’t underestimate the power of color; to stimulate her wonder and curiosity make the room as colorful as possible by using a number of different shades, without making the nursery look busy or over-decorated. 

Basic furnishings for a nursery include a crib, crib mattress, a change table, a dresser and a rocker or oversized comfy chair. Let’s start with the Little Miss Liberty Carousel Rocking Horse Round Canopy Baby Crib. Its whimsical, carousel design perfectly fits in with our carnival theme. The crib is rich in detail and will give your baby’s nursery a smart and stylish sense of lighthearted fun. 

A dresser or a chest of drawers is a must-have for storing baby clothes, accessories and other baby treasures. A change table will make both you and your baby comfortable, especially considering how often you will be changing you baby girl. If you’re concerned about buying a piece of furniture with a limited shelf life, select a type of changing table that can be repurposed as a dresser or chest of drawers. In addition to the crib, whatever furniture pieces you choose, they should have a festive flavor to them, ideal for a carnival-themed nursery for your baby girl’s very first room. 

Color swatches are from Benjamin Moore.