A modern or contemporary style nursery gives the room a spacious, uncluttered appearance. When selecting baby furniture, concentrate on clean, sharp lines, minimalist profiles and lighter woods and finishes. It is an ideal style for a nursery that is smaller or awkwardly-sized because it can make the room seem larger and more spacious. Since modern style focuses on the functional and practical, it can also work in smaller-sized spaceS, since each piece of furniture should have a specific reason for being there. Because there is little or no decorative detail, it can also be an excellent way to decorate a gender-neutral nursery. When it’s time to convert the nursery into a toddler’s room, a modern or contemporary design is very adaptable.

Choose a color palette (from Benjamin Moore) that is both neutral and soothing. By sticking to beiges, taupe, whites, grays or tans, the nursery will appear fresh and bright. If you feel adventurous, you can create an accent wall using your main wall color and one or two other complementary colors to paint stripes. You could also opt to paint one wall in a bold accent color that will make the room “pop.”

The Child Craft Falls Village 3-in-1 Convertible Modern Wood Crib in Matte White has all the criteria for a modern style nursery. The crib’s lines are clean, the overall form or profile is simple and the finish is soft matte (not shiny) white.

If you prefer darker colored furniture, the same can be said for the Aldi Juvenile Loft Crib, with its clean lines and simply-shaped crib ends. Although it has a dark wood finish, it is definitely modern in both style and design.

Clean lines and simple forms should also apply to the crib bedding you select for your nursery. The BeBe Chic Mod Squad 4 Piece Set has an asymmetrical pattern that is ideally suited to both a gender-neutral nursery and a modern style décor.

The focus of modern style is on form and function. Once you have chosen the three basic pieces of baby furniture you will need – the crib, the changing table and a dresser, chest of drawers or some other kind of storage like an armoire – add other furniture pieces sparingly to your nursery.

The two-tone finish of the Babyletto Modo 3-Drawer Wood Changer in Two-tone Espresso & White will perfectly match the crib, whether you choose one with a white or dark wood finish. The whole point of modern design is less is more. Even though this changing table has very simple lines, it has a unique yet charming appearance.

Match the Berg Furniture Oslo Nine Drawer Dresser to the crib if you have chosen a white one for your gender-neutral nursery.

For a nursery that has baby furniture with a dark wood finish, the Aldi Juvenile Maxx 3 Drawer Dresser is sleek and angular, with spare lines and a clean, simple profile. The brushed stainless steel drawer handles are definitely a characteristic of modern style.

Create a cozy corner with the Dutailier Liverpool Leather Glider and Ottoman where you can feed baby in comfort. It will also be a great place for storytime.

For a splash of fun and a touch of color to complement the crib bedding, add the Fun Rugs Yellow Fun Shag Rug to your nursery.

The trick to designing a modern style nursery that will look both comfortable and inviting, is to counteract the simple angular lines with crib bedding, artwork and window treatments that have patterns typical to modern forms and styles such as stripes, circles, blocks and asymmetrical shapes. Incorporating a non-specific theme such as the alphabet, numbers or artic or jungle animals, will create visual interest to the room and make the nursery “personal” to the little you’re welcoming into the world.