The Best Nursery Paint Colors + Design Tips

Designing a nursery is one of the most exciting parts of being an expecting parent. The nursery is a space for you and your baby that will hopefully be relaxing, functional and, of course, safe. When you have your heart set on a color scheme, one of the easiest ways to add that color to the nursery is with paint. But painting a room can feel daunting. It’s hard to know which exact shade to choose, which walls to paint, and what type of paint to get. We’ve put together our top tips to make painting your nursery a breeze!

The Best Nursery Paint Colors

The good news is, there is no best nursery paint color. The world is your oyster! Color is one of the most expressive tools we have in interior design, and I love to encourage my clients to explore it however they see fit. That said, there are some guidelines for painting the nursery that I always recommend:

In the soft blue nursery above, a soft blue hue makes the custom cabinetry feel perfectly integrated. Paint color: Benjamin Moore Lake Placid.

Choosing the Right Nursery Paint Color

Decide on a color family and sample, sample, sample. Paint is one of those things that you just have to try out first. The swatches you get from the store don’t cut it. Paint colors will change as they dry, will look different under various lighting, and can even look different depending on which wall(s) you choose within the room. I always recommend getting a few shades mixed at your local paint store (ask for the sample size) and paint them in your actual space. You can read more about some of our favorite paint colors in this post.

This gray and lavender nursery above was a great example of why it’s important to sample. The terracotta tiles on the outside of the house cast a very slight warm hue into the room. That’s why these walls actually look a bit lavender/mauve, but they are actually a very neutral gray! Paint color: Sherwin Williams Light French Gray.

In the Bold Green Nursery above, our client wanted to go all out and paint all the walls, including the doors. Since there was plenty of natural light, the space didn’t feel too dark. Paint color: Benjamin Moore Cushing Green.

Choose your sheen level. Paint comes in multiple sheen levels from fully flat to high gloss. For the nursery, I usually suggest an eggshell finish which has a slight sheen. Flat paint looks really nice as well, but doesn’t clean as easily. If you’re also painting an attached bathroom, you can go up to satin or semi-gloss since it’s more moisture resistant.

In this butterfly themed nursery, a super subtle shade of pink with a mauve undertone makes the room glow. Paint color: Dunn Edwards Windmill.

Nursery wall paneling is so popular, and this stunning soft sage green color creates a serene backdrop in this earthy nursery. Paint color: Sherwin Williams Rainwashed.

Always choose zero VOC paint. Paint is made of chemicals, and chemicals can release VOCs into the air. Most major paint brands have a zero VOC formula that has significantly less fumes, so make sure to ask for that. Even if you’re using zero VOC paint, it’s still a good idea to air out the nursery as much as possible and use an air purifier as well. Check out ECOS Paints or Clare Paint for some great non-toxic options.

In this traditional floral girl’s nursery, a soft mauve wainscoting balances the delicate floral wallpaper. Paint color: Benjamin Moore Kept Love Letters

This Southern inspired nursery has more of a monochromatic look with the walls, curtains and crib all in the same soft green color family. Paint color: Benjamin Moore Arctic Gray

Take advantage of the job. If you’re going to be painting anyway, it can be a good time to refresh your baseboards and molding, or even do touch ups in other areas of your home, especially if you’re hiring someone. This can also be a good time to do any drywall repair that will need painting afterwards.

For this modern black and white nursery, we wanted a clean fresh white with no yellow or green undertones. Paint color: Sherwin Williams Pure White

Warm woods look gorgeous against cool sage green in this modern beachy nursery. Paint color: Benjamin Moore Sage Wisdom

Keep any extra paint. Nurseries are prone to messes. Plus, since they are transitory in nature, you’ll be moving furniture around every few years and likely to ding your paint here and there. If you have extra paint, keep it! It will come in handy when you’re ready for those little touch ups. If you don’t have any left or don’t want to store it, take a photo of the label (including the brand, color and sheen level), so you can always go get more if it’s needed.

This blue board & batten nursery uses paint as an accent on the molding. We tested out several colors first, and the winner was clear! Paint color: Sherwin Williams Tradewind

Paint is a great way to totally transform your nursery design! One last tip—beware of what I like to call, “empty room syndrome.” The nursery will likely be empty when you paint it, and if you’re choosing a non-neutral color, it can feel a bit overwhelming at first. Once you get your furniture, window treatments, art and other decor in the space, the color will recede more into the background.

If you’re ready for help with painting your nursery, or anything else, check out our Virtual Nursery Design services!