You don’t need a big room or a big budget to make a good nursery. You need a safe place to sleep, a sensible place to change, a comfortable place to sit, and enough storage that the floor stays clear. Everything else is decoration. Here’s how we’d approach each of those, in the order we’d buy them.
1. The cot
Start here, because it’s the only piece where the rules aren’t optional. Household cots sold in Australia have to meet a mandatory safety standard (AS/NZS 2172) covering things like bar spacing, the depth of the sleeping space, the absence of footholds and gaps that could trap a head or limb. A cot that complies will say so on its label. If it doesn’t, or if it’s a hand-me-down with no paperwork, treat that as a reason to look harder rather than a reason to panic; older cots can be checked against the current guidance from the ACCC and Red Nose, and many are fine.
Beyond compliance, the things that separate a good cot from an ordinary one are simple: solid construction that doesn’t rack when you push on a corner, a finish that’s low-odour and easy to wipe, and a mattress base that adjusts in height so you’re not bending double once your baby can sit up. Convertible cots that become toddler beds are worth the extra cost if you’ll actually use that stage; many families move to a proper single bed around the same time and never fit the conversion kit.
The mattress matters as much as the cot
Buy the mattress that’s made for the cot, or measure carefully. It needs to be firm, flat and a snug fit; the safe-sleep guidance is that you shouldn’t be able to fit more than a couple of fingers between the mattress edge and the cot side. A soft, sagging or undersized mattress undoes everything the cot standard is there to achieve.
2. The change station
You’ll use this more than any other surface in the room for the first year, so its height matters: the top should sit around hip height for whoever does most of the changing. Dedicated change tables are convenient, but a solid chest of drawers with a change pad on top does the same job, takes up no extra space and is still useful when nappies are a distant memory. Whatever you choose, it needs a raised edge or a pad with sides, and you need somewhere within arm’s reach for wipes and nappies so you never step away.
3. Somewhere to sit
Underrated until about the third night. A chair for feeding and settling should support your back and arms, be wide enough to hold a baby and a cushion, and be something you’d happily sit in for an hour. Rockers and gliders earn their keep, but a good armchair from elsewhere in the house works too. Put it near the cot, near a lamp with a warm, dimmable bulb, and away from the door.
4. Storage
Small clothes, small blankets, small everything: nursery storage is about lots of shallow compartments rather than a few deep ones. Drawers beat a wardrobe for baby clothes. Open shelving works for the things you reach for daily and looks good with a few books facing out, which is also how children learn to choose them. Anchor anything tall to the wall; this is the one job that people skip and shouldn’t.
5. Layout
Keep the cot away from windows, blind cords, heaters and power points, and out of direct sun. Put the change station and the chair on the same side of the room as the cot so the night-time circuit is short. Leave a clear path from the door to the cot that you could walk in the dark, because you will. If the room is small, choose furniture with legs rather than solid bases; seeing floor under things makes a room feel bigger.
6. Colour, light and the rest
Calm colours on the big surfaces, character in the small ones: art, a rug, a mobile, one good cushion. Blockout blinds are worth more than any decorative purchase for daytime sleeps in an Australian summer. Use low-VOC paint and give the room a few weeks to air before the baby arrives. And resist the themed room; a nursery that’s designed rather than themed will still look right when your child is six.
Buying second-hand
Nursery furniture is used briefly and often sold in excellent condition, and well-made timber pieces are worth seeking out second-hand. Check cots against the current safety guidance, buy a new mattress regardless, and be wary of anything with a drop side, missing hardware or a wobble. Chairs, drawers and shelving are much lower-risk and often a bargain.
Further reading
Places we’d send you next. Suggestions are always welcome.
- The ACCC’s product safety guidance on cots and nursery furniture is the authoritative Australian source on what the standards require.
- Red Nose publishes the safe-sleep advice that most Australian hospitals hand out; read it before you buy anything soft.
- Independent makers and small furniture studios often build nursery pieces to order; ask what standard they build to and whether they’ll show you the test report.