Six tips to create a modern nursery on a budget

Paint furniture to add a playful punch

Introduce colour to an otherwise neutral nursery by painting the crib a vivid hue. Here, emerald green pops and creates an energetic vibe.

Crib, Sears. Rug, HomeSense. Green quilt, basket, wooden eggs (mobile), West Elm.

Avoid buying everything from baby-specific furniture stores

Look for budget-friendly, one-of-a-kind pieces in consignment stores and flea markets, then update them with a coat of paint. You’ll create a space with character and personality that will stand the test of time. Sarah’s designer trick: “Save space and money by placing a ready-made change station on top of an existing dresser.”

Dresser, Arcadia Antiques. Change pad, cover, Pottery Barn Kids. Mirror, Green Tea Design. Chair and drapery fabric, Designer Fabrics.
Pillow fabric, Kravet Canada. Side table, Chatelet Home. Footstool, Of Things Past. Floor lamp, Office and Shop Furniture. Ribbon (on drapery), Mokuba, 416-504-5358.

Make your own art

Paint leaves in bright colours, press them onto paper with a rolling pin, then frame the prints.

Frame, Ikea. Art supplies, Currys.

Sew your own bedding

To get the custom look you want, purchase fabric to make sheets and accent pillows.

Bedding, Designer Fabrics. Stuffed animals, Kolkid.

Divide a small closet into sections

Add shelves, hooks and baskets to a cramped closet to help conquer clutter.

Clothes, Gap and Joe Fresh. Baskets, HomeSense.

Use two wallpapers (on the same wall!)

Spruce up a bland room with trim details. Crown moulding and a plate rail divide the space, allowing for different treatments. Textured grass cloth above the rail adds warmth while the tone-on-tone zebra-print wallpaper jazzes up the lower section without being overpowering. Sarah’s designer trick: “Unify mismatched furniture with paint. This bookshelf was updated with green shelves to match the crib.”

Wallpaper, Kravet Canada. Bookcase, Queen West Antique Centre. Wooden toys, Kolkid. Books, Indigo. Boxes, Ten Thousand Villages.
Vintage toys, The Painted Table, 416-915-7924. Plate rail trim, Brenlo. Basket on wall, Kiondo African Imports Inc. Baskets on bookcase, HomeSense. Giraffes, Snob.