Is it possible to decorate a unisex – and tasteful – nursery?

Annie Deakin discovers how to create a Disney-free space for her pregnant bump

"I can't believe you don't want to know," is the resounding response when I explain I don't know the sex of my unborn child. Now eight months pregnant and hit by the "nesting bug", my mission is to create a unisex nursery that steers clear of cult-ish cartoon characters and lurid colours.

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With pregnant hormones on overload, decision-making near impossible and the realization that babies are not babies for very long, decorating a tasteful unisex nursery is a Mothercare minefield. Thankfully, Bunny Turner, co-founder of nascent design firm Turner Pocock, is on hand to give advice. Baby-friendly and kitsch need not go hand in hand, she assures me. "There is a trend for people to avoid the readily available. Cath Kidston has been seen and done."

Needless to say, baby blues, girly pinks, butterfly or tractor prints are out of the question for my uni-sex nursery. As is anything Disney related or twee.

"My advice is to steer away from predictable colours that are associated with sex. Instead, use aqua blues, turquoises, yellows and reds in moderation with a neutral palette," says Turner. "Keep a neutral palette as background but you need to have colour in a scheme otherwise it feels too cold and grown-up. You're not doing a Kelly Hoppen taupe drawing room."

She has a fair point; while the grown-up decorator in me yearns for greys and creams, my broody maternal instinct is resigned to the fact that my house is soon to be over-run with bright colours and plastic paraphernalia.

Instead of surrendering to Beatrix Potter curtains, I'm veering towards the idea of elephants, lions and tigers.

"The Safari theme has been one of the most popular nursery themes selected by new mothers for many years," says Laura Parker, B&Q's assistant Buyer for Wall Décor. "The theme is a very versatile way of decorating either a baby boy or girl nursery as it's a unisex style, so it's perfect for parents who choose to be in the dark." Their life-size hessian wall sticker of a zebra’s bottom hits the note of childish and charming simultaneously. And my OKA elephant lamp could add a touch of style without being too adult austere.

"Wall stickers are a trendy and popular idea because they are great fun and can make a statement on your walls by adding texture and interest," says Parker. "Since wall stickers are removable, you have the option to reposition the stickers on any walls inside the house, hassle-free."

It's a relief to find an alternative to stencilling or stamping which would have tested my dormant artistic nature.

Wall stickers may be practical but wallpaper remains popular in nursery design. It's really just a question of choosing a wallpaper design that will grow with the child, rather than anything age-specific. Turner Pocock's wallpaper designs, which include a red Polar Bear paper and an Ibis design, work equally well in a child's den as in a sitting room.

"Wallpaper is a commitment but it gives the room a bit of character which a child needs. It is relatively inexpensive in comparison to other costs in the baby’s room." If you're looking to save costs, Turner advises decorating plain linen curtains with trims from the likes of VV Rouleaux.

What about the practicalities of children's chaos? "Scribbling on the wall is an inevitable scenario in children's rooms so it's good to embrace the idea and sketch outlines on the walls for the children to fill in," suggests Turner. "Alternatively if the thought is too much to bear, include a blackboard in the room so they have a designated doodle area!"

Storage also should not be underestimated; why not use hooks on the back of doors as a creative outlet? Turner suggests heading to Anthropologie for great alphabet letter hooks made out of old print blocks or to Graham and Green for their bestselling deer horn hooks.

As for flooring, it's easy to introduce a rug which needn't be gender specific or expensive. Amy Kent creates bespoke children’s rugs in any colour while Tommy Gordon Berber rugs sell shaggy Moroccan rugs.

"If you want something really cheap, Made to Measure, who re-colour rugs to match your swatches, is a great source," says Turner.

As with any room in the house, lighting deserves much attention in a nursery. "Atmospheric lighting is very important. Bonpoint do cute little rabbit lights that you can keep on all night so the child can feel safe. Or I love the funky bulldog lights that are neither Cath Kidston, nor sex-driven so are good finishing touches."

Not knowing the sex of my unborn child does indeed make planning the nursery a challenge. But what is design if not to solve problems?

Annie Deakin is Editor of furniture and interior design website mydeco.com.