When babies are first born they can only see black and white, although this doesn’t last for long. In a nod to this monochromatic start to life, we have created this winning black and white scheme. It’s a look that will grow with your child as it is easy to update for toddlers and even teenagers.

Painting

• If you can’t commit to a whole room in black and white then consider adding a soft pale aqua like Resene Riptide. Dusky pink or mint green would also look stunning with this monochromatic scheme. Use a soft pale shade as an accent colour for accessories, bedding and lighting for a cohesive look.

• Resene Black is painted three-quarters of the way up the wall, making the white cot stand out. The top of the wall is painted in Resene Alabaster, which continues onto the ceiling, making the room feel taller. Pictures look great hung at the halfway point.

• Paint isn’t just for the walls – floorboards painted in wide stripes are a striking feature (but would look equally great in plain white).

• A mixture of patterns creates visual interest, but stick to no more than three. We have used stripes, spots and geometric designs.

Left: Floorboards in Resene Walk-On Black and Resene Walk-On Alabaster; plastic animals painted in Resene Riptide, from Mega Choice; bead garland, from Ply NZ.  Right: Ply cloud shelf, from Ply NZ, cloud painted in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Riptide’ bunny print, from Shut The Front Door; nesting dolls, from White Fox & Co.

Storage

• Storage is key in a nursery so consider using vertical space on the walls. The cute cloud shelf is great for displaying toys and trinkets and introduces the pale aqua colour to the wall, breaking up the black and white.

• The ply wheelie box on castors stores toys, books and extra bedding and can easily be moved around the room.

• The round storage unit makes a great bedside ‘table’, and has ample space to store nappies, cloths and wipes for babies, but can be used for years to come.

• Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen (walls), Resene Lustacryl (trims, joinery and crate), Resene Walk-On (floor).

Accessories: Wall in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Black and Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Alabaster; rabbit print (not framed), and Neverland print, both from SE3; ply cloud shelf, painted in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Riptide, ply wheelie box, painted in Resene Lustacryl Alabaster and Resene Lustacryl Riptide, wooden bead garland, white star cushion, all from Ply NZ; Lily & George knitted cat, General Eclectic cage light, Aura moss-stitch cushion (aqua), all from Shut The Front Door; Amalfi cot, toddler conversion kit (as shown), and innersprung mattress, all from Mocka; fitted spotty cot sheet, from The Little Interiors Co; moon pillowcase, from Collected; black knot cushion, nesting dolls (on storage unit), both from White Fox & Co; Geo throw blanket, from Jamie Kay; black round storage unit, from Kmart; striped cushion, from Bold Lampshades; plastic animals, painted in Resene Riptide, from Mega Choice.