Creating the perfect nursery to welcome your little one home is a favorite activity of new parents. You want everything in the nursery to be just right, from the beautiful crib or bassinette, to the nursery paint scheme and accessories. Decorating a nursery for baby can be as expensive as you want it to be, but luckily for parents on a budget, it's possible to create a stunning nursery without breaking the bank.

Nursery basics
Professional decorators advise one of the most affordable yet high-impact changes you can make in a nursery is to paint it. Traditional blues and pinks are nursery favorites, but for a gender neutral nursery, soft greens and yellows are also popular choices. Don't be afraid to experiment in your nursery! Choose an unlikely nursery color, or create a rainbow or underwater seascape on the nursery walls! Keep in mind that high-contrast colors like lime green or magenta, are emotionally and physiologically stimulating – which may make them more appropriate for a playroom than a nursery. The best part about painting a nursery is that if you don't like the color, you can simply start again, creating a completely different nursery for about $30.

Simple trims are another way to beautify a nursery. Molding can be applied at the mid-point of the wall as a transition for a duo-toned nursery, or can also be used to create a picture shelf to display family memories in the nursery.

Nursery extras
Storage is always valuable in a nursery, and shelves are a great addition, particularly if the nursery is small. Unfinished shelves can be purchased for a few dollars at building supply stores, and are a wonderful way to personalize a nursery while increasing display space.

Static-adhered wall or window decorations are a dirt-cheap way to add whimsy to a nursery. Available in a variety of characters and colors, these filmy decorations are easy to install and easy to change. Wallpaper trims and painted stencil art or murals are other ways to make a nursery delightful without depleting your nursery budget. Acrylic frames with homemade artwork are interesting for your baby to look at while in the nursery, and the pictures can be easily changed to create different nursery focal points.

Nursery safety
Nursery bedding can be a big-ticket item, but remember that nursery comforters, pillows and bumper pads can be hazardous to infants. You can save a bundle on your nursery – and reduce your infant's risk of SIDS – by choosing a fitted mattress sheet and a light blanket to outfit your baby's nursery. Make sure all nursery furniture (especially if you buy used nursery items) meets safety standards, and that all nursery armoires, dressers and freestanding shelves are secured to the wall to reduce the chance of accidental tipping and nursery injury.