You know him as the co-host of Discovery Channel's Surprise by Design, and host of E! Entertainment Television's Fashion Police, and now Robert Verdi can help parents solve their decorating dilemmas in the nursery.

"Nurseries are not a separate entity of the house, though in the past they were treated as if they were," Verdi says. "The traditional childish looks we've seen for years can too quickly become outdated as the child grows." The truth is, homeowners can create a child's room that is harmonious with the rest of the house. In fact, Robert says, if new parents focus instead on style, sophistication and organization, "the look can be a welcoming environment without having to lose that sweet sensibility."

Here are Robert's top ten tips for decorating nurseries:

1. Pick sophisticated patterns and colors. When it comes to decorating nurseries, don't limit yourself to juvenile characters and baby blues and pinks - think outside the room! There's no reason that the baby's room can't be as stylish as the rest of the house. Sophisticated patterns and soothing colors, with a child-like twist, will last a lot longer than your traditional, more babyish looks.
2. Think wallpaper. An easy place to infuse change is the walls; and wallpapering is a great way to achieve a chic environment. With wallpaper, you get a triple play of color, texture and design - and you can't achieve that with paint, Robert says. The new technology of wallpaper makes it easier than ever to use and can achieve effects ranging from faux finishes to custom-painted murals.
3. Go for the unexpected. Instead of sticking with traditional looks and colors, go for something more unexpected. Try a toile in a brown and pink colorway, for example. Or a bold vertical stripe, which will achieve a lively graphic effect in the room.
4. Divide the room. Create impact by dividing the room horizontally with two complementary wallpaper patterns, separated by a shelf unit that runs along the entire wall. If the shelf also has hooks on the underside, then it doubles as both a storage solution as well as a design element.
5. Use harmonizing patterns. If the gender of the baby is unknown and the parents want to finish decorating the room before the birth, then neutral colors are a perfect solution. Using two harmonizing wallpaper patterns - such as a safari pattern in a Robin's egg blue colorway coupled with a brown leopard skin print, for example - creates a sophisticated look that is still appropriate for either sex.
6. Select a theme. Another smart idea is to be focused, Robert says. By picking a theme first, it will be easier to tie all your elements together. For example, if you want to encourage reading, choose a learning nursery theme and incorporate the alphabet in whimsical ways throughout the room. An animal theme, however, will fit in nicely with all of those stuffed animals!
7. Paper the entire wall. Though it may be tempting to couple wallpaper borders with paint, don't do it, warns Robert. Borders alone with paint doesn't achieve the maximum impact that an entire wall of wallpaper would.
8. Modify your closets. Another one of Robert's great tips for nurseries is to take off the doors of the baby's closet to create a built-in piece of furniture without invading your space like one. To set it off with style, he adds, wallpaper the insides of the closet with a bold pattern, like stripes or large-scale flowers, since it's usually not a lit space. Cute baskets and hangers will finish the look and keep everything organized.
9. Add a mural. Another powerful design element is to add a wallpaper mural. To have an artist paint animals or scenes on the wall would take days to complete and cost thousands of dollars. An easy and cheaper alternative, however, is wallpaper, says Robert, and today your child has so many options: seascapes, country landscapes, and celestial views. Whatever he or she fancies is probably available.
10. Embrace patterns. But most importantly, Robert says, don't be afraid of patterns! Like anything else in life, you have to take the risk. And you'll end up with a perfect, vibrant environment to stimulate children's imaginations!