1. Wallpaper can reflect a child’s favorite hobbies. One great way to thrill a child is to adorn her room with something she absolutely loves. Whether that thing is robots or butterflies, there’s a wallpaper that will speak to your child. I recommend actively engaging your child in the selection process. A strong opinion about a hobby or fascination might translate into a strong opinion about wallpaper.
Wallpaper: Robots, Aimee Wilder
Wallpaper: Robots, Aimee Wilder
Paper the entire room, or use it to accent one area. Either way, you can use a special wall treatment to showcase your little one’s personality and preferences.
Butterflies wallpaper: Beautiful Butterfly, J&J Modern Kids
Butterflies wallpaper: Beautiful Butterfly, J&J Modern Kids
Pro tip: If a dramatic pattern feels too overwhelming for the walls, you can use a more subtle design to highlight your child’s coveted crazes. Black-and-white papers can make colors really pop on a wall and create more drama and interest in a room. Here, a black-and-white paper serves as a sophisticated backdrop for the bold, colorful skateboards. As a bonus, these wallpapers can grow with your child’s evolving taste for years, making it a more budget-friendly option.
Wallpaper: Crayon in Blackboard, Designer’s Guild
Wallpaper: Crayon in Blackboard, Designer’s Guild
2. Wallpaper can feature a child’s favorite colors and shapes. There is no shortage of options when it comes to wallpaper. If your child is big on geometric shapes like triangles and stars, consider the many playful papers that combine these shapes to create beautiful abstract patterns. Using one large-scale repeat of a single shape like this star wallpaper can make a bold statement, but still leave breathing space for accenting with pops of color throughout the room. If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a mom it is that a child’s favorite color ranks right up there with a favorite ice cream. Celebrate color preferences and your child’s bedroom will instantly feel their own.
Star wallpaper: Lucky Star in silver metallic, Sissy + Marley for Jill Malek; see more star wallpapers
Star wallpaper: Lucky Star in silver metallic, Sissy + Marley for Jill Malek; see more star wallpapers
If your child isn’t set on just one color or shape, don’t be afraid to mix it up! Various shapes and color schemes can be combined in interesting ways. In this room, for example, thick stripes painted on the ceiling in turquoise, yellow and white contrast with a smaller-scale half-moon wallpaper pattern in black and white. The daring pairing results in a playful, eclectic look.
Wallpaper: Half Moon in black, by Trine Andersen for Ferm Living
Wallpaper: Half Moon in black, by Trine Andersen for Ferm Living
Applying wallpaper to ceilings is also a clever way to introduce a splash of drama and personality to a room. One caveat: When considering papering a ceiling, remember you are working at a height and against gravity. Ceilings are usually also well lit, illuminating all imperfections. If you are not a confident DIYer, I recommend you hire a professional paper hanger.
Pro tip: If you’re not papering the walls, applying wallpaper that has your child’s favorite colors and shapes can be a great way to dress up mundane areas and nooks, such as the backs of bookcases and shelves.
3. Wallpaper can provide a canvas for a child’s art. The Frames wallpaper from Graham & Brown, designed by artists Taylor and Wood, makes a great backdrop for hanging your child’s artwork, as well as engaging your child to paint directly within the frames. Alternatively, use the paper as a backdrop for framing a wall of family photos. Artwork and photos can be rearranged on this simple black-and-white paper, offering the room a lot of versatility in look and feel. It can also be cleaned with a sponge, making it easy to wipe off mistakes!
Another option is Pop & Lolli‘s coloring paper wallpaper, which is a removable and reusable fabric paper that acts as a coloring book for the wall. When everything is colored in, simply remove the paper and stick on another sheet.
Pro tip: If you have an artist in the family, you can create your own custom wallcovering that acts as a coloring wall. Have your artsy family member or friend scan their line artwork at a high resolution and send to a digital printer that specializes in wallcoverings. Easily removable peel-and-stick papers are well suited for this application.
Wallpaper: Frames, Graham & Brown
Another option is Pop & Lolli‘s coloring paper wallpaper, which is a removable and reusable fabric paper that acts as a coloring book for the wall. When everything is colored in, simply remove the paper and stick on another sheet.
Pro tip: If you have an artist in the family, you can create your own custom wallcovering that acts as a coloring wall. Have your artsy family member or friend scan their line artwork at a high resolution and send to a digital printer that specializes in wallcoverings. Easily removable peel-and-stick papers are well suited for this application.
Wallpaper: Frames, Graham & Brown
4. Wallpaper can celebrate a child’s original artwork. Digital printing has transformed the world of wallpaper by providing cost-effective alternatives to costly hand-blocked wallpaper. Virtually any design or image can now be translated to a wallcovering — including your child’s own artwork!
I recently decorated my son’s entire room using one of his early paintings. He was only 3 years old at the time and just learning how to hold a paintbrush. I worked with Digital Printing Specialties outside Detroit to create a pattern repeat using a small section of my son’s painting. In this photo, you can see both the original painting (in the frame) and the wallpaper we created based on it.
Wallpaper: custom, Digital Printing Specialties
I recently decorated my son’s entire room using one of his early paintings. He was only 3 years old at the time and just learning how to hold a paintbrush. I worked with Digital Printing Specialties outside Detroit to create a pattern repeat using a small section of my son’s painting. In this photo, you can see both the original painting (in the frame) and the wallpaper we created based on it.
Wallpaper: custom, Digital Printing Specialties
Not only did we use this repeat to print wallpaper, but also we created fabric for drapes, bedding and decorative cushions. The result is a truly unique room layered with a brushstroke repeat that celebrates my child’s raw piece of artwork.
Pro tip: Digital printers can print on a wide range of papers, including durable peel-and-stick wallpaper. Discuss all your options with the printer and allow him or her to guide you through the process. Don’t be shy to share your ideas, as you will be amazed at what technology can accomplish in the world of custom wallcoverings. Make it your own!
Pro tip: Digital printers can print on a wide range of papers, including durable peel-and-stick wallpaper. Discuss all your options with the printer and allow him or her to guide you through the process. Don’t be shy to share your ideas, as you will be amazed at what technology can accomplish in the world of custom wallcoverings. Make it your own!
5. Wallpaper can stimulate your child’s imagination. Whether it reflects an enchanted forest, stargazing at twilight or a scene from a favorite storybook, wallpaper can capture the essence of an environment and transport you to that place. Re-creating your children’s favorite settings, whether fictional or nonfictional, is a true and bold expression of their personalities! Wallpaper can set a solid backdrop for the fantasy to come to life via furnishings, rugs, accessories and toys. In this photo, large blooms and palms pair beautifully with a fabulous tree fort.
Wallpaper: Palm Jungle, Cole & Son; browse palm-print wallpapers
Wallpaper: Palm Jungle, Cole & Son; browse palm-print wallpapers
For a child who loves camping or the outdoors, birch trees have instant impact, especially when matched with a canvas tepee.
Wallpaper: Woods, Cole & Son
Wallpaper: Woods, Cole & Son
You can go even further with your design by pulling objects from wallpaper patterns and incorporating three-dimensional features in the room, like the wood elements shown in this forest-themed room.
Pro tip: Life-size objects lend themselves to that feeling of reality, so choose a large-scale pattern or murals if you want to make your wallpaper seem to come to life. Large pattern repeats usually involve more paper because matching the pattern at every seam creates more waste — factor this into your budget. Take accurate measurements of your wall space for murals to ensure you have enough room. It’s always best to ask your hanger to confirm your measurements prior to ordering your wallpaper.
Wallpaper: Woods, Cole & Son
More
Considering Wallpaper? Here’s How to Get Started
Can’t Find the Right Wallpaper? Make Your Own
Find a wallpaper professional
Pro tip: Life-size objects lend themselves to that feeling of reality, so choose a large-scale pattern or murals if you want to make your wallpaper seem to come to life. Large pattern repeats usually involve more paper because matching the pattern at every seam creates more waste — factor this into your budget. Take accurate measurements of your wall space for murals to ensure you have enough room. It’s always best to ask your hanger to confirm your measurements prior to ordering your wallpaper.
Wallpaper: Woods, Cole & Son
More
Considering Wallpaper? Here’s How to Get Started
Can’t Find the Right Wallpaper? Make Your Own
Find a wallpaper professional
I would never think to do wallpaper on the ceiling.
Wow, what clever tips for wallpaper for kids' rooms, Barbara! Of course, I love the butterfly wallpaper too!
One thing to consider that might help DIY'ers is to use self-adhesive, peel-and-stick wallcovering. This will save your back if you're "papering" a ceiling. But why paper at all when you'll want to use a durable, non-paper product to make it last and be wipeable and you know your little one may want a change one day. To avoid being "stuck" with permanent wallpaper, use reusable wallcovering and you'll never have this hassle. Luckily, we have two versions, one that can go on the ceiling and walls (Casart Light / fabric) and another that can go on walls (Casart Regular / durable vinyl). These can be used in many ways unconventional ways like above a window or door. They can even be used as growth charts and printed in black and white so children can color their own as "interactive" wallcovering. Who says you can't color on the walls?! This can really spark creativity and certainly personalize a room.