Design Advice

How to Choose Wallpaper for Your Child’s Nursery

What better way to bring charm and character to your little one’s nursery than with wallpaper? “I love wallpaper and am keen to place it in bedrooms of any kind, especially nurseries,” says Gianpiero Gaglione of Gianpiero Gaglione Interior Design. “There are so many benefits of wallpaper, which can dramatically change the look and feel of a room. For example, many wallpapers can introduce color and patterns in a way that other applications cannot.” If you’re considering wallpaper for your nursery, you’re in the right place! We asked interior designers for their best advice on selecting, styling, and making wallcoverings shine in your space. Read on for their expert tips.

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Be Sure to Have Fun

Malka Helft of Think Chic Interiors is a big fan of wallpaper. “I love using wallpaper in kids' rooms, it is a way to add some fun to the space,” she says. “Wallpaper can turn a simple white furnished room into the playful environment you are trying to provide your child with.” There are plenty of ways to incorporate wallpaper into a kids rooms, too. Why not think outside the box a bit? As Helft says, “I also love using wallpaper as an accent wall or an accent ceiling so it does not overpower the room but add a touch of whimsy.”

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Keep Your Growing Child in Mind

Of course, wallpaper can be removed and replaced as needed over time, but the process can be costly and time intensive, so you may wish to design your child’s space with longevity in mind. “Often I like to select something that will grow well as they age,” says Megan Unger of Megan Robertson’s Designs. Ginger Curtis of Urbanology Designs. agrees. “We are seeing a greater shift in nursery design towards rooms that are intentionally designed to last beyond the baby years,” she says. The key, she adds, is “striking the perfect balance of imagination, whimsy, and longevity.” There are a couple of ways to go about this. “One way you could achieve this is by pairing a more sophisticated wallpaper with playful art and decor,” Curtis notes. “You could also flip this and a more playful wallpaper with a more sophisticated unexpected artwork.”

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Or Take a Risk!

Maybe you are happy to make frequent design changes and want to design a nursery that’s solely for the Baby stage. “The length of time we have our babies in a nursery goes by so fast, so don’t be afraid to go outside your comfort zone,” says Noelle Isbell of Noelle Interiors. “Wallpaper is often the highlight of a space, because of the ‘wow’ opportunity it provides.”

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Identify a Style First

No matter what you’re inclined to do when it comes to wallpaper pattern, you will want to nail down your desired aesthetic for the kids room before making a purchase. “Establish the style theme you want for the space in order to drive the pattern and color palette you source,” Isbell explains. Maybe you’re looking to design a kids room that features some sort of animal theme—Nestig’s Safari wallpaper is an excellent pick. Love the grandmillennial look? Say hello to Nestig’s Busy Brook wallpaper!

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Order Samples Ahead of Time

As with any wallpaper purchase, you will want to order a sample ahead of time to inspect a pattern in person and see how it looks over the course of a day as lighting changes within a given room. Nestig makes it easy to do just that; for just $5, you can receive an 8 by 11.5 inch sample of any wallpaper pattern that speaks to you!

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