Styling Secrets and Quick Tips: Wall Decals for Nurseries, Kid's Rooms, & Playrooms

Wall decals are tricky, tricky things and it is so easy for these to go real bad, real fast. BUT, they can also be really fun, budget-friendly ways to add personality and character to a room. Here's a quick roundup of six of our favorite wall decals and adhesive murals from Etsy.

Black Triangle Wall Decals

These would look awesome in a modern, minimalist, Scandinavian inspired room.  Great for a nursery or kid's room and they come in a variety of colors. The surest bet would be to use them on a single accent wall from floor to ceiling. 

Ballroom Wall Mural Decal

Classy and fun, this soft black and white mural is the perfect backdrop to hours of pretend play. This would be best suited for a full wall mural, but could also be used at a smaller scale to highlight a particular play area. 

A Rooftop View Wall Mural Decal

The black lines on a white background create the feeling of a life-size coloring book. For a crisp look, use on a single wall and paint surrounding walls so the details don't become overwhelming. Best for a playroom or older child's room (age 8+).

Colorful CityScape 

If your preschooler loves building blocks, trains, and cars this decal of a bright city skyline might be just right in their playroom or bedroom. Pair with this road motif rug and light colored walls ( try white or very light blue). This color combination would look great with light natural wood tones or a bright colored furniture.  

World Map Wall Mural

This world map mural would be more appropriate in a playroom than a bedroom, but with subdued colors it could even work in shared space such a finished basement or tv room.  Go all in on the map theme and accent with a collection of vintage globes displayed together on a bookshelf or mantle. 

Airplane Wall Decals

These airplane decals are incredibly age-versatile and work nicely with neutral or americana color palates. Keep the planes generally clustered together rather than placing one on each wall of the room and mix in some non-airplane related decor to keep things fresh. 

Sneak Peek: Learn and Grow Nursery

Rather than soft, subtle, and sweet, this nursery rocks out the bright, bold colors and geometric forms. It is an amazing space for little ones to grow up in, and it will easily grow with them through toddlerhood and beyond.  Playful, imaginative, adventurous... Baby Milne, your momma and daddy are going to have such fun with you in this space! 

Nursery Design Board // bold, primary colors: red, blue, yellow and green // modern geometric shapes

1 – DIY Magnetic Wall
This brilliant DIY will provide hours of fun as your wee one grows! It also creates a bright and inspiring statement wall. For additional play opportunities, paint all or part of the wall with chalkboard paint!

2 – Red Cube Shelves
The geometric shape and cubby depth add visual interest and reinforce a creative, imaginative vibe. Because of the depth, be sure to hang these in an area where you won’t bump your head on them! These are a bit of a splurge, but they are something that will work wonderfully in your child’s room for years to come. A less expensive option would be to use Ikea spice racks, paint them a bright cherry red, and use them to hold books as shown here.

3 – Wooden Bead Maze
There are some classic toys that every child needs—this is one of them!  

4 – ABC Wall Art
This unique, handcrafted piece is truly a work of art! Playful letters in bright green are a cheery introduction to the alphabet. If used over baby’s crib, be sure it is securely fastened to the wall and out of arm’s reach.

5 – Curtain Fabric
Simple green triangles make a big impact on this simple, but gorgeous fabric! The scale of the print is the perfect balance of readable, but not loud. Use white fabric to line the back of curtains for a polished look and to filter more sunlight. Hang curtain rods halfway between the top of the window trim and the ceiling.

6 – Wall Paint Color
“Icy Blue” is the name of this wonderful wall color by Benjamin Moore. This paint can be purchased online or from a Benjamin Moore retailer near you. (Color code is: 2057-70)

7 – Handcrafted Wooden Mobile
This adorable, handcrafted mobile is available for purchase on Etsy, or use as inspiration for your own DIY version!

8 – Crib
The clean, modern lines of this crib compliment this nursery aesthetic perfectly. The drawers underneath provide extra storage (always a bonus!) and the mattress can be set a three different heights meaning this bed can change to accommodate your wee one as they grow.

9 – Canvas Bins
These yellow canvas bins are a great place to store toys, blankets, and many other things. As baby learns to crawl and begins to explore their room, you can rest assured they’ll be safe digging through these with their soft sides! This style bin can also often be often found at your local TJMaxx or Marshalls in varying prints and sizes. 

10 –  Overlapping Triangles Throw Pillow
This bright throw pillow reinforces the green triangles from the curtain material and is the perfect size to tuck behind your back or under your arm while rocking baby.

11 – Yellow Triangle Pillows (set of two)
Use in addition to, or as an alternative to the pillow listed above. I personally feel you can never have to many throw pillows!

12 – Rocking Horse
Another classic toy, this rocking horse is a darling toy for hours of imaginative play.

13– Red Table Lamp
Whether reading stories before bed, or feeding the wee one in the middle of the night, it’s nice to have a small light nearby. The cherry red is a gorgeous pop of color that ties to other red elements in the room. 

14 – Ikea Poang Chair and Custom Cover
The Poang chair offers a comfortable rocking motion and is less expensive than many traditional gliders. The custom cover is simply a gorgeous addition to the room!

15 – Yellow Spindle Side Table
This great little side table is the perfect place for a lamp, pacifier, and anything else you need close at hand while rocking your little one. The spindle feature of the table adds a great textural element to the room. This is also a great place for a DIY project if you have a small side table you would like to use instead. 

16 – Animal World Map
This beautiful art print is a one-of-a-kind piece that provides vibrant color and content that is sure to inspire many conversations about this great big world we live in!

Like this style for your little one? Check out these DIY architectural building blocks too!

Baby Grey's Nursery

Our wee one recently turned 6 months old and in honor of this milestone I thought I'd share a few pictures of his nursery. We wanted something fun, playful, clean, and bright. I love spending time in here with him; it's the perfect place for building block towers and reading stories!

Crib -- Ikea (this style is no longer available)
Colorful City Canvas -- Ikea (no longer available)
Rainforest Mobile -- Handmade Gift
Gray Chair -- Ikea
Aztec Pouf -- Target (no longer available)
Adventure Watercolor -- Handmade Gift
Wooden Giraffe -- Souvenir from trip to the Central African Republic
Lamp -- Target
Curtain -- Target (I started with this shower curtain then modified with fabric and trim)
Charcoal Drawing -- Craigslist
Round Mirror -- Thrift Store
Dresser -- Craigslist Makeover
 

Note: I do not receive compensation of any kind when you use the links above. They are provided for your convenience when shopping for the items pictured in this post. 

Baby Rosa's Room

Rosa Jane is one special little lady (just ask her big brother Cyrus!) so how perfect that her sweet little nursery is almost as darling as she is. Mixing in some already-owned pieces, some Craigslist finds, and a few new accessories, really kept this room on-budget. I love how it turned out and I have to give huge props to Rosa's momma who took on several DIY's in order to make this happen.
This room is truly a labor of love!

Shop the Look:
White Owl Lamp - Christmas Tree Shops (not available online)
Floral Prints - Rifle Paper Co. 
Small White Frames - Ikea
Large White Frames - Christmas Tree Shops (not available online)
Faux Sheepskin Rug - Ikea 
Gold Quote - Hobby Lobby
 

Crib & Glider - Already Owned
Dresser & Chandelier - Craigslist

DIY Projects:
Dresser - Repaint 
Chandelier - Repaint
Ribbon & Fabric Mobile
Gold Letter "R"
Throw Pillow

 

Note: I do not receive compensation of any kind when you use the links above. They are provided for your convenience when shopping for the items pictured in this post.