What To Look For In Baby Room Wallpaper

By Sherrie Le Masurier

Do you have any tips for selecting and using baby room wallpaper?

The decorating market offers so many different designs, textures, and finishes which can make selecting baby room wallpaper a real challenge. Fortunately, if you narrow down your search to wallpaper products that are specifically designed for babies and children and you’ve got a theme in mind you’ll have a better chance of finding wallpaper that will stand the test of time.

I recommend you look for baby room wallpaper that is more child-like than babyish. While soft pastel shades are nice for infants they may not be as appreciated during the toddler and preschool years. Unless of course, you enjoy decorating and are planning a toddler room makeover just as soon as your child reaches that next stage of development.

If not, give today and tomorrow some thought when shopping for baby room wallpaper and consider themes like jungle/safari, wild animals, bugs, fire trucks, fish, or angels, butterflies, flowers, fairies, and hearts.

If you don’t know the sex of your baby, consider baby room wallpaper in classic patterns that coordinate well with your furniture and accessories. You can then bring in a youthful presence with select wall art and décor items.

For a great unisex baby nursery idea that will grow with your child consider bright colors and simple shapes which will stimulate your baby’s mind. Baby room wallpaper with a pattern teamed up with a wallpaper border in complementary colors works well.

As long as any baby room wallpaper you select is easily strippable and you don’t overdo it, you should be able to accent the room with non-gender specific wallpaper borders that are easily changeable as your child grows from baby to toddler to preschooler.

While wallpaper can really make a baby nursery – it can also overpower it. Consider using baby room wallpaper on just one wall or around the bottom half of the room and finishing the top half off with a coordinating border.

Another fun way to decorate your baby’s nursery is to use baby room wallpaper that is actually a mural. Wallpaper murals can create a wonderful backdrop for both baby and kid rooms.

Following is one of my favorite ideas for decorating a baby nursery. Select a nice baby room wallpaper mural for one wall and then decide on a complementary color to paint the remaining three walls. If you want you may also be able to find a nice wall border that coordinates with the mural and will really tie your baby’s nursery together. If you can’t find a wallpaper border, simply use wall art and other décor items to bring the room together.

Vinyl wall coverings are a popular baby room wallpaper choice - they’re durable and can retain their good look for years to come. There are three kinds of vinyl wallpaper to select from – paper-backed, fabric-backed and vinyl-coated.

Here are your three main baby room wallpaper options:

Paper-backed vinyl: Not only washable but peelable, paper-backed vinyl ranks number one in my book due to the fact it’s durable and resistant to finger marks, grease and moisture as your baby grows. This type of baby room wallpaper also comes pre-pasted which makes the application process a breeze. A final advantage is that it can easily be removed when you want to update the look of the room.

Fabric-backed vinyl: An excellent choice for baby rooms and play rooms. Fabric-backed vinyl is tough and should hold up under repeated washes. It is ideal for the rooms of little artists who like to draw on their walls in crayon. Please note however that since this kind of wallpaper doesn’t come pre-pasted it’s harder to remove when redecorating.

Vinyl-coated paper: Your least expensive option is less durable but is also a good baby room wallpaper choice for the short-term or for children who will grow up to have a separate play room and will only use their bedroom for sleeping.