Wallpaper Ideas for Kids’ Rooms That Grow with Them
Decorating a child’s room should be fun. After all, your kids’ bedrooms are all about the magic and wonder of childhood. But let’s face it: designing for kids is also a puzzle.
You want something that feels just right for their age right now. But you don’t want it to look dated—or too juvenile—in just a few years. Kids grow so fast, right? And their personalities, style, and interests? Even faster.
Enter versatile, design-forward wallpaper.
At Wall Artifacts, we believe kids’ rooms should grow with them. Whether you’re decorating a nursery, overhauling your tween’s bedroom, or planning a shared sibling space, the right wallpaper can help. Think of it as a timeless backdrop that can beautifully adapt through every stage—from babyhood to the early teen years and beyond.
In this post, we’ll explore wallpaper styles that grow up gracefully, with specific examples from our curated Baby and Children Wallpaper Collection to help you get started.
Why “Grow-With-Them” Wallpaper Makes Sense
Let’s face it: Coming up with themes that have to be painted over or cartoon decals that have to be peeled off every 18 months isn’t a great plan—especially if you’re striving for a serene, curated home.
Wallpaper that “grows with them” can walk the line between kid-friendly and mature. Fun for a kid’s world but refined enough to stay stylish when they outgrow toddler stuff. It also gives you extra flexibility since peel-and-stick options are easily removed or relocated if life or tastes change.
1. Soft Botanicals: Sweet at Every Stage
Floral and botanical motifs are a great place to start when looking for things that will stand the test of time in a room. Delicate in color and soft in movement, they feel just right in a nursery, but mature just as well into tween and even teen years.
Try This:
Secret Garden Wallpaper
Soft and romantic with blush accents and a painterly palette, this subtle floral wallpaper is so sweet and natural you might mistake it for a living wall. Green vines and dreamy muted blooms in a washed-out palette create a fresh, serene and magical mood. It's perfect for a baby girl's room with white furniture and pale wood but it also feels surprisingly modern and sophisticated in a preteen space when paired with linen bedding, vintage treasures, smart shelves and desk area.
Why It Works:
Watercolor-inspired and tone-on-tone—hidden whimsy for small ones, tasteful elegance for growing kids. The watercolor look avoids harsh lines or bold contrast, so it doesn’t dominate the room. It's calming for babies, but not too “young” for older kids.
2. Playful Neutrals: Gender-Neutral and Age-Friendly
Not all kids’ wallpapers have to scream “nursery.” In fact, neutral wallpapers with delicate patterns are having a big design moment. Think of simple stars, moons, hand-drawn shapes, rainbows or abstract lines in warm beiges, grays or soft terracottas.
These patterns are wonderfully flexible. Add baby toys and a crib? It’s a nursery. Swap in a loft bed and bookshelves? It’s a tween’s dream room. It’s a tween’s dream room.
Try This:
Night and Lullaby Wallpaper
This one uses a soft, earthy color palette with abstract sun, moon, cloud, and star shapes. It's great for nurseries, especially with wooden accents. As your child grows, it blends effortlessly with mid-century furniture or even bolder bedding choices.
Why It Works:
Its neutral base makes it easy to refresh the room’s vibe with a few updated accessories.
3. Whimsical Creatures (But Make It Classy)
Yes, animal-themed wallpaper can absolutely be stylish—and grow-up friendly. The secret is to select prints that are more artsy than cartoonish.
Opt for patterns that celebrate fauna in muted hues, hand-drawn sketches or folk-inspired motifs. These are worldly enough for older kids but still pay tribute to their inquisitiveness and love of nature.
Try This:
Little Meadow Friends Wallpaper
Sweet bunnies, chicks, and butterflies sketched in blues and neutrals. It’s perfect for a calming baby room, but it doesn’t scream “nursery.” Perfectly whimsical for toddlers, and elegant enough for older kids' book nooks or gallery walls.
Why It Works:
The hand-drawn feel looks thoughtful rather than childish, and blends effortlessly with changing furniture styles.
4. Abstract and Geometric Prints
If your family style skews more minimalist or modern, you can't go wrong with abstract wallpapers. Their clean lines and limitless variety make them a perfect, neutral backdrop for any age - and they give your child space to make their own mark as they grow.
Try This:
Dahlia Dance Wallpaper
This simple, organic pattern adds texture without overwhelming the space. It’s a smart choice for shared rooms or parents who don’t want to redo the walls every few years.
Why It Works:
This pattern has zero “age markers.” It could live happily in a baby’s room—or a college dorm.
5. Subtle Wildlife: Patterned for Keeps
For a room that plays like a storybook and grows into a calm zone, wildlife patterns are ideal.
Try This:
Enchanted Woodland Bunnies Wallpaper
Natural-tone woodland creatures drawn in soft linework. An enchanting nursery choice, while still fitting with boho-chic decor and floating shelves as kids grow.
Why It Works:
Nature-inspired patterns adapt effortlessly across stages—nursery, tween hangout, or reading retreat.
6. Understated Florals: From Crib to Study Desk
A light floral print can feel feminine but can grow into an elegant art backdrop for older kids.
Try This:
Vintage Sage Blossom Wallpaper
Soft sage-green blooms on a creamy background. Works with plush toys and pastel art, but equally charming when styled with a workspace and tidy curation.
Why It Works:
Sage is timeless—fresh for baby, refined for a preteen’s aesthetic.
7. Adventure-Inspired Neutrals: For the Curious Explorer
Boys (and parents) often want a more down-to-earth, classic look. Ideas here include the great outdoors, nature hikes or discovery, and a log cabin theme. A well-selected wallpaper pattern can suggest this type of feeling and look cool at all ages.
Try This:
Tiger Kingdom Wallpaper
Featuring playful yet sophisticated tigers in warm neutral tones, this wallpaper sparks the imagination of a toddler and matures seamlessly into a young adventurer’s room adorned with globes, maps, and nature-themed décor.
Why It Works:
It’s perfect for a jungle-themed nursery and still stylish for tweens experimenting with camping kits or wildlife collections. Neutral browns and tans complement everything from navy bedding to forest-green accents. The hand-drawn tiger motifs feel adventurous without being juvenile.
8. Subtle Rainbows and Soft Arches
Rainbows have evolved. Today’s best versions lean toward boho-inspired curves and soft, earthy tones rather than bold, saturated primaries. These modern rainbows are sweet in baby rooms, charming in playrooms, and surprisingly stylish for tweens.
Try This:
Pastel Rainbow Delight Wallpaper
With hand-drawn arches and suns in muted blush and beige tones, this wallpaper adds warmth and whimsy without going over the top.
Why It Works:
It’s playful enough for babies but pairs well with boho bedding, light wood furniture, and macrame décor as your child grows.
Tips for Designing a Room That Adapts with Age
Even the most flexible wallpaper needs thoughtful styling to make the room work through the years. Here’s how to keep the entire space as adaptable as the walls:
-
Choose timeless furniture.
Stick with simple cribs that convert into toddler beds, and dressers that work as changing tables early on. -
Layer in changeable accents.
Throw pillows, rugs, lamps, and bedding can evolve with trends or your child’s favorite colors. -
Design with zones.
As kids get older, create mini “zones” in the room—for reading, sleeping, or creative play—that you can reconfigure as they grow. -
Use peel-and-stick wallpaper for maximum flexibility.
Many of the designs in our Baby and Children Collection are available in removable formats, making updates stress-free. -
Involve your child.
At 7 or 8, let them choose the accent wall elements—this builds ownership and makes the space feel uniquely theirs.
Final Thoughts
Decorating your little one's nursery should be fun, but there's no need to redecorate with every passing birthday. Selecting the right wallpaper means you can create a space that's magical in early years and effortlessly cool as your child gets older, without the need to invest time and money in a redesign.
The secret? Choose wallpaper that offers style, softness, and staying power. From sweet botanics, through chic abstracts, to adorable animal illustrations, we have a design to meet every need and a wallpaper that will grow with your child.
Ready to start building a room that grows with them?
Browse our full Baby and Children Wallpaper Collection and find a wallpaper you’ll both love—now and for years to come.
