The Journal · Kids & Nursery

Kids Room Wallpaper: Age-by-Age Guide to Designs That Grow With Your Child

How to choose a mural that still works in five years, with six designs for nurseries, toddlers, school-age kids and teens.

By Golden Era WallsUpdated October 20268 min read

The short version

Choose art over theme. A painterly landscape or illustration stays interesting as your child's taste grows. A character theme is outgrown quickly.
Use the toy test. Would the wall still look good without the toys? If yes, it will last.
Keep the palette restrained. Soft blues, sage, cream and peach age better than saturated primaries.
Peel and stick keeps it flexible. It removes without damaging smooth, cured painted walls, so the room can change as your child does.

Choose a mural that still makes sense in five years

The best kids room wallpaper is something your child loves today and still likes in five years. The difference is between a design that references childhood in a fun, age-appropriate way and one that turns a child's room into a theme park.

The most durable choices are beautiful first and child-appropriate second. A mural of real artistic quality, such as a painted mountain landscape or a gentle safari scene, stays interesting as a child develops more grown-up taste. Below are six murals, arranged by age.

New designs

Six kids room murals, by age

Each mural below is a real design you can order. The photos show it on a wall in a styled room.

Snowy peak and wildflower meadow wall mural in a nursery with a wooden crib, a sage armchair and a built-in arched shelf — Alpine Wildflower Meadow and Snowy Mountain Wall Mural. In a nursery with a wooden crib and a sage armchair.

Baby / nursery

Nursery: an alpine meadow with a snowy peak

A snow-capped peak, a spruce forest and a wildflower meadow under a soft sky, in sky blue, sage and lavender. It is a calm, wide-open view that makes a small room feel larger, and it is gentle enough for a nursery.

Best rooms: Nursery · Kids' room · Reading nook
Pairs with: Natural oak, rattan, oatmeal linen, soft blue and sage

See this mural More kids and nursery murals →

Blue and ivory palm leaf mural in a nursery with a wooden crib, a light wood dresser, a boucle chair and woven baskets — Blue Teal and Ivory Palm Leaf Wall Mural with Gold Accents. In a nursery with a wooden crib and a boucle chair.

Baby / toddler

Gender-neutral nursery: teal and ivory palm leaves

Large palm and banana leaves in teal, navy and sage, with ivory fan palms and flecks of gold. The cool palette is soft and gender-neutral, and it is bold enough to grow into a big-kid bedroom.

Best rooms: Nursery · Kids' room · Playroom
Pairs with: Light wood, rattan, woven baskets, cream bouclé

See this mural More tropical murals →

Blue baobab safari mural in a children's reading lounge with a blue armchair, a round white table and a built-in bookshelf — Blue Baobab and Palm Sunset Safari Wall Mural. In a children's reading lounge with a blue armchair.

Toddler

Toddler: a safari sunset with a baobab tree

A baobab tree and silhouetted palms stand under a peach and golden sunset, in periwinkle, blush and soft yellow. There is plenty to look at and talk about, and the scene stays calm. It is panoramic, so it suits a wide wall behind a bed or a reading nook.

Best rooms: Nursery or reading nook · Bedroom feature wall
Pairs with: Denim and navy upholstery, rattan, jute rugs, woven baskets

See this mural More kids and nursery murals →

Blue wildflowers and misty mountain forest mural in a lounge with a green slatted armchair, a blue bench and a stone wall column — Blue Wildflowers and Misty Mountain Forest Wall Mural. In a lounge with a green slatted armchair and a blue bench.

School age

School age: a misty forest with wildflowers

A lavender-blue wildflower hillside, mossy old trees and misty mountains under a hazy sunrise. It has the feel of a storybook forest, and it reads as a real painting, so it holds up as a child's taste grows.

Best rooms: Bedroom · Reading nook · Playroom
Pairs with: Moss and sage upholstery, natural wood, lavender and blue cushions

See this mural More forest and woodland murals →

Blue and gold galaxy mountain mural in a lounge with a navy armchair and a beige floor — Blue and Gold Galaxy Mountain Landscape Wall Mural. In a lounge with a navy armchair.

Tween / teen

Tween: a galaxy above glowing mountains

A glowing Milky Way and star field sit above rugged mountains with copper-lit ridges and a winding river valley, in midnight blue, violet, copper and gold. It has the visual depth that older kids tend to respect, and it feels like art and not a theme.

Best rooms: Bedroom or teen room · Media room · Lounge
Pairs with: Navy velvet, dark wood, cream bench seating, dimmable warm lights

See this mural More mountain and landscape murals →

Swirling starry sky mural in a study nook with a blue tufted daybed, a wood desk, a white chair and shelves — Blue and Gold Starry Mountain Landscape Wall Mural. In a study nook with a blue tufted daybed and a wood desk.

Tween / teen

Tween: a swirling starry night over blue mountains

Thick, curling brushstrokes sweep a midnight-blue sky past golden stars above layered mountains and a turquoise river. It suits a bedroom or study nook where a growing child reads, draws and does homework.

Best rooms: Bedroom or reading nook · Study
Pairs with: Blue-grey and navy velvet, cream linen, pale oak, warm lamp light

See this mural More abstract and artistic murals →

The age guide

Choosing wallpaper for every age stage

Baby / nursery (0 to 2)

The wallpaper serves the parents as much as the child. Choose real beauty: watercolour botanicals, gentle landscapes, soft celestial scenes. Soft colours and organic shapes make a calm room, and a room you enjoy at 3am is worth having.

Toddler (2 to 4)

Designs with a bit of story, such as animals, scenes and landscapes with things to find, become engaging as a child's world expands. Artistic quality stops the design looking dated.

School age (5 to 10)

Illustrated designs that reference real art, such as watercolour painting, botanical illustration and storybook landscapes, are more interesting and more durable than franchise-branded designs. A child grows out of a franchise, and into a beautiful illustration.

Tween (11 and up)

From eight or nine, children develop their own taste and care whether the room looks cool. Designs with depth, like celestial landscapes and moody botanicals, earn respect from this age group and grow with the child.

Parent tip

Involve your child in the choice from about age three or four. Give them a shortlist you are happy with and let them pick. Children are more likely to still love a wall they chose.

Kids wallpaper by theme

Space and galaxyDeep celestial murals with stars and cosmic scale. Navy and gold palettes age well through primary school and beyond.Browse kids and nursery murals →Animals and jungleWoodland creatures, jungle animals and safari scenes in watercolour or illustrated styles that stay beautiful as taste develops.Browse tropical and jungle murals →LandscapesMountains, meadows and misty forests make a room feel open, and they work from nursery to teenage years.Browse landscape murals →Coastal and underwaterOcean murals with whales, fish and sea life, rendered with depth rather than cartoon outlines.Browse coastal murals →

More kids room murals

Circus Animal Pastel Watercolor Wallpaper – peel and stick wallpaper mural, Golden Era Walls

Circus Animal Pastel Watercolor WallpaperCircus animals in pastel watercolour.See this mural →

Celestial Whale Blue Gold Coastal Wallpaper – peel and stick wallpaper mural, Golden Era Walls

Celestial Whale Blue Gold Coastal WallpaperA celestial whale in blue and gold.See this mural →

Adorable Bear Riding Scooter Wallpaper – peel and stick wallpaper mural, Golden Era Walls

Adorable Bear Riding Scooter WallpaperA playful bear on a scooter, in watercolour.See this mural →

Cottagecore Woodland Animals Watercolor Floral Wallpaper – peel and stick wallpaper mural, Golden Era Walls

Cottagecore Woodland Animals Watercolor Floral WallpaperWoodland animals in a soft cottagecore watercolour.See this mural →

Browse all kids and nursery murals →

Common questions

Kids room wallpaper FAQs

How do I choose kids wallpaper that will not look dated in two years?

Choose art over theme. Watercolour illustration, botanical forms, landscapes and celestial murals stay interesting as taste develops. The test: would it still look good without the toys?

What colour palette works best for a kids room that ages well?

Restrained palettes age better than saturated ones. Soft watercolour tones, warm pastels and natural colours such as cream, sage, powder blue and dusty rose suit a room for several years. High-saturation primary colours date quickly.

Is it worth getting nursery wallpaper the baby cannot appreciate yet?

Yes. A nursery is for the parents as much as the baby, and a beautiful room you want to spend time in is worth having. A good design also grows with the child instead of being outgrown.

Should I involve my child in choosing the wallpaper?

From about age three or four, yes. Offer a shortlist of designs that meet your standards and let them choose. Both of you are then happy with the result.

Can I use removable wallpaper in a child's room?

Yes. Every design comes in peel and stick, which needs no paste and removes without damaging smooth, properly cured painted walls. That helps in a child's room, where the design may change as they grow.

Can I see the colours before I order?

Yes. Order a sample for $30 to see the colours and finish in your own light before choosing your wall size.

Keep reading

Nursery Wallpaper: A Room That Grows With Your ChildHow to create a nursery that works from baby to big kid.Read the guide →Gender-Neutral Nursery WallpaperStars, forests and jungles for any child.Read the guide →How to Prepare Walls for WallpaperThe wall prep that makes a mural look professionally installed.Read the guide →

Golden Era Walls

Find a wall that grows with your child

Browse kids and nursery murals printed to your wall size. A $30 sample shows the colours in your own light.

Shop kids & nursery wallpaper Shop all murals

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