10 Awesome Ways to Use Wallpaper in a Kid’s Bedroom — Other Than On the Wall!

There are plenty of reasons to look outside traditional walls to add wallpaper to  your children’s bedroom or playspace. Maybe the task of learning to install wallpaper is too daunting. Maybe you’re worried that your child (or you!) will quickly outgrow or grow tired of said wallpaper. Or maybe you’ve already wallpapered and you’re looking for more nooks and spaces to add pretty paper. Whatever the reason, we’ve explored inspiration for wallpapering everything from closets to cubbies to dollhouses and dresser drawers. The options are limitless and, we think, the results will be magical. 

Give a play kitchen a graphic touch with a bit of wallpaper. You can source remnants from salvage shops, thrift stores and other sites like eBay. If you’re not sure whether you want to commit to permanent paper that might be difficult to peel off someday, opt for removable wallpaper that you can refresh later. 

If your child’s room has a small, awkward space that can benefit from some definition, just add wallpaper. A bit of pattern along the walls and or ceiling paired with paint will draw in kids for cozy reading time. Add a bookshelf, seating, or cushions and depending on the light, a sconce or clip-on booklight. We love this nook from Lay Baby Lay, using Chasing Paper’s Smitten Kitten Pattern in Gold.

Covering a ceiling with wallpaper is a fantastic way to make a room feel bigger and brighter. A pattern that mimics the sky is a natural fit, like this bestseller aptly named “Daydream” from Hygge & West and comes in 15 different colorways. We love how this paper flows through the playroom and bedroom in this space by Whitney Gelinas of Wit Interiors.

Whether designed for its intended use, a play space or both, the closet is an easy entryway into experimenting with wallpaper. If your child’s closet veers toward the small side, choose a small pattern that won’t overwhelm the space, such as this play off graph-style paper from Hygge & West x Schoolhouse. It’s available in persimmon, parchment, juniper, and ochre.  

Whether a nightstand or dresser, a touch of wallpaper is an easy way to add personality to new or vintage furnishings. If you’re on a hunt for a piece to spruce up, look for a basic, inexpensive piece of furniture at the thrift store with flat drawer fronts and hardware that’s easy to remove. 

Bookshelves are another easy entry point to trying your hand at wallpaper, particularly if your 

If your kiddo has some small shelves or a bookshelf with a built-in back. Just keep in mind the height of the shelves in relation to what you plan to display. You wouldn’t want to go through all the trouble only to have the paper blocked entirely. The version shown here actually uses pages from an old book as a wallpaper substitute. 

Wallpapering the shelves or doors inside an antique armoire is another way to layer charm into an old piece of furniture. Consider something that captures the era of the piece, like bitty florals or vintage-inspired car or western-style print. 

If you have a stack of wallpaper samples laying around, repurpose them on a dollhouse (or animal house, or dinosaur house). If you don’t have a proper doll house, you can build one from cardboard. Oftentimes pros prefer to reduce the scale of wallpaper to fit a dollhouse, but you can also just incorporate smaller patterns along the walls, floors, and ceiling. 

Another great use of wallpaper samples that didn’t make the final cut is to frame them and hang them on the wall in your children’s rooms. Use old wooden boxes for shelves or used wood frames, either of which can easily be refreshed in coordinating colors. 

If you’ve done any wallpapering around your house, chances are you have plenty or remnants just laying around. While drawer liners certainly aren’t a necessity, they may make getting dressed and putting away laundry feel like less of a chore. 

• The Most Amazing Wallpaper We’ve Ever Seen in Kids’ Rooms
• 10 Bold Patterned Wallpapers for Kids’ Rooms
• 12 Animal-Themed Wallpapers That Will Make Your Child’s Space Come Alive
• 11 Fun and Whimsical Removable Wallpaper Ideas for Kids’ Rooms

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