Kids' room wall decor ideas – 10 imaginative ways to use color, artwork and more

Creativity is king when designing for kids' room, and the right wall decor ideas can truly help curate a space that is fun, playful, and inspiring. Of course, it has its challenges. Finding a style that will suit your child's room for as long as possible is tricky, but wall decor is an easy-to-change way to embrace whimsical design while they're still young. 

Experiment with fun wall art, paints, wallpapers, to even wall storage to enhance the kid's room. Take a look at these amazingly designed spaces, and get cracking.

10 kids room wall decor ideas you can steal

1. Add a fun, patterned wallpaper to induce color

In the kid's bedroom, wallpaper can do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to introducing fun. Choose a wallpaper that appeals to them, and don't be afraid of large motifs and bright hues. While designing a kid's room, choose one wall to decorate with a bold design, or go all-in with a wallpapered room, like this design by interior design brand Run for the Hills. 

'In this kid's room we installed a full wallpaper, and turned a boxy room into a real adventure,' says Anna Burles, founder of Run For The Hills. 'For a twist, we could have used wallpaper just ‘above’ a dado, or we could have had a higher picture rail to contain the feature. Initially, we intended to just use the wall behind the beds as the feature wall, to really ‘zone’ the headboards (also because it was the first view as you walk into the room). And to have a coordinating paint shade on the other walls and cool fabric for the curtains. But then we decided to maximize it up and do all walls and it looked fab.'

2. Try a wall mural

Sure, the walls can play dress-up with kids' artworks and drawings but to give the room a more dramatic look, try a wall mural .

To keep it stylish, avoid passing fads like designs based on your child's favorite characters or toys, and look to modern wall decor with a playful edge. This forest mural used by interior designer Benni Amadi is a great example of how a mural can be used to elevate a room's design and add some magic. 

'Along with the raised platform bed, this mural evokes the feeling of teetering among the branches of an enchanted forest,' Benni explains. 

3. Add two tone paints for a dynamic look

Create an eye-catching bedroom accent wall with two colors for instant contrast and architectural interest - a modern way to add dimension to a room.

If you're planning on painting the room yourself, first determine the height of your paint line, measuring from the ceiling down. Once you've decided how you want to divide the colors on the wall, tape it off using painter's tape and a level, and start painting. If you're struggling to line up the paint, use an existing feature in the room, like the door frame, chair rail, or fireplace mantel as a guide. 

In this design, while the two colors on the wall look dynamic, the green locker cabinet adds a wonderful color block. The same hues are reflected in the bedspread, creating a charming scape.

4. Bring in a large decorative headboard

If you're not looking to install wall decor pieces or add nails to the walls of your rental, then a great way to add design drama to a kid or teenager's bedroom is with a large headboard. The bed is the most important piece of furniture in a bedroom, so deserves the most attention. One way to make a statement, and in the process create a fun accent wall, is to choose a tall or interestingly-shaped headboard. 

To make sitting up in bed comfortable for the young ones, you could choose from tufted panels, leather designs, or suede, to silk headboards. 

'The brief for this home was to create spaces that were on-trend yet timeless, soft and pretty but not too feminine,' says Emma Gurner, founder of Folds Inside. 'There is a play with shapes and graphic lines, for example, the bespoke circular headboard (made by Jo Ray of Beautifully Made Things) and the architectural prints.'

5. Use the walls to personalize a shared bedroom

If your children are sharing rooms, the chances are they're constantly fighting over space, storage, and "their side of the room". While it may be difficult to eke out entirely different spaces for both in the bedroom, one way to let them personalize it is by allowing them to use the walls as their canvas. 

From hanging name plates, and their favorite posters or choice of artwork, they can create clear separation in the room. 

'We opted to go with more mature furniture pieces in this space so there is a solid foundation in the room as the kids continue to get older,' says Lindye Galloway, founder, and chief creative officer, at Lindye Galloway Studio + Shop of this shared room design. 'The youthful spirit is kept in the room through playful sheets and colorful flag decor. Both of these are easy to change, making it the perfect space for teens as their interests begin to shift.'

6. Use the walls to display colorful books

Make the kid's toy storage or bookshelves into an accent piece in the room. Displaying your kids' favorite books alongside interesting curios will not only bring personality to your home, but it will also surely bring a smile to their faces.

Choose floating shelves that not only offer storage but also double as a display unit. This will teach the kids that there's a place for everything and that every time they finish reading a paperback, it needs to go back up on the shelf. 

Add a little table below, like in this image, to create a reading corner. Make this space full of fun and wonder. Perhaps even add a toy basket so they know that all the fun needs to be concentrated in only one section of the room. 

7. Add artworks to fill up the wall

An obvious place to display kids' artwork is in their rooms. You could try different techniques for display, perhaps a pegboard, clothespins that attach pictures to twine for an inexpensive solution, or a photo rail. If the child's bedroom opens up to a hallway, you could create a casual gallery wall to showcase their latest work. 

8. Try this fun idea for displaying toys 

While thinking of how differently you can use elements in the kids room, one way to add an interesting touch to the walls is by displaying action figures or toys. Consider a fun kids room paint idea, and add a small ledge to keep all the toys.

This can be fun for the kids as their favorite figurines are always at arms length, should they wish to have a little playtime in bed before sleeping. Also, by keeping all these figures out, you can ensure that they don't get lost or are broken inside the depths of toy storage cabinets or containers.

9. Or even a fun swing 

Extra seating, a perching place with books, or simply a place to hide from the home's commotion, a swing, or a hanging chair in the bedroom can make time at home so much fun. 

Hanging chairs are relatively easy to set up as all you need is a sturdy beam or fixture attached to the ceiling from where the chains or ropes are hung. 

From cane, and wood, to cotton hammocks or ropes, choose organic materials for the bedroom swing.

10. Don't forget the fifth wall

A painted ceiling provides the perfect opportunity to draw the eye upward, especially helpful when the room has small dimensions. Color on the so-called 'fifth wall' can do wonders – most of all, create the perfect distraction, making you forget the square footage of the room and concentrate on its vertical gains. 

This is also a great way to spark children's imagination as they go to bed, and look up to notice the ceiling. Consider a galaxy design or a woodland scene, ensuring a fun time during the day and a good night's sleep full of fascinating dreams. 

'Our inspiration for this space was inspired by an idealized campsite in a magical forest,' says Mark Lavender, principal designer of M. Lavender Interiors. 'We used a Persian rug and large cushions like Aladdin or Ali Baba for the floor surrounded by a forest and topped off with the mural on the ceiling of a starry night with comets etc. The light fixture acted as the moon for space. This created a dreamy space for our client’s daughter.'

What should I put up on the playroom walls?

You can experiment with several fun ideas when it comes to playroom walls. From paints, wallpapers, and murals to, artworks or even brightly-painted storage units, the possibilities are unlimited.

A great piece of kids' bedroom advice is to ensure that the room is one they can grow up in. This means, making the room's design malleable or changeable so that when they get older, they can change up the interiors the way they like.  One great alternative to paint or wallpaper, for instance, is decals. They are simply stuck on the walls and can be removed when needed.

Same way, use pegboards or rails to suspend things from walls so the displays can be changed over time. A chalkboard paint means that whatever is written, painted, or drawn can be wiped clean, every day if needed.