Top half or bottom half wallpaper in nursery?

9 days ago

Thinking about how I want to design baby boy nursery. The room a few years ago was painted soft light green (BM Healing Aloe).

The room is vaulted…I think chair rail like 4 feet up then wallpaper above would look the best, but would be the most difficult trying to wallpaper those high walls. Maybe a dark green bottom and then a lighter wallpaper above.

Easiest would be wallpaper bottom 4 feet, chair rail and then leave the green already there. Could do a darker like plaid paper with the light green above??

Any ideas appreciated!

Featured Answer

anj_p

9 days ago

Oh, @jlcorp how different your child is from mine!!!

OP, you don't know what kind of kid you will have so the answer to your question depends on how much money you want to spend, and whether you are OK with your kid being able to express themselves in their own choices or whether you will make them accept yours.

We did our daughter's nursery (didn't know sex beforehand) in yellow and orange owl decals and birch tree decals. That was AWESOME and not terribly expensive (I want to say $200 maybe from ETSY). We bought the Hemnes dresser from IKEA for the nursery as well, and plopped a changing pad on top. By 4 (when we moved), she was saying how she was done with owls and wanted unicorns. (Once we actually get around to decorating, we'd do decals again). At the time she also loved pink.

Fast forward to 7 and her favorite color is blue (so much for pink). The bedding she picked when she got her big girl bed (we just did an inexpensive twin bed with headboard and used a bolster instead of a toddler bed) lasted 2 years until she didn't like that anymore. The puppy also ripped holes in it so next bedding I decided would not come from Pottery Barn. She also says she wants a new bed frame (canopy of course) but I'm not going there yet.

We still have the IKEA hemnes dresser and I'm SO GLAD I didn't buy a "nice" dresser for her because the one she has is covered in stickers and is scratched up. We got the Hemnes nightstand to match and that has seen its fair share of spills, scratches, and markers. I'm glad I don't have to lose my mind when she does stuff like that because she's ruining nice furniture.

Long story short -

1. Don't do anything in that room that you won't be willing to change when your kid starts having opinions about it.

2. Don't do anything in that room that will make you lose your mind if it gets colored on, stickered, spilled on, painted, etc.

Maybe your kid won't care about his room, and maybe he will be spic & span and you'll never be cleaning marker off walls or slime out of carpet, but you won't know for a couple years so be prepared :)

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Comments (39)

Janine Lynn
Original Author
9 days ago
Love this one but I dont think my husband will agree on painting the ceiling and all the millwork
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Patricia Colwell Consulting
9 days ago
last modified: 9 days ago
I would not do wallpepr in childs room . I love decals they can be changed easily to reflect whatever the child llike for that moment I love the paint color you have Make sure nothing next to crib can be peeled or even smeared with youknow what . Even decals no where where baby can possibly find a spot to peel off the wall. Walpaper is a PITA to install and who wants to be doing that every year after 2 yrs.
Janine Lynn thanked Patricia Colwell Consulting
Kendrah
9 days ago
Can you post pics of the actual room? I'd never wallpaper the lower part of a kid's room unless it is some seriously wipeable wallpaper. And, the ceilings make it sounds a real pain to wallpaper the upper half. Maybe wallpaper isn't the right choice for a nursery after all.
Janine Lynn thanked Kendrah
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JAN MOYER
9 days ago
last modified: 9 days ago
I understand the excitement of a new baby. But fantastic rooms can be made from a lot of ingenuity and few dollars. : )

You will change that room decor at least.......4 times

At age three

Again at age 7

Again at age 11

Again.....even at 15 or 16

Buy a crib that can become a toddler bed

After that? You need things EASY to change and adapt as he grows.

Remember....your taste will not be his, and it's his room.

I'm a no on the paper above or below: )

I might ask if you are in the UK......? Paper inspo has that feel.
apple_pie_order
9 days ago
Some little kids love to peel back corners of wallpaper.
latifolia
9 days ago
What does Fluffy say? She looks like the boss.
jlcorp
9 days ago
last modified: 8 days ago
My daughter had a very large bedroom that needed something done with the walls. I installed a border at a height just above the crib (at a height beyond the reach of toddlers) and painted above and below the border in coordinating colors. I skipped the "baby furniture/ convertible bed" and instead purchased some solid maple Bellini youth furniture with armoire, Captain's storage bed (low to the ground), night stand, and single dresser. I also decided to splurge on custom top treatment and duvet that took her to the age of 14.

I did not spend much on the crib or on any "baby" furniture and instead spent the money on youth furniture. The armoire is really nice and my young adult daughter took it with her for her apartment.

So we ended up changing her decor only two times- one at 14 and again when she moved back home temporarily at 22 since she graduated from college during Covid. At the age of 14 we bought her a full sized upholstered bed and put the low Captain's bed in storage. We changed the bedding at 14 and 22.
jlcorp
8 days ago
last modified: 8 days ago
anj_p

There are some similarities.... My daughter also covered her armoire with stickers... the dresser top was scratched and stained (also had nail polish spilled on it). But since it was solid maple with a clear finish, I sanded it down a bit and sprayed a couple of coats of polyurethane on it and the damage is repaired. The duvet was a good choice. When puppy peed on it I took it off and washed it.

But my daughter did not and still does not care much about decorating. She was happy with what I did. She spent hours and hours dancing... perhaps that was her creative outlet.

I did purchase Ikea Kallax unit. Ikea makes some good stuff.
dani_m08
8 days ago
Jan Moyer hit the nail on the head - I changed one daughter’s room four times and the other daughter’s room three times. I think Instagram has caused new parents to change the way they prepare a room for a new baby (and even older children). While I (obviously) selected items for my daughters when they were babies, I let them help select new bedding + coordinating wall color once they were probably four.

My daughters had a shared bathroom - and had wallpaper installed in there (wallpaper was big back then - kitchens/dining rooms/master bathrooms/powder rooms!) It had multiple colors (pink/blue/yellow/purple/aqua) that girls tend to like at some point + some cute patterned hearts - wish I never had installed it! It looked cute until the oldest was 10-11 - and she picked out her new bedding for her room (third change) - and the bathroom no longer ”worked” with both bedrooms + looked too young for a pre teen.

Removing that wallpaper was awful. Removing it from other rooms was a nightmare because builder installed it directly on drywall - didn’t even paint prior to doing so) - had to hire it out.

I’ve seen some nice looking wallpapers that people have used recently - but I’m still traumatized from all the wallpaper that used to be in my home!
Janine Lynn
Original Author
8 days ago
I think I may be over thinking it as @dani_m08 is right, I see a lot of very well done nursery's on pinterest and instagram. I haven't done anything yet besides the walls are the light green. Have not bought anything either.

Baby is a boy. I want to do a woodland theme. Love the owl ideas lol as there are owls that live around our house. We also get a lot of deer and rabbits.

I am not home for a few days but this is the only picture on my phone I could find of the room. This is the lower corner in the picture. The ceiling gets very high. The wall on the left is very tall that goes all the way to the top to meet the ceiling vault. The right wall does the same but below is closet doors (looks like in the picture a closet door is open). Not sure if I explained this well.

Everyone seems to think lower wallpaper is very bad idea but I have been wanted to wallpaper something (as it seems to be back in style) and this is the only room I have an excuses to do it in. I love this wallpaper but probably more of a peel and stick is less of an hassle to remove eventually. This one says made of water-based ink with a pre-pasted paper backing. Self-adhesive for a one-time stick. Wipe with a damp cloth.

Also toying with the idea of some board and batten. Could do the bottom painted yellow with the aloe above. Probably wouldn't go with maple furniture then. IDK what color dresser to do with yellow walls. Dont really want white.
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JAN MOYER
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago
You have to like it, we do not.

I could be strange. I think a baby room , either gender, should feel cheerful. Fun, restful, even! But I feel that way about their clothing as well. We've gotten to a place where its not uncommon to see the tiny creatures as miniature adults and they surely are tiny but hardly adult or sophisticated.

I find the palette a bit somber, but it isn't my child. I just think a healthy infant has a very long life expectancy, and more than enough time to be sophisticated....

You'll have to shoot me, : ) lol
jlcorp
7 days ago
OMG Jan's comment about nurseries being cheerful just reminded me of a funny spoof on the ultra serious, very beige nurseries that were fashionable in certain circles. This line of videos is truly hilarious. My daughter brought them to my attention. They are good for a nice long laugh!

Janine Lynn- viewing these will bring some humor to your decorating quest. :)

https://www.tiktok.com/@sadbeige/video/7213406704292138286?lang=en
jlcorp
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago
Back to the question at hand... A friend of mine did something that might appeal to you if you like a feeling of bringing the woodland into your son's nursery. She hired a painter to do a mural on one wall of a pretty outdoor scene. It actually ended up being less expensive than wallpaper. You could have the deer, rabbits, and owls included in the mural.
jlcorp
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago
Re. the peel and stick wallpaper. I have taken down peel & stick, prepasted, and the kind of wallpaper where you have to apply the paste. I thought the peel & stick was the worst because it took off pieces of the paint with it. I tried to smooth out the wall afterwards by sanding it and that did not work. I finally had to skim it with drywall, prime and paint it.

If you use pasted wallpaper, make sure you apply sizing first. I was told by someone I hired to do my powder room that using sizing:
- makes it easier to hang- it will be easier to move around to get it put in exactly the right place.
- makes it easier to remove as it is less likely to take the paint with it when removed.
Since you indicate you really want to use wallpaper somewhere- here's one other thought on wallpaper. I think using wallpaper in a powder room can make a real statement to a room that can otherwise be boring and drab. In particular, I have seen designers use navy wallpaper in a powder room and it made a stunning statement!
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JAN MOYER
7 days ago
That video is hysterical and a weeeeeee bit sad at the same time?
anj_p
7 days ago
I agree with Jan, I like a nursery to look like one!!

Etsy has so many decals for woodland scenes. A virtual smorgasbord. Easy to apply and remove.

One, for example.
anj_p
7 days ago
You can also go more cartoonish.
anj_p
7 days ago
You can also go more cartoonish.
Janine Lynn
Original Author
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago
OK made another! I guess I like the idea of the nursery being a relaxing place, calming colors. Nothing too bright, but not beige either. I guess moody?

Wow that tiktok is something lol. That's definitely not what we want!

The wallpaper is probably just a nightmare and my husband will hate me. Board and batten or even just color block maybe with a chair rail to break it up.
Janine Lynn
Original Author
7 days ago
Ohh another question since you all are being so helpful....

What type of nursery chair? Does it really matter? Gliders, rockers, recliners, ottomans??
anj_p
7 days ago
As long as you're fine changing all of that in about 3 years, go for it.

Nursery chair... We got an inexpensive pu leather rocker/recliner from Schneidermans and had a slip cover on it. Which was awesome because that chair had every manner of bodily fluid on it at some point so it was great to be able to wash the cover. Whatever you get make sure it can be cleaned easily.

I wouldn't deal with an ottoman. Just another thing to trip over in the middle of the night.

If you haven't noticed, I'm in favor of function over form, especially when things are just going to get destroyed.
jlcorp
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago
I am going to throw a different idea at you. The thing that really stands out for me are those windows. The view of the trees is beautiful. Perhaps that is why you are leaning towards a woodland theme? It would be consistent with the architecture showcasing those windows.

What about instead focusing on the windows and the views and then add a few accent here and there? You can still pick a theme, but the focus would be on the windows?

When I looked at the picture you posted with the windows, the windows and the view reminded me immediately of my daughter's freshman college dorm room that had a view of a private wooded reserve. Funny thing is that although we did not go all out on the decor, I did purchase her a few things to put out for winter/ Christmas and guess what? They were woodsy (is that even a word?) haha. I thought it somewhat ironic because my daughter was thinking about partying and here I go and try to give her a somewhat serene-looking dorm room.

I put up some simple ivory semi-sheers over the blinds and we pulled them open to emphasize the view and then added an ivory rug. We coordinated colors with her roommate who had teal in her bedding. Although the color scheme is different from what you want, I will post a picture just as an example of some very basic decor. Of note is that for boys I would think simple would also work.

Here is the cute woodsy decor I got her for winter:

Together with the woodsy red-scarfed racoon:
jlcorp
7 days ago
Re the nursery chair.

I am with Anj- skip the ottoman. When you are super tired and get up to check on the baby it is going to be a tripping hazard.I would caution against the light check in your picture. I had a ticking striped sofa in the same light colors. I was constantly spot cleaning it. Then my son left a permanent, uncapped pen on it... one of the thick pens that left a nice wide black stain.

I did learn a new self-taught technique for removing that stain. No way was it going to be blotted out- it would only spread the stain. From experience, I knew latex paint spilled on fabric will not come out. I had some wall paint that was the same color as the cream in the sofa.. I diluted a couple of ounces with approx. 75% water. Then I dipped a fine paint brush in it and dabbed it over the marker stain. The fabric absorbed the paint because it was like water. I did this about six times, each time letting it dry in between. Eventually, it covered the black marker and because the paint was so watered down, you could not tell there was paint on the fabric and the fabric had the same texture and look as the rest of the fabric. Yeah! I saved the sofa that day!

For a nursery chair, I used a Lazyboy padded rocking chair similar in style to that checked chair. It was a great chair for late night feedings. SInce the chair is a darker color and the fabric sturdy, it survived the baby years and is still in good shape. (The chair was mid priced when I purchased it and I have no idea how much they charge for their chairs nowadays.) Unfortunately, I had to get rid of the sofa after only 5 years.
jlcorp
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago
I like your idea of painting the ceiling a contrasting color. I think that would bring the eye down to focus more on the room. If you went with the woodsy theme, could you paint it a super dark, almost-black blue and then put glow-in-the-dark stars on it along with perhaps 3-5 trees on the walls around the room interspersed with the forest creatures that you like? If you wanted to get educational, you could perhaps have the stars painted on the ceiling in a realistic representation of a constellation.
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JAN MOYER
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago
Why are you so focused on the height of the room? You decorate at eye level. Crib level.

Toys and books, lower and within reach.

You don't need a two color wall. You do need decor ON the walls. It hardly needs to be wallpaper and over time the "Aloe" will change to something else. It is PAINT, not a hole in the wall.

Put a couple BIG trees in there ( thats a decal .Wayfair

Fill a WALL or two! Think more impact! Have a feel when you enter!! Like wrapping a package.

Most kids art is just too darn small. Look for the ones available in multiple sizes and a lot bigger impact! All below wayfair )

100" x 48 " as a threesome

48 x 48"

37 x 37

36" x 36"

18 x 24

After that? All that really matters is that he's safe, warm, dry ............ and loved.

He cares less what it looks like, and won't for at least a couple YEARS

He surely cares not about a vaulted ceiling
Janine Lynn
Original Author
7 days ago
The ceiling height is more of a concern if I was trying to wallpaper it as it would be very difficult, or even just painting I would have to hire out. If I only painted the lower half I could do this myself without needing to hire anyone.

I guess the idea of decals seems kinda tacky to me and would rather do framed artwork.

As everyone keeps saying I will have to redecorate once the boy has opinions so in my minds I guess I’m creating a space that I like being in, find pleasing and relaxing.

Thanks for everyone’s advice.

I definitely am trying to bring the outside forest in and incorporate the animals we can see from the windows into the room.
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JAN MOYER
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago
LOL!!!!!!

A decal tree is "tacky"? Well wth!! Paint it on there yourself and to eight feet!

You better get over tacky soon......you will not BELIEVE what he will want at age 4 )

It will look nothing.......like this, Sorry lol

It will not. He will bawl his eyes out
jlcorp
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago
Nurseries and kid's rooms are fun to decorate. Really, you can go any way you want with it. That being said, I do like the trees that Jan came up with. I understand you are going for a "serene" look and perhaps decals don't fit with that design. If it were me, I would get an artist to paint trees to frame the room. I like the canopy of the trees that Jan showed because it frames the room.

Of course, we don't know the direction that you are going with the decor in the rest of your home. So perhaps you are leaning towards something that would blend with that. From what you have posted, it seems like you are trying to create a sanctuary that looks inward. Having raised a boy, my opinion is that boys are seekers and want to explore. With those beautiful windows, you might want to consider making the outside view more inherent in your design. Just something to consider.... I am sure whichever route you go with, it is going to be a beautiful space.

Here are my thoughts on the space combined with some practical experience on choices. I will caution that if you use some type of floral in the room I think your son will want something different very quickly. When he has playdates with three year olds, the boys might comment on the flowers. Kids are very honest and have no filters.

I think with each item you purchase, you have a choice between something that is going to last a long time and something more temporary.

So here are my thoughts:
- Generally speaking, boys are more active and rambunctious. Expect more wear and tear in this room and incorporate that in your planning.
- The walls are going to get messed up. If you put up board and batten molding, I would not be surprised to see the paint chip off of them.
- I would not go with a toddler bed. They are 2-4 times as much as a regular crib and they are temporary, so I don't think the additional cost is warranted. My SIL spent $700 on one and then got rid of it when her youngest turned 7.
- Instead of spending $700 on the toddler bed, I spent $1000 on a solid maple armoire in a teen size that can be transitioned to a guest room. It is highly repairable and today it still looks new.
- Likewise, any solid wood dresser you purchase is going to be repairable. Although oak is not as "in" choice right now, I think oak is an excellent choice for a boy's room. IMO, it also has a more "woodsy" look to it.
- Either purchase an inexpensive nursery chair in the light color you want or purchase a mid-priced, long-lasting chair in a darker, more durable fabric that you could keep and use in a different room.
- Once your baby is crawling you may want to remove the rocking chair as it could present a safety hazard
- Most furniture today come with full extension drawers. That is what makes them so easily tippable. Even nightstands can tip over. Be sure to use safety straps and anchor the furniture to the studs in the walls.
Furthermore- make sure to furnish the room with educational activities and purchase storage to hold those items. Legos, great for spatial development, require shelving or somewhere to store them and even display the creations. Books of every kind are great so your child can learn to explore what his interests are while also learning. Planning for a bookshelf would be good.
Janine Lynn thanked jlcorp
Janine Lynn
Original Author
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago
Jan Moyar Lol thanks for the supportive advice. I only mention the ceiling a lot in one post when people were asking me about the room and I explained it.

As I said in my last post, a baby couldn’t care less on what a room looks like, I care. Everyone giving advice that kids will peel wallpaper you dont think they will peel decals? I personally dont like them and certainly dont need decals for the babies pleasure. When they are older if they want to pick decals great.

Also going off of my 5 year old nephew he lived in quite a nice room and didn’t ruin anything. He moved rooms when his baby sister was born and while it’s more fun with a rainbow on the wall and super hero decals they actually didn’t change the paint colors and amazingly he didn’t bawls his eyes out. My other nephew is 4 and also nothing seems destroyed yet (and he is rough). I dont intend for things to stay pristine and obviously toys will fill the room. Even with a Thomas bed in there I still dont find it tacky if thats what he had chosen.
Janine Lynn
Original Author
7 days ago
thank you jlcorp for the advice.

I am planning to get a dresser like I showed on FB marketplace. That specific one was ethan allen all wood quality dresser. Also hoping to find a crib second hand, maple if I can. I like oak in a natural stain but I don't see much of that second hand. I do have the money to buy a new furniture but I feel the quality of old furniture is usually better and more charming. I definitely agree that a natural wood finish is much easier to maintain and shows much less wear then painted furniture.

I would love to try out a nice chair before I buy it but all the store I have been to in person have no nursey furniture as floor models. I need to find a baby specific store and try there. A lot of the stuff online for chairs are all beige and whites which is boring, and impractical. Like someone else said above I want to look in lazy boy and a darker performance color. This is my first baby and I plan to have more, so something that could be used in a girls room too if needed.

As you mentioned above most cost effective way and probably the most durable way to get the walls how I like would be like a chair rail or border at like 4 or 5 feet with just paint below it. This really was my origional questions so thank you. I think this is what I will do. I think installing a chair rail and painting the lower part of the wall is something I can get done on our own and will give a look that I wanted while still being practical.
la_la Girl
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago
Congratulations on your pregnancy! i think decorating a nursery can be such a fun way to prepare - i think a woodland approach would be lovely (i love whimsical designs for a nursery and always avoided licensensed properties)

I like wallpaper but here it would be tough bc you know you will change it rather quickly. I wonder about choosing a large piece of art, a quilt, mural or something oversized that has the colors/feel you want instead of wallpaper and using that as the base for your room design?

back when my boys were little we hung a Q PBK quilt on the large wall - one son’s had stitched dogs and the other corduroy alligators and it helped me with colors etc - it also helped with sound, made a big design impact and was simple to take down when they outgrew it - Etsy has terrific quilts and murals so that is one place i would check. Anthropologie has several large woodland tapestries that I have seen used in nurseries (they are huge but not expensive)

this is such a special time - I hope you circle back with pics!
jlcorp
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago
I am not a decorator, but I can wing it. I think the easiest way to settle on a color scheme would be to find some forest nursery bedding that you like and use that as a base for your plan. You can use the color palette in the bedding as a guide without actually using the bedding if you like because they have decorators color coordinate bedding. Basically, use the bedding as a jumping off point.

I googled "baby bedding owls deer forest" and there are lots of choices of themes from more babyish to more realistic looking animals. If you happen to like bedding you see, you might be able to find the border that goes with the bedding. You don't necessarily have to use the bedding- you can use the border. Many of the nursery bedding have coordinating borders, but you have to dig to find them as many stores only sell the bedding and not the borders. I use google image search to find things similar to what I like.

I have used fabrics to help color-coordinate in a lot of my home. If you find a fabric you like a lot, you can use the colors in the fabric as a guide and end up with a room you really like with or without the fabric. The only thing missing from using fabric to color-coordinate is the idea of bringing texture into the room. The decorators here could help you with that.
dani_m08
7 days ago
FYI - I used sizing on all of the walls in my daughters’ bathroom - that’s why it was easier to remove than the other rooms. HOWEVER, it was still a PAIN - and my walls still had to be fixed.
Sigrid
7 days ago
Hard no to wallpaper within reach of sticky baby and toddler hands and can be damaged by careless toy trucks.
ptreckel
7 days ago
When looking at older furniture to purchase for your child, be cautious about cribs. Do take your measuring tape with you. Man older cribs are not to current standards; their spindles are often too far apart for safety. Be careful, too, of the slides that lower the sides and make sure they operate correctly. I would, actually, avoid OLD cribs. Buy a new one. Then find a vintage wooden twin for your son to grow into.
einportlandor
7 days ago
My daughter and SIL had a baby last year. They are a military family and live in base housing so can't paint, wallpaper, etc. but my granddaughter's room is wonderful! Two family friends who are quilters sent them whimsical quilts that got mounted on the bedroom walls. Better than any wallpaper! Tiny white undershirts were decorated with paint during a baby shower and my kids strung them on a rope with clothes pins on another wall -- totally charming. Bedding from Ikea and other soft furnishings round out the space. All of it is low cost, none of it is permanent.

The thing to keep in mind is babies don't stay babies for very long -- it's over in a flash. It's so easy to go Pinterest-crazy with that first baby but the baby doesn't care and will quickly outgrow any theme you come up with. A nursery can be warm and lovely without spending a ton of money -- it's ok to stick with paint and great-grandma's quilt. There will be plent of other places to spend the money. Enjoy the journey!
Janine Lynn
Original Author
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago
I love the idea of a big quilt on the wall. Looking on etsy not too expensive and very cute!

Also as far as used crib, I mean like pottery barn or something. Not like an actual antique. And a new mattress.
dani_m08
7 days ago
My daughter did a woodland nursery - but not with muted colors. The walls look darker in the photo - was taken at night. Also, was before she added large framed prints of animals (with extra white space around print). It will be simple to change when it’s time (although, this is a starter house for them = not sure how long they will stay here).