Rockabye Baby: How to Choose the Best Wallpaper for a Nursery

There are just under 4 million babies born in the United States each year. Are you one of those soon to be parents that are eagerly and anxiously looking forward to welcoming a bundle of joy into your home?

If so, then it's never too soon to start planning out your nursery. What theme will you choose? How will you decorate the walls to accent your chosen theme?

Choosing nursery wallpaper gives you more creative freedom than paint. Plus it's super easy to peel and update when your newborn gets older and wants a say in the theme of their room.

Not sure how to get started choosing wallpaper? Follow our guide and we'll have your nursery looking chic and ready for your new bundle of joy.

Choose the Right Type

There are three different types of wallpaper out there. Choose the right type and you will make application and removal a breeze.

Nonpasted

The first type of paper is plain paper with no adhesive. This means your wallpaper is dry and you'll have to apply the adhesive before sticking it to the wall. This is the type of wallpaper that becomes a nightmare to try to remove once it is well stuck on the wall.

Prepasted

Since this paper already has adhesive, all you need to do is add water and stick it on the wall. When you are ready to give your walls an update all you have to do is peel it off.

Self-Adhesive

The third type of wallpaper is self-adhesive. They are sticky and don't require any activator to get it to stick to the wall. This wallpaper is more like a large sticker that you will stick to the wall.

Picking the Right Color

The days of selecting pink for girls and blue for boys are long over. Of course, if you have your heart set on blue or pink, by all means, go with it!

But if you want something less traditional, consider a gender-neutral color. You could go with a soft light yellow or darker sage color.

You could even choose black and white. Then you could use color in the furniture and fixtures.

The Scale of the Pattern

Don't follow what you see other people do when it comes to pattern. Almost everyone chooses a pattern that is too small for the size of the room.

Don't be afraid to choose a bold stripe or even these gauges with a Disney Pixar Cars theme.

What Pattern Do You Choose?

Are the walls in your nursery less than perfect? Then choose a pattern with lots of repetition. This will mask the blemishes from the eye.

The tighter the pattern you choose, the busier it will look when it is on the wall. While this isn't a bad thing, keep in mind that if the wall you intend to cover is large, the pattern could become overwhelming.

If you choose stripes, putting them vertically will make your nursery ceiling seem higher. Turning the paper 90 degrees to horizontal will make your nursery seem wider.

What Is Trending?

Florals are a huge trend in wallpaper right now. This pattern will lend itself well to a nursery where you can choose soft foliage or petalled flower pattern.

Geometric patterns are another trend this year. Look for one that has clean lines and modern pattern shape. Choose a lighter color and this would be a great pattern to use on the ceiling.

Another trend rising for 2020 is soft colored patterns. This Pooh & Friends wallpaper offers a soft pattern that is chic but also fun and playful.

Stay on Budget

Maybe you've fallen in love with the perfect wallpaper but you find out that it's outside of your budget. You can still have your dream wallpaper, you just have to get creative with how you use it.

Only put the wallpaper on one statement wall. Then paint the rest of the walls a complimentary or matching color.

You could also put wallpaper on just the ceiling. Having a statement ceiling is the latest in interior design trends.

How Much Do You Need?

How do you select the right wallpaper that is within your budget if you don't know how much you need? You can't simply buy the exact square footage of your walls and call it a day.

Steady yourself, as this part is going to require some math. You will need a tape measure, paper, pencil, and calculator.

Always round up when you measure your walls. You will need the width and height of each wall you intend to cover. Then calculate the square footage of each wall.

Add up the area for each wall and you will have the total square footage you need to cover. Do not forget the final step of adding 15% of the total area to your final number.

This 15% accounts for wastage. Mistakes happen and you'll be happy you have the extra paper.

Pick out Your Nursery Wallpaper

When it comes to choosing the right nursery wallpaper, don't let anyone tell you what to do. Think about the rest of your home and the theme of your nursery.

Then choose a wallpaper that will look good and blend in with the design approach you have decided on. This could be a bold pattern or a gender-neutral color.

Don't get stuck in traditional thinking that states that you have to wallpaper all of the walls. You can get creative by only doing a statement wall or even the ceiling.

Pick out your nursery wallpaper today!