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Kids’ Room Feature Walls Worthy of a Gold Star
Wake up your child's sleep space with a winning accent wall that sparks creativity and joy
Natasha Saroca
10 June 2016
Houzz Australia Contributor. Natasha is a freelance journalist who began her career working across a number of home design and lifestyle magazines, including BuildHOME and Kitchens & Bathrooms Quarterly. She enjoys writing about design and colour trends, decorating ideas (particularly how to transform rooms with colour and patterns), organisation tips, entertaining ideas and easy updates for the home.
When she’s not creating Ideabooks for Houzz, Natasha can be found writing about all things fashion for Missy Confidential, working on her soon-to-be-launched website – www.asmartsequin.com – or shopping online for new quilt covers, cushions and fashion illustrations (her three current obsessions).
Houzz Australia Contributor. Natasha is a freelance journalist who began her career... More
Creativity and a playful approach are key when decorating kids’ rooms. Youngsters do, after all, crave colour, excitement and fun, so their personal hideouts should capture their vibrant personalities and vivid imaginations, rather than being decorated in the same grown-up-approved style used throughout the rest of their home.
Introducing a peppy and punchy feature wall to your child’s space is a great way to make their room more ‘them’ and create a magical retreat for study, sleep and play. From cool colour-in wallpaper to giant vertical board games, here are some squeal-worthy accent wall ideas with kid appeal and personality that will score you big brownie points.
Introducing a peppy and punchy feature wall to your child’s space is a great way to make their room more ‘them’ and create a magical retreat for study, sleep and play. From cool colour-in wallpaper to giant vertical board games, here are some squeal-worthy accent wall ideas with kid appeal and personality that will score you big brownie points.
Wild thing
Is your little miss or mister a big animal lover? They’ll go wild for the fun feature wall pictured here. This quirky jungle-inspired living room scheme boasts a menagerie of faux animal heads crafted from felt, papier mache, plastic and ply, while tropical-print wallpaper completes the lively look. A set-up like this will transform any blah kids’ bedroom into an adventurous escape that wows.
Is your little miss or mister a big animal lover? They’ll go wild for the fun feature wall pictured here. This quirky jungle-inspired living room scheme boasts a menagerie of faux animal heads crafted from felt, papier mache, plastic and ply, while tropical-print wallpaper completes the lively look. A set-up like this will transform any blah kids’ bedroom into an adventurous escape that wows.
Colour me happy
Fun and functional, colouring-in wallpaper is a great accent wall option for kids’ rooms. Customisable designs like the jungle mural pictured here invite youngsters to unleash their inner artist and put their own stamp on their private domain. Colouring-in is also a great stress reliever for adults, so when you’ve had a long, hectic day, sneak into your child’s room and scribble your worries away.
Fun and functional, colouring-in wallpaper is a great accent wall option for kids’ rooms. Customisable designs like the jungle mural pictured here invite youngsters to unleash their inner artist and put their own stamp on their private domain. Colouring-in is also a great stress reliever for adults, so when you’ve had a long, hectic day, sneak into your child’s room and scribble your worries away.
Streetwise style
Commission a graffiti artist to spray paint a street-art mural on your youngster’s wall, and their room will be the coolest on the block. This is an ideal option for kids who’ve outgrown cute decor and want their room to have edge and attitude. Keeping the rest of the space simple in colour and style means the room won’t look too busy, and the mural will remain the hero of the scheme.
Browse more bedroom accent walls
Commission a graffiti artist to spray paint a street-art mural on your youngster’s wall, and their room will be the coolest on the block. This is an ideal option for kids who’ve outgrown cute decor and want their room to have edge and attitude. Keeping the rest of the space simple in colour and style means the room won’t look too busy, and the mural will remain the hero of the scheme.
Browse more bedroom accent walls
Not too keen on the idea of permanently covering your child’s wall with graffiti art? Take cues from this teen’s bedroom and try a custom bedhead tagged with urban street art or a graffiti-covered streetscape print instead.
Bedhead image: Leslie Goodwin Photography
Bedhead image: Leslie Goodwin Photography
A notebook doodle-inspired wall treatment is a great alternative to graffiti art if your child is on the younger side or their signature look is sweeter and quirkier in style. The playful wallpaper pictured here looks as though it’s been ripped straight from the pages of a primary school kid’s notebook.
Adrenaline junkie
Now here’s an accent wall that will rock your child’s world. A cool climbing wall like this will provide hours of fun for energetic youngsters, while also serving as a funky feature thanks to the candy-coloured grips that climb up the wall.
Want to try a similar set-up in your child’s room? Install cushioned flooring along the base of the wall in case they tumble, as well as a harness and rope if the wall is sky high like the one pictured here.
Now here’s an accent wall that will rock your child’s world. A cool climbing wall like this will provide hours of fun for energetic youngsters, while also serving as a funky feature thanks to the candy-coloured grips that climb up the wall.
Want to try a similar set-up in your child’s room? Install cushioned flooring along the base of the wall in case they tumble, as well as a harness and rope if the wall is sky high like the one pictured here.
Star spotting
Here’s a fresh take on the popular space theme. The hero of this charming mid-century bedroom is undoubtedly the constellation-inspired artwork that adorns the grey feature wall. It lends a calming and whimsical quality to the scheme, creating a magical escape that offers the promise of a peaceful, dream-filled night’s sleep.
Here’s a fresh take on the popular space theme. The hero of this charming mid-century bedroom is undoubtedly the constellation-inspired artwork that adorns the grey feature wall. It lends a calming and whimsical quality to the scheme, creating a magical escape that offers the promise of a peaceful, dream-filled night’s sleep.
Freestyle fun
Your child should have a say in how their space is decorated, but why not enlist their help to carry out the room revamp too? They’ll have a ball acting as your apprentice, plus the project will spark their creativity and fill them with a sense of big-kid pride once complete.
A painted feature wall is a fun project you and your child can tackle over a weekend or two. Coat the wall in a bright block colour, then try a sponge-painted geometric pattern or go for a freestyle paint job like this abstract brushstroke design.
Your child should have a say in how their space is decorated, but why not enlist their help to carry out the room revamp too? They’ll have a ball acting as your apprentice, plus the project will spark their creativity and fill them with a sense of big-kid pride once complete.
A painted feature wall is a fun project you and your child can tackle over a weekend or two. Coat the wall in a bright block colour, then try a sponge-painted geometric pattern or go for a freestyle paint job like this abstract brushstroke design.
Game on
How epic are these board game-inspired accent walls! The larger-than-life designs deliver maximum visual impact and fun, and will put a smile on any youngster’s dial. Although the Candy Land mural below is pretty sweet, the giant Scrabble board pips it at the post for me, as it not only has jaw-dropping appeal but is fully functional too.
How epic are these board game-inspired accent walls! The larger-than-life designs deliver maximum visual impact and fun, and will put a smile on any youngster’s dial. Although the Candy Land mural below is pretty sweet, the giant Scrabble board pips it at the post for me, as it not only has jaw-dropping appeal but is fully functional too.
Pretty neat
Mounting funky storage units on your youngster’s wall is a great way to add visual punch and personality to a humdrum scheme, while ramping up its functionality too. Case in point? This tree-inspired wall storage set-up. The eye-catching colour and shapes of the cubbies and shelves – which appear to sprout from the branches of the tree wall decal – not only make a bold design statement but provide ample storage for bedtime reads. The angular shelving solutions would even work a treat on their own, thanks to their chiselled good looks.
11 book storage ideas to encourage young readers
Mounting funky storage units on your youngster’s wall is a great way to add visual punch and personality to a humdrum scheme, while ramping up its functionality too. Case in point? This tree-inspired wall storage set-up. The eye-catching colour and shapes of the cubbies and shelves – which appear to sprout from the branches of the tree wall decal – not only make a bold design statement but provide ample storage for bedtime reads. The angular shelving solutions would even work a treat on their own, thanks to their chiselled good looks.
11 book storage ideas to encourage young readers
Prints charming
A goof-proof way to transform a blank wall into an eye-popping feature is with patterned wallpaper. This charming alphabet design is the perfect option for a youngster who’s learning their ABCs. The playful print would look a tad overwhelming if used on all four walls, but as a feature wall it lends just the right amount of colour, character and cheer. Notice how the blue pendant and orange carpet and blinds echo the tones in the wallpaper and tie the scheme together.
A goof-proof way to transform a blank wall into an eye-popping feature is with patterned wallpaper. This charming alphabet design is the perfect option for a youngster who’s learning their ABCs. The playful print would look a tad overwhelming if used on all four walls, but as a feature wall it lends just the right amount of colour, character and cheer. Notice how the blue pendant and orange carpet and blinds echo the tones in the wallpaper and tie the scheme together.
For a look that’s oodles of fun and offers timeless appeal, opt for a geometric wall treatment in classic black and white. The versatile, all-age-appropriate prints will lend a playful punch to any scheme and will transition well as your child grows from tot to tween.
How to make black and white work in kid zones
How to make black and white work in kid zones
Personal touch
Draw accent wall inspo from your child’s interests and hobbies. This child’s bedroom is an excellent example of this design trick in action. Can you guess what his or her favourite recreational activity is?
Draw accent wall inspo from your child’s interests and hobbies. This child’s bedroom is an excellent example of this design trick in action. Can you guess what his or her favourite recreational activity is?
Novel idea
Colourful toys and storybook covers work wonderfully as art. Create a gallery-worthy display by installing three or four picture rails down the length of a blank wall, then arrange your little one’s favourite reads and toys along each ledge.
Colourful toys and storybook covers work wonderfully as art. Create a gallery-worthy display by installing three or four picture rails down the length of a blank wall, then arrange your little one’s favourite reads and toys along each ledge.
Roving adventurer
Encourage your child’s curiosity about the world by dressing up their room with a cheerful, richly detailed wall-sized map. The map will act as an attention-grabbing accent, while also serving as an educational tool that your child can explore at their leisure or reference while working on geography homework.
This map-clad accent wall gets bonus points as it boasts a porthole that opens to a secret corkboard, which the room’s young occupant use to post inspirational ideas and images as they daydream about all the wonderful, exotic places they’ll visit when they’re old enough to venture off alone.
Encourage your child’s curiosity about the world by dressing up their room with a cheerful, richly detailed wall-sized map. The map will act as an attention-grabbing accent, while also serving as an educational tool that your child can explore at their leisure or reference while working on geography homework.
This map-clad accent wall gets bonus points as it boasts a porthole that opens to a secret corkboard, which the room’s young occupant use to post inspirational ideas and images as they daydream about all the wonderful, exotic places they’ll visit when they’re old enough to venture off alone.
Branch out
Take a leaf out of this room’s style playbook and transform a plain wall into a family tree. The captivating artwork will enliven your child’s space and provide a visual guide to their ancestors and extended family too.
If you’re artistically inclined, paint a tree on your wall to use as a backdrop (if your little one wants to get in on the action, paint the outline and let them fill in the rest), or if you haven’t been blessed with pro painting skills, use a tree wall sticker instead.
Take a leaf out of this room’s style playbook and transform a plain wall into a family tree. The captivating artwork will enliven your child’s space and provide a visual guide to their ancestors and extended family too.
If you’re artistically inclined, paint a tree on your wall to use as a backdrop (if your little one wants to get in on the action, paint the outline and let them fill in the rest), or if you haven’t been blessed with pro painting skills, use a tree wall sticker instead.
Board-om buster
Let’s face it. At some point or another, your child will draw on your walls. A simple solution to save you the hassle of removing masterpieces from your walls is to paint a chalkboard feature wall in your budding artist’s room. As well as serving as a giant sketch pad or handwriting practise board, it can double as a message board.
Let’s face it. At some point or another, your child will draw on your walls. A simple solution to save you the hassle of removing masterpieces from your walls is to paint a chalkboard feature wall in your budding artist’s room. As well as serving as a giant sketch pad or handwriting practise board, it can double as a message board.
Garland goodness
Hanging a tassel garland across the length of one of your child’s bedroom walls is a small (and inexpensive) touch that will enliven their room and inject it with a fun, festive vibe. Whether you choose a garland in electric brights, dreamy pastels or glam metallics, a be-tasselled feature wall is sure to make every day feel like a party.
Hanging a tassel garland across the length of one of your child’s bedroom walls is a small (and inexpensive) touch that will enliven their room and inject it with a fun, festive vibe. Whether you choose a garland in electric brights, dreamy pastels or glam metallics, a be-tasselled feature wall is sure to make every day feel like a party.
Decal delight
Peel-and-stick decals are a fantastic feature wall option for rentals. They’re a cinch to apply and remove, which means they can be easily updated when your little prince or princess decides they’re ready for a change. Plus, decals won’t damage your wall, so you’ll get your security bond back quick smart when it’s time to move on.
Book quote wall stickers – like this quirky decal featuring a passage from I Can Read with My Eyes Shut! by Dr Seuss – are a novel choice for kids’ bedrooms. Try a decal that features a quote from your child’s favourite book, or a humorous phrase that makes them fall into a fit of giggles.
Peel-and-stick decals are a fantastic feature wall option for rentals. They’re a cinch to apply and remove, which means they can be easily updated when your little prince or princess decides they’re ready for a change. Plus, decals won’t damage your wall, so you’ll get your security bond back quick smart when it’s time to move on.
Book quote wall stickers – like this quirky decal featuring a passage from I Can Read with My Eyes Shut! by Dr Seuss – are a novel choice for kids’ bedrooms. Try a decal that features a quote from your child’s favourite book, or a humorous phrase that makes them fall into a fit of giggles.
For a bold, graphic look, take cues from this cheery bedroom and cover a blank wall with small-scale stickers. This sweet tutti-frutti accent wall, created with watermelon decals, is positively delightful. In fact, I’m tempted to replicate this fresh, fun look in my own home!
Why not turn a photograph of your kids or a group shot with their BFFs into a life-size (or larger) wall decal? It’ll instantly transform a blank wall (or bank of built-in cupboards, as seen here) into a focal point that wows, infusing their room with heart and personality.
Star attraction
What pint-sized superstar wouldn’t want to see their name in lights? Dazzling marquee lights will transform a plain wall into a showstopping focal point. Spell out your little one’s name in full or, if it’s a tad too long, display a fixture fashioned in the shape of their first initial instead.
TELL US
Does your child have a gold star-worthy feature wall? Share photos of your creation in the Comments.
MORE
See more ideas for kids’ rooms
What pint-sized superstar wouldn’t want to see their name in lights? Dazzling marquee lights will transform a plain wall into a showstopping focal point. Spell out your little one’s name in full or, if it’s a tad too long, display a fixture fashioned in the shape of their first initial instead.
TELL US
Does your child have a gold star-worthy feature wall? Share photos of your creation in the Comments.
MORE
See more ideas for kids’ rooms
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