Long before a child is let out of the womb and into the world, couples who intend to have children begin to make room for them.
We know they’ll need to cover their skin so we buy them clothes. They’ll need to sleep somewhere soft and cozy, so we buy them comfy sleeping cots. We make room for them not just in our heart, but physical spaces where they can retire, until the next episode of crying.
The spaces we design for our little ones need to give off a reassuring vibe, something that says to the child ‘this is your safe and happy place’.  Babies need to stay in environments that visually stimulate them and help to nurture their development.
There are many things to consider when creating this place. You want to be creative, but there’s still a need to ensure that your creative props are not hazardous to your little one.
However, one of the biggest and best design statements you can make in the room is on the walls. The color scheme can make a room seem welcoming, vibrant, warm, dark or just blah.
Now, this guide is for parents who don’t want to design children space that is just blah. There is always the debate about what to do with the walls. To paint or not to paint? That is the question.
I’ll answer it: choose wallpapers.
Why You Should Choose Wallpapers Over Paints For Your Baby’s Room
When it comes to choosing between painting and using wallpaper for your child’s room, always pick wallpapers. I’ll tell you why:
Durability
Wallpapers last longer than paint. All you need to do is buy the high-quality ones and you get a long interval before the next replacement.
Easy to clean
This is what you want whenever a child is involved because that milk or urine spurt is inevitable. Also, sometimes the kids get their hands on paint and the wall looks like the best canvass for that portrait.
It happens, you just need to know that whenever they stain it you can clean it. However, this is not an option with paints.
Dirty stains will leave an eternal mark on the wall and you’ll always have to explain ‘oh that tiny paw print belongs to my little angel, there’s actually an interesting story behind itâ€.
Saves time
Once the right wallpaper is selected, installing the wallpaper in an average sized room, with 4 walls is something that takes a maximum of two hours.
Notice I said maximum because let’s say you decide to take a break and dance to some music. It means that it will take way less time (without the music).
Painting the same room /same amount of space will take more time than it takes to install the wallpapers in the same space.
Variety
Wallpapers always have the theme you’re looking for. It’s very flexible and almost any theme can be brought to life. There are many varieties of baby wallpapers that you never run out of options. There are hundreds of colors, texture and pattern options.
In fact, you can be overwhelmed by the number of options you have, but that’s why I’m your guide. I will guide you to tailor your taste and options so that you will not be overwhelmed but will have the right level of whelmed.
Wallpapers make a room very unique. In fact, you could give the same wallpaper to two different people and watch them bring a two specific atmosphere to life. I can’t say the same about paints, to be honest.
Types Of Baby Wallpapers
There are various types of wallpapers but in this article, we’ll talk about wallpapers that are child-friendly and can be used in children spaces without regrets.
Vinyl wallpapers
These baby wallpapers are very versatile, tough and washable. This means they’re useful for a long time. It consists of a base made with paper or fabric and then covered with a plastic upper coating.
It is very practical, as it is easy to clean. This is a huge advantage to whoever will be responsible for cleaning after the kids (yay!).
Although the fabric-backed vinyl is thicker and therefore suitable for covering those imperfections on the wall, but I must add that they are not as easy to take down when the time for change comes.
The advantage is that you have a wide variety of colors and design options to pick from. It’s easy to install, easy to remove and easy to clean.
However, it has a disadvantage which is that it does not allow the walls to breathe. Therefore, it’s not ideal for poorly ventilated rooms.
Washable wallpapers
Textile wallpapers
These are baby wallpapers that are printed with ink. They are water resistant and are covered with a thin coat of transparent plastic. What this means is that the walls can be cleaned without washing off the patterns, and stains will not stick.
It is usually made of silk, cotton, linen, felt, raffia, twines or feathers. These are breathable, flame retardant and resistant to stains.
The disadvantage is that they are hard to install and quite high priced.
Things To Consider When Choosing Wallpapers
Existing settings
You know how shopping for a child can be random. The child’s stuff are 80% of the things you walked past and thought, ‘ooh’. So at the end of the day when you get to the walls, you might pick a color or pattern that contrasts badly with the baby blanket or that sleeping crib.
So in choosing wallpapers, consider the prominent items in the room already and pick something that goes along with that theme. Shopping with this in mind narrows your search range and you can shop without getting confused.
While shopping for baby wallpapers, choosing one from all the lovely colors and patterns can get distracting.
The light source of the room
The color of light in a room can change the appearance of the wallpaper. For well-lit rooms, you can afford to go for dark undertones while for poorly lit rooms, bright colors are beneficial.
Size of the room
If you are trying to create an illusion of taller walls or a wider space, well, vertical lines make the ceiling appear further, while horizontal patterns make the room look broader.
Dark colors absorb light and make the room feel smaller.
For a room without much light, look for designs that reflect light around the room such as those patterned with shiny inks.
Patterns with texture can hide imperfections.
The size of the room also determines the amount of wallpaper you will eventually purchase.
Stain resistance
Since we’re talking about kids here, we know it’s inevitable that the walls will get stained. Try to buy baby wallpapers that are stain resistant. They have a thin film over the designs that protect them from stains.
Cost
I want to assure you that there’s a wallpaper for almost any budget you have. So, while there are really expensive baby wallpapers, there are also very affordable ones.
Most of the plain wallpapers are not pricey. It depends on what you’re ready to give up on or what exactly you’re looking for.
Installation
Who will be installing the baby wallpapers? There are a couple of DIY supermoms who would like to install the baby wallpapers as a family affair. In this case, these moms would prefer baby wallpapers that don’t have to be installed by professionals.
It’s also wise that whoever is going to be installing is contacted for any technical things you need to look out for.
Another thing is, don’t let gender stereotypes limit you. If you want to make your baby girls room into a princess land, that’s fine. If you like basketball and want to start sending subtle hints to your baby boy, that’s fine too.
But don’t let the gender of the child limit you if you’re not particular about it. There are a lot of gender-neutral wallpapers which are lovely.
Finally, just buy something you’ll enjoy looking at. At their ages, little ones have zero interest in aesthetics. At that stage, their main interests include milk, shiny objects and shiny objects that jiggle.
So, most of those nights when your infant will need a diaper change or when you want to tuck them to sleep, you’ll be the one appreciating the décor.
One day they grow up and having developed their own taste, they can pick their own wallpaper designs. But before then, you’re mostly buying the wallpaper for your friends, family, self-appointed home décor critics (we all have them) and yourself.
How To Take Care Of Your Baby Wallpapers
Wipe the wallpaper every two weeks with a clean and dry cleaning cloth. This is to prevent dust from accumulating on it.
When you want to clean up actual stains, dampen the cleaning cloth with water (you see why we love washable wallpapers) and wipe the actual stain gently.
Many times, baby wallpapers are advertised as tough, durable and scratch proof. Don’t try to find out by scrubbing too hard. You might tear or damage it in the process.
When you actually wash the walls, work in small areas washing first and then blotting off the excess liquid with a dry cloth. Try not to soak the wallpaper.
Avoid chemical based detergents, as they can roughen the fine finish of the wallpaper and leave it coarse.
Abrasive cleaners such as scouring powders should be avoided completely because the tiny granules they contain can scratch the surface of the wallpaper.
Try to clean from top to bottom and side to side, and clean the whole wall when you do. It might be tempting to clean till where your reach stops.
However, you’ll notice that over time, the line between the site that’s usually cleaned and the other site that’s not usually reached begins to show and it’s not a nice look.
You can make use of a stool to increase your reach. While I’m not a fan of ladders, they are very helpful when cleaning walls.
Try not to use cleaning solutions that are colored as some of them actually discolor the wallpaper. You can test the effect of the cleaning solution by scrubbing first a small section by the lower corner. It’s called a spot test.
Wiping or washing should be done from bottom to top to avoid those downward drips that slowly destroy the baseboard.
Do I have to add that bleach must be avoided? It’s because that’s a sure way to damage your finish and blur the fine prints.
Conclusion
The aim of this guide was to show you how to use wallpapers to transform a normal room into a beautiful, reassuring and unique space. An ideal space where you can care for and nurture your child.
It is also to ensure that you’re able to select appropriate wallpaper and maintain the wallpaper until the time comes for it to be taken down. So go ahead and decorate that room, be creative with it, you’ll be very pleased with the results.