DIY
Wall stickers, photo wallpaper or border: ideas for wall design in the children’s room
There are no limits to creativity and imagination when designing children’s room walls
© Ridofranz / Getty Images
In the past it was still common practice to wallpaper children’s rooms, today more and more parents are resorting to modern design options. Because they save time, money – and nerves. Today we are introducing you to three creative ideas for wall design (including instructions) in more detail.
While wallpapers are still very popular in private homes, decorative wall design in public rental apartments has gone out of fashion. Not because the selection is too small – the time and cost factors actually play a decisive role. Because the fact is: a wall paint can be painted over or replaced more quickly. But even here the effort is enormous to give the children’s room a new coat of paint. It is much faster and easier to embellish the barren walls with decorative design elements – such as a photo wallpaper, wall stickers or a border.
Attach wall stickers: Instructions & tips
By far the easiest and fastest form of wall design for children is offered by wall stickers. They (mostly) adhere to all surfaces, not just smooth surfaces, but also to woodchip wallpaper or textured plaster. Provided, of course, that the walls are dry and free of dust. The selection of child-friendly motifs is almost endless: Whether Points or Stars, Luminous stickers or Jungle animals – There are no limits to the design options. Nevertheless, there are a few tips you should consider before you apply the wall stickers in the nursery, such as:
- Depending on the thickness of the wall sticker, a structured background (such as woodchip) can push through the surface. That is not a problem in itself, but of course it changes the look.
- If you have freshly painted a wall, the paint should be completely dry before you put the stickers on it – otherwise they will not adhere well (or not at all) to the surface.
- If the walls in the children’s room have only been plastered, you should first apply a primer (also recommended for painted surfaces) – otherwise the stickers will not stick to them for long.
And now follows a little guide on how to use the Wall stickers can be attached at even intervals: Take a square piece of paper or cardboard – for example 40 x 40 cm, depending on how large the distances between the stickers should be – and hold it against the wall with one of the corners facing up. Now use it as a kind of placeholder between the stickers when you stick them one after the other on the surface. Important: To begin with, press the stickers only lightly so that you can move them again if necessary. Only when you are satisfied with all positions are the wall stickers pressed down with the smooth palm of your hand.
Attach photo wallpaper: Instructions & tips
In contrast to a normal wallpaper, the photo wallpaper is only attached to a wall – and at the end forms a large-area motif, such as a Mountain landscape or Forest animals,Spiderman or Winnie the Pooh. Since the materials (mostly paper or fleece) are very thin, the surface must always be clean and dry, smooth and free of dust. In other words, if the walls in the children’s room have just been freshly painted or newly plastered, you should wait at least three to six weeks before applying the photo wallpaper. And of course there must be no old wallpaper on the affected wall. Small cracks and holes should also be filled, as fine unevenness would later push through the thin wallpaper.
If you want to attach the photo wallpaper afterwards, proceed as follows:
- Measure the wall first, as the subsurface – especially in old buildings – often does not form a uniform rectangle. So that the photo wallpaper is attached as centrally as possible, it is glued from the center of the wall. It is best to use one for this Spirit level and a pencil to mark the most important corner points.
- Mix the wallpaper paste as it is on the packaging and plan for the appropriate waiting times. Until the paste is ready to use, you can lay out the individual strips of the photo wallpaper in the correct order.
- Apply the paste to the first lane – but be careful: If it is a paper wallpaper (blue adhesive surface), the adhesive must be spread evenly over it and let it work for a few minutes before you apply the lane. If it is a non-woven wallpaper (white adhesive surface), the paste must be smeared directly onto the wall.
- In the case of photo wallpapers made of paper, the individual strips can be glued on so that they overlap, as the material can contract a little when it dries. Photo wallpapers made of fleece should definitely be glued on butt. Remember to put one on each lane after attaching it from top to bottom Rubber roller to smooth down.
You will find detailed instructions for attaching a photo wallpaper here.
Attach border: Instructions & tips
If you only want to set small accents on the walls, doors or furniture in the context of the children’s room design, self-adhesive borders are a good choice. Here, too, the use of aids, such as a spirit level, a squeegee or a rubber roller, is essential. Thanks to the self-adhesive back, it is easy to attach the motifs (for example clouds or Llamas, the space or Hot air balloons) to be attached to the wall. They adhere to all dry, even and adhesive surfaces. It is only important that you attach the border straight (use the spirit level) – and adhere to the following steps: First remove the film, position the motif on the desired surface and press the border evenly on. Then check whether all edges are straight. If so, take a rubber roller or one Squeegee and smooth the material.
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