This Canadian mom mixes vintage elements into a modern nursery.

Our whimsical tree wall decal in white is subtle and stately at the same time.

Eye-catching stripes create an accent wall.

If you follow our blog, you already know that one of the biggest recent trends in nursery décor is minimalism. Moms and dads are being more practical in their selection of paint colors, fabrics, and furniture so that their baby can grow in to, not out of, his or her room. In an effort to save time and money, many parents are moving away from babyish nurseries and designing simpler, sophisticated spaces that will withstand the test of time.

Another latest and greatest trend in nurseries everywhere is vintage décor. Nurseries that incorporate vintage elements are popping up everywhere, and there are websites dedicated to retro room design for babies and kids. Meaning, there is plenty of inspiration out there for parents who are searching for a whimsical, nostalgic feel in their home.

While these two styles (minimalist and vintage) may seem to be in stark contrast to one another, a Canadian mom found a way to effortlessly incorporate elements from each in her baby boy’s room. The result? A playful space that is that exudes sophistication and eludes the kitsch factor that can come into play when decorating with vintage pieces.

Mom tells us, “We modeled the nursery after a more modern aesthetic. We wanted a room for our baby boy that was both functional and stylish that would grow with him and that didn’t scream baby room! The first item that we chose for the nursery was the fabric for the custom curtains that we had made. We fell in love with the modern chic print and the colors.” We are in love with those curtains too, Mom! The muted colors are a perfect pairing with the print. For the wall color, these parents turned to the perennial favorite, Benjamin Moore, and selected Collingwood OC-28, a soft dove grey color that provides a subtle backdrop for the wall decor. But this couple didn’t stop there! They decided to create a stunning accent wall using masculine striped wallpaper designed Graham & Brown and ordered from Home Depot. This unique attribute adds so much visual interest to the room without overpowering the other features.

On to the furniture! Mom writes, “The crib and dresser/change table combo is from Cara Mia Furniture and the custom upholstered glider chair is from Monte.” The contrast between the rich color of the furniture and the soft grey walls is just stunning! The stately crib is softened up with Dwell transportation bedding and organic duvet cover.

And of course, no nursery or kid’s room is complete without unique wall accents and accessories. Enter weeDECOR! Mom found the perfect spot for our whimsical white tree wall decal. In keeping with a modern, minimalist feel, she chose white for a clean, crisp look. Mom tells us, “Other wall decor is made up of some vintage prints from our families and pictures taken during the pregnancy and shortly after our son’s birth. All are mounted in frames created by Maclean Young Picture Framers. The lighting is a mixture of vintage finds and a custom ceiling fixture. The toy bins are from 3 Sprouts Organics and there is an assortment of vintage stuffed animals (original authentic Paddington Bear) and new finds!”

This is a mom who knows how to mix different design elements and strike a balance between 2 competing décor trends. Vintage and minimalist pieces coalesce to create a stylish and unique room that will be enjoyed for years. Great job, Mom! You are an inspiration!

For even more inspiration, see other customer photos on our blog. You can also check out our Pinboards on Pinterest for fabulous nursery decor finds.

Scandinavian-Designed Modern Nursery Wallpaper by Onszelf

Scandinavian-Designed Modern Wallpaper with Fairies from Onszelf

Modern Nursery Wallpaper by Onszelf

If you are a hip mom craving a hip nursery, consider the modern stylish look of Scandinavian brand Onszelf. Founded by Astrid Nieuwenburg and Claudia Drübe, this creative duo designs awe-inspiring wallpaper for the nursery that will make your nursery feel like a work of modern art.

The key to baby room wallpaper is less is more, particularly if the pattern is busy. Think of using modern baby room wallpaper like this from Onszelf on an accent wall. Or, consider a coat of solid paint separated by a chair rail where you apply the baby themed wallpaper either above or below the chair rail. Larger patterns will look better on the bottom half whereas softer or more delicate patterns will feel more appropriate on the top half.

A few of our favorites are within Onszelf’s “Wow” collection. This soft pink and blue nursery wallpaper incorporates whimsical decorative elements that invoke a fairy tale feel for your baby girl. This wallpaper could look particularly cute in a princess themed room.

If you seek something more bold, red is a “wow” color for a baby room because it is so uncommon. This cute animal themed baby room wallpaper print in blue and red will get you the oohs and ahs. Also featuring cats and fish, this baby room wallpaper pattern would help you design a fashion-forward animal themed nursery.

Finally, we like this fairy wallpaper pattern as the perfect accent for a fairy themed nursery. The bright pink and white contrast makes a bold statement and the delicate, dancing fairies decorate the walls with symmetric, clean lines creating a not too baby modern look.

Onszelf baby room wallpaper designs are sold in the US by Janoli Designs Bv.

For other baby room wallpaper ideas see our other articles on:

Pink Damask Wallpaper for a Baby Girl’s Room

Animal Themed Modern Wallpaper for a Kid’s Room

Using Geometric Wallpaper Prints in a Nursery

Animal Silhouettes Made from Wallpaper

Cute Penguin Wallpaper

Animal Themed Kids Wallpaper

Tree Themed Wallpaper for a Kids Room

Car Themed Wallpaper for a Kid's Room

Wallpaper for kids’ rooms has made a comeback in recent years as new generations of designers have improved upon both its functionality and its look. Now, you can find beautiful kids wallpaper with cool, modern designs and it’s much easier to apply. 

FermLiving is one of those designers and has a line of modern, kid-themed wallpaper called WallSmart. WallSmart is a non-woven wallpaper designed for easier hanging. You apply the paste directly to the wall rather than working with a pre-pasted material. It is even washable to protect from sticky hands. Remember that in any wallpaper project, two sets of hands are a must!

We found some great themes for modern kid’s room decorating such as this animal themed wallpaper in bright green with elephants, giraffes, chickens, birds, and squirrels perfect for a playroom. This tree themed wallpaper in yellow, white, and brown called Dotty would be cute wall décor for a girl’s room or gender neutral nursery. We can envision it working well in a yellow nursery with touches of hot pink in a girl’s room or apple green in a boy’s room. Finally, this car themed wallpaper is fun and comes in dark aqua blue and white featuring cars and trucks of contemporary design and colors. It would be delightful in a modern boy’s nursery or a playroom.

Keep in mind that the vibrant prints in these and other wallpaper designs can overwhelm a room. Make sure you use bold printed wallpaper sparingly. For example, each of these patterns would look lovely on an accent wall. If not obvious, an accent wall is when you choose one wall in the room to highlight. It may be the wall behind the crib or the wall behind a large dresser.

Bold wallpaper prints also look nice above or below a chair rail. We like the idea of using these prints below the chair molding and then painting the upper half in bright, coordinating colors.

If you like these wallpaper designs, you can get matching throw pillows to complete your look.

Find these kids wallpaper themes at inmod. 

And, see our other articles using wallpaper on an accent wall, creating wallpaper silhouettes, beautiful flower wallpaper, and cute penguin wallpaper.

Tree Wallpaper Silhouette for a Nursery or Kid's Room

Giraffe Wallpaper Silhouette for a Nursery or Kid's Room

Ostrich Wallpaper Silhouette for a Nursery or Kid's Room

Always on the prowl for one-of-a-kind nursery and baby room ideas, especially when it comes to wall decor, we came across these gorgeous wallpaper silhouettes designed by artist and designer Inke Heiland in the Netherlands. Such a unique way to use wallpaper in a modern nursery.

Inke created Wallpaper Wildlife for her son’s bedroom and was so satisfied with the result that she shared them with the public at an exposition event for new design. After lots of positive feedback she expanded the collection with wallpaper silhouettes by designing furniture and trees.

These wallpaper silhouettes come in many vintage patterns and modern themes great for kids rooms.  The extra large tree wallpaper silhouette is rich with color and pattern.  The tree depicted here uses greens and blues where you can envision the blues as flowers or bluebirds.  The tall and elegant giraffe in the playroom is a gorgeous gold and bright green floral print with green stripes.  It is a lovely piece for a safari or jungle themed kid’s room.  And, the unique ostrich stands proud and tall next to a changing table dressed in a paisley print. 

Inke’s silhouettes are made from real vintage and designer wallpaper and are handcrafted.  Each pattern is available in limited quantities and is sent out as a DIY kit complete with glue, a brush, and instructions. You can order the wallpaper silhouettes directly from Inke’s website.

See our other ideas for creative wall decor including beautiful wallpaper finds, wall decals, and wall hangings.

Penguin Wallpaper for Kids Room Decor by Isak

Penguin Wallpaper for Kids Room

Penguin wall decals by weeDECOR offer a friendly wave to all who enter your wee one's room.

Brrr!!!  We’re starting to feel the seasonal chill which inspired us to seek out creative cold weather decor ideas to bring more positive feelings towards winter.  This vibrant turquoise or aqua and white penguin wallpaper did the trick!  This wallpaper was designed by ISAK, a UK brand of design gifts and coordinated home accessories. Isak is all about beautiful happy things and was founded by designer Sandra Isaksson. Sandra’s Scandinavian style brings splashes of color influenced by her heritage and travels. She is a graphic designer and illustrator for textile, wallpaper, and prints.

We love the idea of using it to decorate a playroom as shown in the image above.  Hanging the penguin wallpaper on one wall allows you to make a bold statement without overwhelming the space.  This wallpaper is also a great decor item of which to decorate around.  Find colorful furniture pieces and accessories to bring some warmth to the room like the warm red and orange storage boxes depicted here.  Or, hang these snowflakes from the ceiling from Land of Nod to keep the chill on.

For the modern mom, this wallpaper would lend itself to a one-of-a-kind nursery.  With a modern white crib, white crib bedding, and other penguin decor, create a gender neutral penguin themed nursery.  Or, create a winter wonderland with other friendly cold-weather animals like seals and moose.  We ran across this cute personalized penguin baby blanket to help get you started.

This penguin wallpaper is sourced from sustainable forestry and made in the UK. The surface can be wiped clean when hung. Each roll is 52cm wide and 10m long (remember, the UK is on the metric system). Price is per roll.

Do you love the idea of penguin-themed wall decor but want something slightly more subtle? Our penguin parade wall decals are so cheerful and warm, they will melt your heart! Each member of this mini-colony offers a wave of a flipper as if to say, “Pleased to meet you. Come on in!” Our wall stickers are removable and reusable, so you can put them up in the winter months, take them down in the summer, and hang them again when the weather turns. But of course, they’re so absolutely irresistible that you’ll probably want to display these little guys year round.

See our other articles for creative nursery decorating ideas with wallpaper, animal wall decals, and animal wall hangings for kid and baby rooms.

Flower Wallpaper for a Girl's Room

Make a statement with this floral patterned wallpaper we found at Murals for Kids.  The hand-drawn art of the flowers would create such a unique look that your baby’s nursery or girl’s room will look like no one else’s. 

Because this floral nursery wallpaper is such a powerful design element, you can build a lot around it.  For example, this wallpaper would work well with romantic-styled white baby furniture that has soft curves to it such as the Darcy Fixed Gate 3-in-1 crib from Pottery Barn Kids. 

You will need to use a lot of solids to tone down the pattern when buying baby bedding, curtains, or rugs.  For example, choose one color in the wallpaper you want to accentuate.  You could match the purple or lavender in the wallpaper to this purple comforter from Company Kids.

Another clever use is to apply the wallpaper to one of your four walls (maybe behind the bed or the crib).  Then, paint the other three walls with one of the colors you would like to accentuate.  For example, paint the other three walls a bright sunny yellow, that matches the yellow flowers in the wallpaper.

So many creative options to call your own!

See our other recommendations on nursery wall decor for more decorating ideas.