Beautiful Accent Wall Ideas For A Serene & Stylish Nursery

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New parents have a lot on their minds when it comes to designing a baby's nursery. Do you need to pick a theme? What kind of crib is the safest? After splashing out on the latest stroller, car seat, diapers, and baby monitor, just how are you going to afford a major room makeover anyway? By the time you incorporate a diaper changing station, adequate storage for all those onesies, and practical furniture like a rocking chair or glider, it can be tempting to just pick a paint color that matches your favorite layette set and call it a day. But if you want a serene and stylish nursery that doesn't cost more than their college fund, consider color drenching, color blocking, or hanging unique wallpaper to create a beautiful accent wall.

Designing the perfect room for your newborn doesn't have to be difficult. No matter what type of accent wall you choose, avoid some common mistakes everyone makes when decorating a nursery. Instead of using oil based paints that have volatile organic compounds (VOC) that smell like solvent, use low or zero-VOC paints that release far fewer chemicals into the air. If you decide to install board and batten or other wall slats, make sure they are securely attached to avoid injuries as your child starts to get more curious and mobile. Finally, ensure any wall art is far out of the grasp of tiny fingers to make sure you and your little one can sleep like a baby.

Color drenching is a painting trend that can boost the tranquility of any room, and this is especially the case in a baby's nursery. Although you can completely cover the ceiling, every wall, and all the trim in the same color, because babies benefit from high contrast spaces, we recommend limiting your color drenching to the ceiling and a single wall that includes closet doors, bookshelves, or picture molding. Farrow & Ball's Eddy No. 301, a calm green hue, is a great choice, but any soft color or neutral will work.

Polka dots are trending in 2025, and the best place to use them may just be on a nursery wall. There are so many ways to play with the simple circle for tons of visual interest, whether you stick to muted contrasting colors or a variety of bold hues. Use a small paintbrush and a steady hand to create tiny dots, or use a stencil to create giant ones. Paint them randomly or hang a wallpaper like Idomural's Peel and Stick Boho Polka Dot Contact Paper if you prefer a more structured look.  

Color blocking is another way you can use paint to create an eye catching accent wall in your nursery. An arch is a fantastic option for color blocking a space behind a decorative mobile or wall shelves for children's books. You can easily recreate this look for yourself with just a quart of paint. Check out how to create the arch wall paint trend using any color you desire.

There are a few things you should know before painting a mural in your baby's nursery, from how to prep the walls to the costs involved in more intricate designs. If you don't want to spend days or weeks DIYing or lack the budget required to hire a professional, don't underestimate the power of painter's tape. Using just a few short pieces, create a geometric mountain scene using Farrow & Ball's Ammonite No. 274 for the sky and Manor House Gray No. 265 for the peaks for a neutral look.

Although paint is cheaper, wallpaper is another option for creating a stunning accent wall in your baby's nursery. Because it can be both expensive and time-consuming to install, consider using classic patterns that will grow with your child. Plaid or ticking stripes in neutral colors like green, blue, and taupe will stand the test of time long after you swap out the crib for a big kid bed. Check out Instagram-worthy wallpaper brands we're loving like Spoonflower, Rifle Paper Co., and Cole & Son for attractive options.

Popular interior designers like Joanna Gaines are content bringing their bundles of joy back to rooms that feel all grown up. If you're not crazy about adding kaleidoscopic colors or pastel prints to your home's perfectly curated aesthetic, add decorative molding to change the look of your nursery at a fraction of a renovation's cost instead. To get the look, plan your design on paper first. Then, after taking precise measurements and cutting your decorative molding and trim pieces to size, securely attach them to the wall using heavy-duty construction adhesive or finishing nails.

Whether you install it at a wainscoting height or cover an entire wall, beadboard can add texture, depth, and visual appeal. Big box stores like Lowe's sell a variety of beadboard styles, from decorative options like the highly-rated Style Selections Smooth Weathered Barnboard MDF Wall Panels at Lowe's to simple white sheets intended for painting. Installing beadboard paneling is another idea that requires precise measurements and secure installation to ensure your child's safety. Use a strong construction adhesive like Loctite PL Premium Max before nailing each panel to a wall stud for extra support.

Highly saturated colors aren't exactly serene, so consider choosing a more muted palette if you want to include a variety of hues in your baby's nursery. You can capture a soft and slightly retro vibe with a watercolor rainbow wallpaper from Anewall. Using an unexpected wallpaper is a trendy way to give your home personality. Plus, hanging a wall mural made of pre-pasted or peel-and-stick wallpaper panels is an extremely simple and effective way to make a stylish statement when you don't want the hassle or mess of paint.

Lighting is an extremely important consideration for nurseries and children's bedrooms. Along with creating a comfortable environment for babies and parents, thoughtful lighting can also promote better sleep. Add soft illumination by installing night lights like the Tip Perk Floating Cloud Wall Lamps from Amazon above a crib or changing station to encourage sweet dreams. They look especially stylish when paired with an ethereal gray wall color like Benjamin Moore's Heaven or a pale sky blue like Farrow & Ball's Borrowed Light No. 235.

There's one easy DIY board and batten wall hack that works beautifully on a nursery accent wall. Attach vertical trim at even intervals on an accent wall before capping them off with horizontal trim at your preferred height. The look is stylish whether you decide to color drench the entire wall or paint the board and batten section before adding a unique wallpaper above it. We especially love crisp white board and batten paired with a dreamy celestial print like Tempaper's Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper from Lowe's, which comes in frost, powder, and navy.

If you've got baby fever, it's easy to go gaga for gingham. To keep the checkered pattern simple and serene, only install it on a single accent wall. There are dozens of options out there, from classic pink and blue to more neutral colors like taupe and gray. No matter which one you choose, remember that a larger gingham print will look bolder while smaller ones will be more subtle. The most versatile approach will utilize small-scale prints like the pastel gingham or beige gingham with tiny hearts from Spoonflower.

Whether you want to punch up your existing wainscoting or you're anxious to create an elegant take on the classic children's book "Where The Wild Things Are", woodland-inspired wallpaper can do the trick. From toile-inspired Vintage Forest Trees from Spoonflower to the woodblock creatures in Rifle Paper Co.'s Fable, stick to light and monochromatic prints to keep the look stylish instead of too childish. Although you can find toile designs in gendered colors, picking a more neutral hue is ideal if you want your wallpaper investment to transition well beyond baby. 

To create a decidedly delicate vibe, nothing could be easier than going floral from floor to ceiling. There are endless floral wallpaper options out there, but Nestig's Butterfly Garden print is ideal for an accent wall. Printed on non-toxic paper and available on a shell or peony colored background, the design includes bows, blooms, and butterflies in harmonious yet higher contrast hues. Although there are some downsides to wallpapering your ceiling, one Nestig customer who used her nursery ceiling as an accent wall absolutely loved the result.