Kids Bedroom Ideas for Small Rooms: Stylish & Functional Spaces

Decorating kids' small bedrooms is a task that can feel more challenging over time. It’s one thing creating a stylish nursery space, as you can take the lead on the theme and furniture. It can get trickier once they’re slightly older and have their own opinions on what they want. That’s why we’ve compiled our top tips and ideas for decorating a stylish and functional small kids' bedroom that everyone will love.

A playful world map mural featuring animals and continents, adorning a child’s bedroom wall with a wooden bed and green bedding.

Safari Kids Map Wallpaper Mural

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Best layouts for small kids' bedrooms

With small rooms, making the most of the floor and wall space is essential, so here are our top five ways to enhance the layout of a kid's small bedroom.

  1. To maximize room dimensions, consider removing or replacing non-essential cumbersome features that interfere with floor and wall space, e.g., a boiler cupboard, large radiator, or chimney breast.

  2. Capitalize on natural light by keeping window areas clear and opt for blinds rather than curtains.
    Tip: placing a toy chest under the window provides storage and seating.

  3. If budget allows, alcoves are perfect for bespoke fitted storage or creating bookshelves for reading nooks. 

  4. Beds tend to be the largest item of furniture, so choose one that serves several purposes. Choose one with under-bed storage or a mid-height one with space beneath for a cool den.

  5. Think vertically - floating shelves can be added in places that wouldn’t allow for full bookshelves, baskets on top of wardrobes offer stylish, flexible and accessible storage, and murals can help give the impression of height.

Creative ways to decorate walls in a kids room

It’s important to make the most of the walls in a child’s bedroom; the right decor can transform a small room into an imaginative, cozy escape that’s also practical. 

Kids bedroom wallpaper is a brilliant way to set a theme for the room; they can either feature your child’s favorite character or offer an inspiring, immersive backdrop to layer a theme on top of. Our Wordplay design is a great choice for younger kids learning their alphabet who are fascinated by animals, shapes, and objects. 

The Marine mural is a beautiful option for a calming underwater theme that can be continued with sea life-inspired accessories in complementary colors throughout the space. Kids animal wallpaper is always popular with parents and children alike, so choosing an animal design in contemporary colors is an excellent option if you want a happy medium.

For older children, a simpler design with an on-trend color palette lets them personalise the room with their treasured belongings. The Daze mural features an ombre color effect, a particularly clever wallpaper design for small rooms, as the ombre effect creates a feeling of height.

An undersea-themed wall mural with pastel sea creatures in a nursery with a green dresser and natural woven basket.

Painted Underwater Sea Life Pastel Watercolor Mural

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A gradient rainbow ombre mural providing a colorful backdrop to a minimalist desk setup with a chair and computer.

Rainbow Ombre Wallpaper Mural

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Choosing the right colors for a child's bedroom

Cleverly used colors and patterns can help make small rooms feel bigger and segment different sections. Don’t be afraid of bold or bright colors; incorporate them as accents for smaller rooms rather than covering walls to give the feeling of space. Choose pastel tones or chalky hues of your child’s favorite color to keep it feeling stylish.

Kids’ bedrooms will inevitably accumulate clutter, so selecting a pared-back color scheme and wall decor helps create a calming bedroom backdrop. Cumulus Daylight and Cevenne Blue are great examples of impactful kids bedroom murals that are restful, featuring fluffy floating clouds and soft, curving mountainscapes. Both murals incorporate blue as their key color - a color associated with evoking calmness, comfort and creativity, so ideal when decorating a kid’s bedroom. 

Don’t forget the color of the furniture, too - choosing something neutral means it will continue to work regardless of how the color scheme and accessories might change over time.

A serene blue cloud mural creates a calming atmosphere in a children's room with soft toys and minimal decor.

Light Blue Cloudy Sky Watercolor Wall Mural

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A soothing blue watercolor mountain mural in a kids' room with a teal chair, wicker basket, and cozy decor.

Blue Watercolor Mountain Wall Mural

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Making a small kids' bedroom cozy

Above all, kids’ bedrooms should be cozy, regardless of size. Floors should feature soft, comfortable carpets or rugs to keep elbows and knees comfy during playtime, and there should be plenty of cushions and blankets within arm's reach for storytime, sleepovers and den-making. 

Wall decor also plays a big part - choosing warm, earthy tones like taupe, sage green, dusky pink and inky blue creates a cocooning effect without making the room feel smaller. Designs like Cutout Light feature abstract cut-out shapes in subtle, neutral tones that feel simultaneously playful and peaceful. 

Add ambient lighting through table or wall lamps to give the room a welcoming, atmospheric glow.

A pastel abstract wall mural with organic shapes, adding a gentle aesthetic to a nursery with a wooden crib and woven bear basket.

Light Abstract Shapes Wallpaper Mural

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Involving kids in bedroom decor

There are many benefits in involving your child in the decoration of their room, as they’re more likely to spend time enjoying the space… and are hopefully more inclined to keep it tidy! Ask for their preference on color, character or landscape and use this as a basis to start from - you can choose the exact shade of the color and the design style of any illustrations to keep the room cohesive and current. 

Opting for a tasteful animal mural for nurseries and kids bedrooms is one way to please everyone and surround children with their favorite wildlife. Kids’ preferences and interests change as they grow from toddler to school child to teenager, so it’s always good to balance what they want with what’s practical and cost-effective.

Boys bedroom wallpaper has come a long way, with plenty of tasteful and fun decor themes available. Similarly, modern girls bedroom wallpaper is full of imaginative motifs and inspiring designs to spark creativity. Get their help choosing finishing touches, like storage baskets, cushions and lamps, so they feel a sense of ownership and accomplishment.

A fun, educational alphabet wallpaper with animal illustrations, complementing a kids' playroom with a table and building blocks.

Kids Fun Educational Illustrated Alphabet Wallpaper Mural

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Feeling inspired?

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