Ceiling for a nursery - what materials to choose

Colored

An excellent solution, but only for a flat ceiling. Otherwise, you will have to spend a lot of effort, money and time on pre-painting preparation and leveling.

A clear advantage of this type of repair is the variety of color, light and texture solutions.

Fashionable trends in painting place emphasis on thematic design with frescoes, luminous acrylic and ordinary paints. The result will most likely justify the money and time spent.

The main task when painting is the choice of high-quality, safe, non-toxic materials (solutions, paints).

Finish options

If our goal is beautifully decorated ceilings in the nursery, then it is necessary to decide on the technology for finishing the ceiling structure, even during the creation of the design.

Here you can consider the following options:

Wallpapering. A fairly simple cladding method to implement. Properly selected trellises that harmoniously fit into the surrounding interior of the children's room can give the ceiling a major role in the overall design. I would also like to highlight the use of photo wallpaper - but we will discuss this in more detail below.

Painting. Another fairly easy cladding method that does not require capital investment. At the same time, it is possible to paint the ceiling in any shade - as a result, there is huge scope for your imagination. However, a painted ceiling structure usually requires periodic updating, and in some cases, complete replacement.

Hanging structures in a nursery can only be recommended if the room itself is quite high. Otherwise, the suspended ceiling can put psychological pressure on the baby, and in addition there is a possibility of damage to it during active games. However, if you have walls higher than three meters, then you can safely experiment with multi-level structures.

A stretch ceiling is a good option with a high degree of versatility: this design can suit virtually any room. The design of suspended ceilings for children's rooms produced by companies is quite extensive, so you can choose not only single-color solutions, but also designs with patterns or photo prints.

Drywall

A material that is obtained from natural gypsum laid between two cardboard sheets. For strength and wear resistance, adhesives are added: for example, PVA glue. It is considered quite harmless to health.

There are such ceilings:

Single-level.

Multi-level.

Drywall has gained popularity due to its versatility, practicality and affordable price. This material has a number of advantages:

Environmental friendliness and safety. The material is based on natural raw materials. High-quality drywall that meets standards is non-toxic.
Low cost.
Many design variations. Drywall is easy to cut, process and install. Hanging decorative elements can be made from plasterboard.

Wide selection of colors. Drywall can be painted in any color or combination of colors, or a pattern can be applied to it.
Easy to care for. True, this quality depends on the quality of the coating.
Easy to install. Plates of the required size and shape are connected with self-tapping screws and, if necessary, with glue. Does not require highly specialized equipment for installation.

Minuses:

Construction dust. When sawing and installing, a lot of dust is generated. Requires constant cleaning from dust before each stage of processing (putty, primer, painting).
Large time costs for the process from installation to the finished ceiling of the design you need. Each layer of putty, primer, and paint requires time to dry. Also, plasterboard coating needs constant dust removal.
Questionable fire safety. The presence of cardboard makes this material unsafe in rooms where there is a high probability of fire safety violations. Therefore, they came up with a fireproof version impregnated with a special composition. Usually only the gypsum layer is impregnated.
Unhygienic. In areas with high humidity, it is more likely to grow mold. The market offers plasterboard slabs impregnated with antibacterial substances. However, remember that any chemical impregnation calls into question the safety of using the material in the nursery.

Wallpaper: simple, accessible, original

The decoration of the ceiling in a children's room can also be done using wallpaper. The main condition for gluing is the creation of a perfectly flat surface of the ceiling.

Finishing materials can be of different textures. The list of most popular products:

Paper webs are environmentally friendly, affordable products, presented by manufacturers in the widest range. When covering the ceiling with this type of wallpaper, its disadvantages - susceptibility to fading when exposed to UV rays and fragility - become insignificant.
Vinyl, non-woven. They are used for children's bedrooms only if there is a high-quality ventilation system, since they do not allow air to pass through. The advantages of the products include long service life and ease of installation. Up to 6 layers of paint can be applied to the moisture-resistant multilayer material during the period of operation.
Textile. Such ceiling wallpaper is used in rooms designed in Rococo and Empire styles. The attractiveness of the products is explained by their ability to “breathe” (pass air).

All types of wallpaper can be combined with other types of finishing materials. When gluing the upper floors, you should take into account the overall design and area of the living space: bright patterns on fixed canvases are appropriate in rooms with neutral walls, small colorful images - in rooms with high ceilings.

Matte wallpaper looks beautiful, complemented by luminous stickers and neon lighting.

Stretch ceiling

Glossy, made of PVC film.

Fabric - made of thermally shrinkable material resembling fabric.

Design ideas

Classic. A white ceiling is the best solution.

Photo printing is a highlight in the nursery interior.

3D effect.

Pros:

Quick installation.
Hygiene. If dirty, you can wipe with a damp cloth.
Non-toxic: if a good certified film is used. The quality and environmental friendliness of such decor depends on the quality of the PVC film.
Strength and durability.
Huge variety of color combinations.
Possibility of photo printing of any complexity.
Corrects ceiling unevenness, which is difficult to achieve when painting. Creating a flat ceiling using putty will take many times longer than installing a tension version.

Minuses:

High price. A custom design can cost significantly more than a similar design made from drywall or painted.
Installed only by professionals with special equipment.
Partial installation is not possible when a room is zoned.

Wallpapering

Quite a rare occurrence. Such repairs are more acceptable for low rooms and attics.

Today there are more “against” than “for”:

Inconvenient installation.

The need for a perfectly flat surface.
In order for the coating to hold firmly, ideal indoor climate conditions are needed. If you plan to maintain the recommended level of humidity for a child in the nursery, the pasting option is not suitable, since it will be too humid for wallpaper on the ceiling. This can cause mold to form, and the wallpaper may simply peel off.
Durable adhesives often contain toxic chemicals.
Purchasing high-quality, environmentally friendly wallpaper and glue will not cost much less than purchasing a plasterboard or stretch ceiling for a child’s room.

How to choose children's wallpaper, read our article.

Popular ideas for decorating the ceiling in a nursery

For the smallest inhabitants, the first place is occupied by the image on the ceiling of the blue sky with the sun. This design will fill the room with a warm mood. If you need a specific design, then tension structures with photo printing will help.

For school-age children, the age category of the child must be specified. The ceiling in a boy's nursery can be decorated in a marine style.

The base will be blue, and a compass or sailboat will look beautiful on it.

Pink skies or a lawn with flowers will fit perfectly on the ceiling in a girl’s nursery. To summarize, we can only say one thing - the choice is always yours. Don't forget to consider your baby's interests.

Ceiling in a girl's room

Two-tier soft pink: marshmallow style for a princess.

Wood: harmony with nature.

Elves and fairies: a little fairy tale and magic.

Butterflies: celestial fantasy.

Boy's room

Airplanes: air adventures. 3D stretch ceiling.

Space.

Plasterboard ceiling in a sporty style.

Lighting

The experience of designers and parents shows that the most optimal and competent method of lighting from the point of view of eye health is spot lighting. Such lamps can be easily installed in any suspended ceiling. The layout is planned in advance and the corresponding holes are made.

Today you can choose lighting with remote control, the ability to change brightness and color. Central lighting in the form of a lamp in the middle is suitable if the room is high. You also cannot do without additional lighting of the workplace and a night light.

You can revive and stylize the ceiling in a room using wooden elements, textiles, lamps, and plasterboard compositions.

5 most common mistakes

You should not ignore the availability of certificates for the materials used in the hope of finding a more budget-friendly finishing option.
Be sure to ask for certificates not only for the product itself, but also for the installation equipment. This is especially true for glue, paint and moisture-resistant or antibacterial impregnation of drywall.
Before purchasing, be sure to consider care and cleaning in case of contamination. For a children's room, the issue of cleanliness is one of the most important. When choosing a finishing method, ask yourself the question: how to care for such a ceiling, can it be washed and cleaned if necessary? For example, trendy textiles and embossed decorative elements must be regularly cleaned of dust. The younger the owner of the room, the more often cleaning will be needed.
You should not choose bright prints for ceiling design. Of course, every parent wants to give their child a fairy tale. But the opinion that bright drawings and images in large quantities develop children's thinking and imagination is wrong. In addition, the atmosphere should be universal for games and sleep. Apply a fabulous, bright design on the walls of the play area. And decorate the ceiling with a universal coloring with a “fairytale” lamp.
An abundance of angular shapes. Psychologists say that the rounded, streamlined shapes of nursery design elements have a beneficial effect on the child’s psyche. Sharp angles, on the contrary, are associated with tension and aggression. Circles and wavy lines in the design of the ceiling will create comfort and coziness.

False ceiling with triangles.

Round cloud shapes seem to be a cozier design solution.

Think in advance about the location of children's interior items (sports corner, furniture modules, lamps) that are mounted to the ceiling.

Design selection

You can make the decor of the flow in the nursery unique in various ways using different materials. Some of them are more popular, while others are not so common. A lot depends on the budget and the choice of composition when finishing.