It has been so fun to see which nursery design trends have been coming back for 2026. One that’s been around for years and has been continuing to hold firm is wall paneling. The style and color is changing with time, but our clients still love a paneled wall! This client wanted a nursery design for her son to have dark blues, grays and neutrals with touches of brass. She already owned a set of traditional nursery furniture so she wanted to bring in those classic elements while balancing the design with some modern touches too.
Creating Accent Wall Paneling
When we started this design, the nursery already had a board and batten style wall paneling in navy blue. We wanted to soften the space and create something that worked better with her more classic nursery furniture, so we changed the board and batten wall to a more traditional wall paneling style. We also changed the color to a softer slate blue—still dark and bold but more sophisticated than a true navy.
Designer Tip: When planning out any type of wall paneling, it’s always best to measure and tape it out to make sure you like the look. This is a project for pretty experienced DIYers only, so we generally recommend hiring a contractor to install wall paneling.
Balancing Traditional and Modern Design Elements
Since we needed to blend together different styles in this nursery design, we included some more modern and organic pieces along with the traditional furniture. The key to balancing different styles is balance. As you can see in the floor plan above, the arched crib and dresser are on opposite walls, so the traditional style is already balanced there. The neutral boucle glider, which is in between, is a more transitional style and has some texture. Then we brought in modern touches throughout the space like the round brass mirror, brass floor lamp, travertine side table and abstract artwork.
Mixing Plaid Patterns for a Preppy Touch
The client wanted to add a little preppy style to this nursery, specifically with plaid. We have three plaids in this space—the white and blue plaid wallpaper, the neutral plaid rug, and the beige plaid throw blanket. If you notice, none of them touch each other and they are all pretty soft so they don’t overwhelm the space. The light blue in the wallpaper brings in another dimension as well to balance the darker paneled wall. And of course, no preppy nursery is complete without a few teddy bear touches. We made sure to add a teddy bear art print and a sweet little plush teddy bear on the wall shelf!
Nursery Decor from This Design:
White & Blue Plaid Wallpaper
Arched Traditional Convertible Crib (similar)
Cream Boucle Motorized Glider
Linen Waterfall Ottoman
Faux Travertine Side Table
White & Gold Floor Lamp
Wood Chandelier (similar)
Branch Book Shelf
Neutral Plaid Rug
Faux Sheepskin Washable Accent Rug
Round Brass Mirror
Bear Art Print
Blue & Neutral Abstract Wall Art
Plush Alpaca Rocker
Blue Chambray Crib Skirt
Neutral Woven Storage Bin
Neutral Plaid Throw Blanket
Blue Storage Box
Plush Teddy Bear
Want your own Virtual Nursery Design? Take a look at our design services page—we have limited spots available to contact us soon!
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