Framing for the Nursery

Nursery Art & Framing Guide

If you're setting up a nursery in anticipation of a new arrival, or want to brighten one up for the baby, we have a few custom framing tips to help your create the right environment for your little ones.

Artwork for Babies

An infant's vision is quite limited in their first year, and they are best able to perceive simple, bold patterns with high contrast. Black & white toys and books support visual development, allowing them to experience different patterns and develop their ability to focus attention.

The same goes for the artwork in their room. Look for simple lines, geometric patterns and lots of contrast for them to lock onto and explore with their eyes.

Navy Dogs from Stuff & Things In Color and Nursery Safari Animals from ArtPRINTR

Etsy is a terrific source for all kinds of kid-appropriate artwork, and has a number of artists who will even personalize the art with your baby's name.

Customized Bear Nursery Art from Bellflower Creative

As kids get older, or if you want to plan ahead, work in more bright colors and fun themes like the alphabet, animals, cars and trucks and more.

Rainbow Alphabet from Aaryn West, Baby Tiger Print from The Crown Prints and Car Series from Leslee Mitchell Art

Framing it Up

Before getting into choosing the best framing style for baby and kids art prints, consider the materials and quality you will be bringing into your home.

Our handcrafted custom frames are made with all wood profiles and archival, acid-free materials, designed to look great and protect whatever is inside. In the nursery, it's not worth risking it with a frame constructed with lots of plastic or one that may literally fall apart over time.

It's also important to note that we frame with an acrylic glaze instead of using glass, the latter being much heavier and prone to shattering.

And with online framing, you have a number of options.

For the works mentioned above and anything else on paper, you can custom frame them at home with our DIY Framing kits. You also have the option of sending them to our framing studio for us to frame and ship back ready to hang.

On any framing project you undertake with us, we put the customization options in your hands.

Softer profile colors like White or Natural Maple are great for nurseries, but you can use our Preview Image feature to see which frame style looks right to you. You can even send a link to friends and family for their approval.

Framing "Dumper" from Polly Molly Prints in a 3/4" Natural Maple frame with 1.5" of matting

If you ever have questions or need advice on how to frame your items, our designers are standing by to help over chat or email.

Gallery Wall & Other Arrangements

Once you have your artwork and photos framed up, take a look at what you are working with in the nursery as far as wall and shelf space.

Above the crib can be a great spot to hang a large "hero" piece, or a series of prints that work well together from left to right.

Airplane Series from Leslee Mitchell Art (on right)

Another popular gallery wall design, for when you have the space going up as well as side to side, is the Grid Pattern.

A great option is to purchase digital files directly from the artist and upload them for printing and framing. Our framed gallery wall options make that even easier - we've picked the frame sizes and layouts, all you need to do is upload the artwork.

Safari Nursery prints from Lamour Fou Print Shop in a grid layout

Woodland Baby Animal Prints for the nursery from OonaWallArt on Etsy

Smaller frames can be displayed on shelves, bookcases and dressers. It's a great way to display framed keepsakes like a sonagram, baby footprints, or birth announcement.

Image via Alex Wingerden's This Creative Life

Check out more layout options in our guide to styling a gallery wall.

Hanging Your Frames Securely

Lastly, it's important that each frame you hang in the nursery (and anywhere else) is properly secured.

For smaller frames - anything under around 14" x 14" - a sawtooth bracket on the top rail of the frame provides enough support while making for easy hanging and leveling. A single nail in the wall is all you need, tapped in at a slight downward angle.

For larger frames, a hanging wire attached to the two side rails is common. Use a picture frame hanging hook with a weight rating able to support the frame. For oversize frames, you can use two hooks 10" to 12" apart from one another.

Our gallery wall designs come with WallBuddies on the back of each frame, which are two brackets on the top corners to make hanging easy and frames flush to the wall.

Read more tips and trips for hanging your pictures frames in our handy guide.

Happy framing!