Designing a nursery can often feel like a delightful challenge, blending functionality with a dreamy aesthetic. When you consider our brand’s affinity for vibrant color schemes and creative projects, it’s clear that nursery decor is truly in our wheelhouse! These DIY abstract wooden shapes for nursery wall decor are a prime example of blending simplicity with stunning visual impact. And let’s be honest, we absolutely live for a good spray paint makeover – it’s a quick, transformative way to infuse personality into any item. We’ve even spray-painted crib drawers, proving there’s almost nothing this versatile medium can’t enhance!

While we won’t formally request that Krylon® Brand rename their Ballet Slipper and Catalina Mist spray paints to include “Sugar & Cloth,” we certainly wouldn’t object! We’re thrilled to have partnered with them to bring you this incredibly fun accent wall idea, which can even extend to a crib upcycle for your baby’s room. The beauty of this project lies in its flexibility: you can effortlessly customize the color scheme, experiment with different patterns, and even use it as a temporary decor solution if you’re renting or simply prefer not to commit to permanent fixtures.

This decor style is genuinely gender-neutral and boasts an ageless appeal. This means it’s not just perfect for a nursery; it can seamlessly transition into a boy’s bedroom, a little girl’s bedroom, or even a playroom as your child grows. Its versatility ensures that your effort in creating this beautiful piece will be enjoyed for years to come, adapting to evolving tastes and room functions.

Materials and Tools Needed to Make Abstract Shapes DIY Nursery Wall Decor

Gathering your materials is the first exciting step in any DIY project. For this abstract nursery wall decor, you’ll need a few readily available items. The beauty here is that many of these can be found at your local craft store or hardware shop, making this a truly accessible project for any budding decorator.

• Craft Wood Shapes: A selection of squares, circles, and small rectangles. Feel free to experiment with other geometric forms or even abstract cutouts to add more personality. The variety in shapes adds visual interest and allows for endless pattern possibilities.
• Krylon ColorMaster® Paint + Primer Satin Ballet Slipper: This soft, gentle pink offers a touch of warmth and subtlety, perfect for a calming nursery environment.
• Krylon ColorMaster® Paint + Primer Satin Catalina Mist: A serene, muted blue that evokes a sense of tranquility, harmonizing beautifully with the Ballet Slipper shade.
• Krylon Shimmer Metallic in Gold Shimmer: Adding a touch of metallic gold introduces a sophisticated shimmer and a modern accent, elevating the overall design.
• Painter’s Tape: Essential for creating crisp, clean lines and defined color blocks on your wooden shapes. Choose a good quality tape that adheres well but removes cleanly without damaging surfaces.
• Small White Nails or Heavy-Duty Artwork Adhesive: Depending on whether you want a permanent or temporary installation, these will be crucial for securely attaching your finished art to the wall. Consider the type of wall surface you have when making your choice.
• Drop Cloth or Newspaper: To protect your work surface from spray paint overspray.
• Well-Ventilated Area: Absolutely critical for spray painting to ensure proper air circulation and safety.
• Gloves and Mask: For personal protection while spray painting.

DIY Nursery Wall Decor – How to Make an Abstract Shapes Wall Art

Embark on this creative journey to transform simple wooden shapes into captivating wall art for your nursery. This process is not only straightforward but also incredibly rewarding, allowing you to add a deeply personal touch to your baby’s room.

Step 1: Prepare Your Wooden Shapes

Begin by laying out your craft wood shapes on a protected surface. The first step involves using painter’s tape to create geometric patterns or ‘tape off’ random edges on each shape. This technique allows for the creation of striking color-blocked designs. You can choose to apply the same taping pattern across all shapes for a cohesive look, or mix and match different tape designs on each piece for an eclectic, abstract feel. The key is to press the tape down firmly to prevent paint bleed, ensuring crisp lines in your final design.

Step 2: The Art of Spray Painting

Once your shapes are taped, it’s time for the vibrant transformation! Move to a well-ventilated area, preferably outdoors or in a garage with open doors, and lay down a disposable surface like a drop cloth or old newspaper. Before you begin, always read the safety and application instructions on your Krylon® Brand spray paint cans. Shake the cans vigorously for at least one minute after the mixing ball begins to rattle. Hold the can approximately 8-10 inches from the surface and apply light, even coats. Multiple thin coats are always better than one thick coat, as this prevents drips and ensures a smoother, more professional finish. We found that two cans of spray paint were sufficient for this project, allowing for excellent coverage and vibrant color saturation. For a cohesive design, we opted to color all pieces of a specific shape in the same shade – circles in Catalina Mist, squares in Ballet Slipper, and rectangles in Gold Shimmer.

Step 3: Drying and Final Touches

Allow all the painted shapes to dry completely between coats. Once the first coat is dry to the touch, apply a second coat for enhanced color and durability. The trick to avoiding paint peeling or chipping is to remove the painter’s tape while the paint is still slightly tacky, but dry enough not to smudge. This ensures a clean break at the tape line. After carefully removing all the painter’s tape, allow the shapes to fully cure. This final drying stage is crucial for durability. From start to finish, including drying time between coats, this entire project typically takes about two hours of active work, with additional waiting time for thorough drying.

Step 4: Design and Placement

With your beautifully painted and fully dry abstract shapes ready, it’s time for the exciting part: arranging them on the wall! Before permanently attaching anything, experiment with different layouts. You can arrange them in a dense cluster, a scattered pattern, a linear design, or even create a cascading effect. Consider the overall balance and how the shapes interact with each other and the surrounding furniture. Taking a photo of each arrangement can help you compare and decide on your favorite pattern before committing.

Step 5: Secure Installation and Safety

The most secure method for attaching your decor pieces to the wall for a long-term display is by using small, discreet white nails. These offer excellent stability and are barely noticeable against a light-colored wall. However, if you’re looking for a temporary decor solution—perhaps for a rental property or if you enjoy frequently changing your decor—heavy-duty adhesive artwork tape can be an excellent alternative. Ensure you choose a tape specifically designed for artwork to prevent damage to your wall surface upon removal. Regardless of your chosen attachment method, it is absolutely crucial to keep the shapes well out of your baby’s reach. For instance, the styled crib shown here maintains about a foot of space between the edge of the crib and the wall decor. This ensures that tiny hands cannot reach the pieces, eliminating any potential safety hazards. Always prioritize safety in your nursery design. For more unique wall art ideas, consider this elegant DIY Brass Ring Wall Decor for a mid-century touch with a modern feel.

Optional | Accenting Your Crib

Why stop at the walls? To truly elevate the nursery’s design and create a cohesive, designer-inspired theme, we decided to add a fun color-block storage accent to the crib itself. This optional step allows you to extend your chosen color palette and abstract design principles directly onto your furniture, transforming a standard crib into a unique focal point.

Using painter’s tape, we carefully sectioned off half of the cabinet front and the handles of the crib’s storage drawers. With precision, we spray-painted a vibrant blue/white and a pop of all-pink onto the base of the crib. This simple technique seamlessly integrates the crib with the wall decor, creating a harmonized aesthetic that feels both playful and sophisticated. We utilized the same Krylon ColorMaster® Paint + Primer Satin Ballet Slipper and Krylon ColorMaster® Paint + Primer Satin Catalina Mist, ensuring a perfectly matched and unified theme throughout the entire room. The added colorful element truly brings an extra layer of charm and personality to the nursery, don’t you agree?

Thank you to Krylon® Brand for sponsoring this post! Sugar & Cloth donates 5% of all sponsored campaigns to charity, which you can read about right here!

More Decor Ideas

If this project has sparked your inner decorator, we have plenty more DIY decoration ideas to inspire your next home transformation. Explore these related posts for creative solutions that add character and style to any room:

• Gold Hardware Color – Block DIY Barn Door: Learn how to create a stunning statement piece with this modern barn door project.
• DIY Ikea Hack Floating Credenza: Discover how to transform basic IKEA furniture into chic, customized storage.
• DIY Book Nook: Colorful Kids Reading Nook Ideas: Craft an inviting and imaginative space where your little ones can dive into their favorite stories.
• DIY Paper Wall Art – Easy And Fun To Make!: Explore simple yet impactful ways to create beautiful wall art using paper, perfect for any room.

DIY Nursery Abstract Wall Decor

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Add a little personality to your nursery with this easy and affordable DIY wall decor project.

Active Time1 hr

Drying time1 hr

Total Time2 hrs

CourseDIY

Equipment

• Painter’s tape
• Small white nails or heavy-duty artwork adhesive
• Drop cloth or newspaper
• Gloves and Mask

Materials

• Craft wood squares, circles, and small rectangles
• Krylon ColorMaster® Paint + Primer Satin Ballet Slipper
• Krylon ColorMaster® Paint + Primer Satin Catalina Mist
• Krylon Shimmer Metallic in Gold Shimmer

Instructions

1. Start by taping off random edges of your wooden shapes. We chose to match all of the shapes but you can mix and match as well!

2. On a disposable surface, in a well-ventilated area, spray your shapes with the Krylon® Brand spray paint colors of your choice. Before you start, read the label for safety and application instructions. We used 2 cans of spray paint.

3. Allow all of the shapes to dry. Once the shapes are dry repeat with one more coat of spray paint. To avoid peeling or chipping, the painter’s tape should be removed when the paint is dry to the touch. Once you carefully remove the painter’s tape, you allow the shapes to fully dry. From start to finish this entire project took us about 2 hours.

4. Once the pieces are fully dry, you’re ready to create a wall pattern by attaching your color block shapes to the wall!

5. The most secure way to attach the pieces to the wall is by using small nails in a discrete color like white, but if you can only have temporary decor in your space, using something like heavy-duty adhesive artwork tape will suffice as well. Just be sure to keep the shapes out of baby’s reach regardless.

   For instance, the styled crib you see here has about a foot of space between the edge of the crib and the wall to be sure that no little hands can create a dangerous scenario.

Notes

We chose to go with a more cohesive look and color all of the pieces for each shape in the same color. For this design, I opted to paint the circles in Catalina Mist, the squares in Ballet Slipper, and the rectangles in Gold Shimmer.

Cost: $25

Keywords: diy nursery wall decor

Don’t forget to share your DIY nursery decor with us on Instagram using the hashtag #sugarandclothloves. We always love seeing all of your creative projects and how you bring our ideas to life! Looking for even more interior design inspiration? You can find all of our home decor tutorials and ideas right here on the blog!