Kids' Rooms Deserve Real Art Too
I'll be honest. When people ask me about decorating a kids' room, my first instinct is the same as for any other space: put something on the wall that actually means something. Not a cartoon character they'll hate in two years. Not a generic print from a big box store. Something real. Something that connects them to a place, a memory, a feeling.
And the good news is that coastal wall art works brilliantly in a kids' room or teen's bedroom. Bright colours, bold compositions, a sense of freedom and the outdoors. It fits the vibe perfectly. And unlike themed decor, a great beach print will still look good on that wall in ten years.
Start With Something They Actually Connect To
The best prints for a kid's room are the ones tied to a real place they know. Their favourite holiday beach. The spot where they first learned to surf. The town their grandparents live near. That emotional connection is what makes art stick around long after the novelty wears off.
One of my top sellers, Bells Beach Art Print I, works brilliantly in a teen's room. It's got colour, energy, and it's a beach every young surfer knows by name. Same with Torquay Art Print I, which captures the soul of a town that basically is surf culture in Victoria. These aren't just pretty pictures. They mean something to kids who've been there.
For Bellarine families, Barwon Heads Art Print I or the Point Lonsdale range are great choices. If your family holidays on the Gold Coast, Rainbow Bay Art Print I is a strong pick, especially for teens who've surfed those breaks.
What Size Works Best in a Kid's Room?
Size depends on the room and where you're hanging it. For most kids' bedrooms, a medium or large print is the sweet spot. My M size (42x59.4cm) is a solid starting point. It's big enough to make a statement but won't overwhelm a smaller room. The L size (59.4x84.1cm) is great above a desk or on a feature wall, and it's the size I'd go for in a teen's bedroom where the room can handle it.
If you've got a big room with high ceilings and you want something that really commands the space, the XL (84.1x118.9cm) is worth considering. Check out my size guide if you're not sure what will work in the space you have.
Which Frame Is Right for a Bedroom?
For a kids' or teen's room, I'd usually point people toward the floating frame canvas or the shadow box frame. Here's why.
The floating frame canvas uses a 400gsm Hahnemuhle Daguerre museum quality stretched canvas with no glass at all. That means no reflections, which is great in a bedroom where light bounces around, and there's nothing to worry about if something gets knocked around. It looks clean, modern and suits a relaxed coastal feel well.
The shadow box frame is my most popular choice overall and for good reason. The glass sits 20mm off the print, which gives it a really cool floating effect. It uses 270gsm fine art paper with giclee archival inks, and it looks a step above a standard framed print without being precious about it. Both come in black, white or oak, so it's easy to match whatever the room already has going on.
All my frames are made from FSC certified sustainably sourced plantation timber, which is something I care about, and all prints are made with archival inks designed not to fade or yellow over time. Useful when you're putting something on a kid's wall that could be there for a decade.
Gallery Walls Work Brilliantly in Teen Bedrooms
If your teen wants more than one piece, a small gallery wall can look really good. Three prints in the same location, or a mix of nearby beaches, creates a collected feel without looking random. I'd suggest picking prints from the same region so they feel cohesive. Three Surf Coast prints together, or a mix from the Bellarine, works really well.
If you want ideas on how to put something like that together, I've written a full guide on how to style a gallery wall with coastal prints that covers sizing, spacing and arrangement.
Bring the Coast Into Their Space
All my prints are made to order and ship free anywhere in Australia. They're printed and dispatched from Victoria, and they come ready to hang. No assembly drama, no separate hardware to track down. You pick the size and frame, and it arrives ready to go on the wall.
Prints start from $89, so it's genuinely good value compared to what you'd pay at a gallery or a boutique homewares store for something that doesn't have half the quality or meaning behind it.
If you're looking for somewhere to start, browse the Torquay Art Print IV or check out the full range of beach prints australia wide. There's a good chance the beach your kid loves most is already in the collection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size wall art should I get for a child's bedroom?
A medium print (42x59.4cm) works well in most kids' bedrooms and is big enough to feel intentional without overwhelming the space. For a larger room or a teen's bedroom with a proper feature wall, a large (59.4x84.1cm) or XL (84.1x118.9cm) print is a better fit. When in doubt, check the size guide for a visual reference.
What type of frame is best for a kids' room?
The floating frame canvas is a great option for kids' rooms because it has no glass, so there's nothing to worry about if things get a bit chaotic. The shadow box frame is also popular and gives a really polished look with the print appearing to float inside the frame. Both options come with a 10-year warranty and are ready to hang straight out of the box.
Will coastal wall art still look good in a bedroom as a child gets older?
Yes, that's one of the biggest advantages of choosing a real location print over themed decor. A great beach print tied to a place the family loves doesn't go out of style the way cartoon characters or trend-driven art does. Plenty of customers tell me prints they bought years ago are still the favourite thing on the wall.
Can I buy coastal beach prints Australia wide and get them shipped?
All Local Breaks prints ship free anywhere in Australia. They're printed to order in Victoria, packed carefully, and dispatched with tracking. There's no pickup option, but the free shipping is Australia wide with no minimum spend and no catches.
Ready to find the right print? Browse the full collection at localbreaks.com.au and find the beach that means the most to your family.
