If Teddy ever forgets which letter begins his name, he now has a whole wall to remind him: it’s always “T” time in there.
As we mentioned a few weeks ago, Sherry and I decided on a subtle accent pattern for the wall between the built-ins. Our original idea was to paint the Ts like we did for Clara’s raindrops, but after readers suggested vinyl decals we decided to try that instead. Vinyl is a popular choice for kids’ rooms because it’s removable and affordable. We bought a tube of vinyl meant for craft cutters for about $5 at JoAnn with a coupon. We don’t own a cutter, but we were able to cut simple, clean shapes by hand.
First we determined the size of the Ts. The wall is roughly 88″ wide, so multiples of 4″ made layout easier. To be sure we both liked the look, I mocked up two sizes using printer paper cut into 1/2″ strips and we landed on an 8 x 4″ T — it just looked right.
With the size chosen, we finalized the arrangement. I cut paper templates and taped them up, moving them around until the layout felt balanced. The pattern fit neatly into 4″ increments, which made the next steps straightforward.
Next came cutting the vinyl into 1/2″ strips: some 8″ long, some 4″ long. A craft cutter would have sped things up, but it was easy enough to do by hand. Here are the materials we used:
I made a simple guide on a scrap board with three pen dots at the zero, four, and eight-inch marks. That let me roll out the vinyl and slice off consistent 8″ sections.
After taping an 8″ section in place, I marked 1/2″ increments along both edges with a ruler. Then I lined up the ruler and sliced through the vinyl; it took two passes to cut through the vinyl and its backing cleanly. I repeated that process across the sheet until it was shredded into 1/2″ strips. For the 4″ pieces I followed the same steps and finished with a center cut. I needed about 70 strips total. The work was repetitive but satisfying.
Applying the decals was simple and methodical. Because we were creating a grid, keeping everything level and evenly spaced was important. I started at the top center of the wall and worked in small sections, making light pencil marks with a level and yardstick as guides.
If you want to recreate this exact layout, here’s how I measured and marked the wall. With the yardstick held vertically and checked with a level I marked the vertical spacing of each row (shown as red dots in the photos). Then I held the yardstick horizontally at each vertical mark, checked with the level again, and marked the middle and both ends of each T (shown as blue dots). That created a grid of reference points for placing each strip.
Using those pencil marks I placed the 8″ horizontal strips first, smoothing each strip with my finger to ensure good adhesion. Then I added the 4″ vertical center piece. For such short pieces I mostly eyeballed the vertical alignment; it stayed straight enough thanks to the reference marks.
The vinyl adhered well and has stayed put. I started the project before Memorial Day and the earliest pieces have been up for almost two weeks with no curling. I also tested removal: it took some effort to lift an edge and peel, but the strip came off cleanly without damaging the wall. We had briefly worried Teddy might be able to peel them off later, but they’re fairly secure and I doubt he’d be able to remove them easily.
This was our first time working with self-adhesive vinyl, and I’m impressed with the crisp, grid-like result — something we might not have achieved as neatly with paint. The subtle pattern adds interest to the space between the built-ins, and the $5 cost for the vinyl was a nice bonus.
We didn’t extend the Ts behind the crib because the lines would compete with the crib slats. I saved extra strips to add later when Teddy moves to a twin bed, and there’s about a quarter of the vinyl roll left as backup. For now we’ll enjoy this stage — he’s already 12 pounds and growing fast.
I like that if we ever tire of the pattern or want a new look, the vinyl can be removed and replaced. It’s fun to imagine what Teddy will see in the grid besides his initial — little squares to display drawings, tiny ramps for toy cars, or even a giant Plinko board in his imagination.
Other than adding a light fixture overhead, the room feels finished for now. For comparison, here’s the before photo of the carpeted room with pink trim that we started with:
Did you finish any projects this weekend or get outside? We managed a few long walks and squeezed through a street festival on Sunday — Teddy enjoyed candied bacon on a stick.
Note: I resisted the urge to pepper this post with a bunch of T-puns. I restrained myself from lines like “this wall fits Teddy to a T” and “I hope he finds it T-rrific.”
Psst— If you want to know where we got something in our house or what paint color we used, click the button below: