Updated October 25, 2026
What makes a nursery feel like Paris instead of a souvenir shop? Restraint, mostly. One clear Paris symbol on the wall, a soft palette of blush, French blue and cream, and art with a little wit, like a dachshund in a red beret, will do more than a room full of tiny Eiffel Towers.
Below are 18 Parisian nursery ideas in three groups: landmarks and cafés, animals in berets and stripes, and French-style looks. Each one comes with three colors and the prints that make it work. For a ready-made set of Parisian nursery decor, our Animals in Paris gallery lets you hang 1, 2, 3, 4 or 6 matching watercolor-style prints.
Jump to a group:
- Paris landmarks, streets and cafés
- Parisian animals in berets and stripes
- French-style looks for a Paris nursery
- Choosing Parisian nursery decor for the walls
- Questions parents ask
How to make a Paris themed nursery feel like Paris
I come back to the same four steps whenever a parent asks me for a little Paris in the baby's room.
- Choose one Paris symbol. The tower, a café, a poodle or an animal in a beret. One symbol repeated across two or three prints reads as a theme; five different symbols read as clutter.
- Take three colors from the art. Blush, French blue and cream are the classic trio, with black or gold as an accent. Every idea below lists three colors to start from.
- Add one French detail off the wall. A striped cushion, a scalloped lampshade, a cane-front dresser or a gold-toned mirror above the changing table. One is plenty.
- Keep the rest calm. Plain bedding, a soft rug and simple curtains let the prints do the talking, so the room grows with your child instead of feeling like a costume.
Paris landmarks, streets and cafés
1. Blush Eiffel Tower nursery idea
Three pastel views of the city carry this room: the tower rising over pink and mint rooftops, the tower framed by cherry blossom in a park, and a palace with a lamppost in a garden of pale flowers.
They're light prints with plenty of sky, so they sit calmly above a crib. Pick up the blush and mint for the bedding and keep the furniture white or pale oak.
Pairs well with: paris balcony cat and soft blue and pink.
2. Sightseeing dogs nursery idea
Here the dogs play tourist. A golden retriever leans on a stone wall above the river, an apricot poodle in a blue scarf trots past a glass pyramid, and a pug gazes at the tower over pink flower beds.
All three share soft cream, powder blue and honey tones, so they hang as a set with no effort. They also belong to our Animals in Paris gallery, where you choose 1, 2, 3, 4 or 6 of six matching designs.
Pairs well with: paris café and poodle.
3. Paris balcony cat nursery idea
Cats on balconies make a quiet, dreamy room. A fluffy white cat sits on an iron balcony with the tower in the haze, and two black cats look out over sunny pastel houses and window boxes.
Only the first print is Paris itself; the other two simply share its rooftops-and-flower-boxes feel. I like the black cats for a little contrast in a pale pink room.
Pairs well with: blush eiffel tower and modern black and white.
4. Paris café nursery idea
Café prints bring the smell of coffee and croissants without the caffeine. A French bulldog in a red harness waits at a green bistro table under a striped awning, and a beagle in a blue beret sips from a mug.
For something sillier, two dinosaurs share a café table below the tower while autumn leaves fall. Keep the walls warm white, add one striped cushion, and let the bistro green turn up again in a plant pot or a throw.
Pairs well with: macaron and pastry and breton stripes.
5. Macaron and pastry nursery idea
Pastel macarons are a sweet way into Paris. A dachshund in a red beret sits among scattered macarons and an open box, another holds up a whole bowl of them, and two squirrels share a pink one on a green garden bench.
Macaron shades make an easy palette: pistachio, raspberry and lemon on cream. Use one on the walls and save the other two for small things, like a basket or a lampshade.
Pairs well with: paris café and dachshund in a beret.
6. Bicycle through Paris nursery idea
A bicycle with a basket might be the most Parisian thing you can hang. In one print a sloth pedals past the tower on a blue-grey street; in the other, a cargo bike carries a heap of baguettes.
The sloth makes this idea a little funny, which stops a Paris room from feeling too precious. Both prints are wide, so they suit a dresser, a changing table or a long wall.
Pairs well with: lavender paris and paris café.
Parisian animals in berets and stripes
7. Dachshund in a beret nursery idea
Our dachshunds in red berets and striped shirts are some of the cheekiest Paris prints we have. One holds up a sketch of the Eiffel Tower, one shelters a bag of baguettes under a yellow umbrella, and one hugs a spotted mug.
Each sits inside a blue polka-dot border, so any two or three look like a set. Red, French blue and cream are bold but cheerful, and they carry on into a toddler room. There are more pups in our dachshund wall art.
Pairs well with: paris artist and breton stripes.
8. Paris artist nursery idea
This one suits a family that loves making things. A dachshund in a beret paints a white-domed basilica at an easel, and two more look through vintage cameras, one on a cobbled street beside an old lamppost.
They share the same blue border as the beret dachshunds above, so you can mix the two ideas freely. Once your child starts pointing at things, these are the prints that get the most questions.
Pairs well with: dachshund in a beret and blush eiffel tower.
9. Lavender Paris nursery idea
Purple stems give a Paris nursery a softer, garden feel. One dachshund sits on a green bench holding a lavender bouquet with the tower behind him, and another peeks out over an armful of purple stems.
A third print in the same color ties it together: a woman in white cycling with a black cat in her basket, on a plain lavender ground. Try pale lilac grey on the walls and keep the bedding white.
Pairs well with: bicycle through paris and dachshund in a beret.
10. Breton stripes nursery idea
Blue and white stripes are a Paris classic, and these three wear them well. A dachshund rests on a green garden chair by a pond with a toy sailboat, another hugs a sailboat close, and a third trots over cobblestones with a baguette.
Stripes read as nautical too, so this idea grows easily into a boat or seaside room later. Striped bedding or a soft navy-and-white rug repeats the shirts without adding another theme.
Pairs well with: dachshund in a beret and paris café.
11. French bulldog and pug nursery idea
Small dogs with big personalities suit a Paris room. A French bulldog in a red gingham bow tie sits on starry pink, a slate-blue Frenchie looks out in soft watercolor tones, and a tan pug in a tiny beret perches on a wooden stool.
The two pink prints make a sweet girl's room, while the blue Frenchie on its own feels calm and neutral. Our French bulldog wall art has more if you fall for the breed.
Pairs well with: poodle and sightseeing dogs.
12. Poodle nursery idea
Nothing says Paris quite like a poodle. A white poodle holds a pink tulip on a starry blush background, a pink poodle with a blue ribbon stands on olive green, and a peach poodle with a blue bow trots across deep navy.
The first print is soft enough for any nursery; the other two are bold, graphic and fun. If you go bold, keep the furniture white so the colors in the art can shine. More breeds live in our dog nursery decor.
Pairs well with: french bulldog and pug and ballet.
French-style looks for a Paris nursery
13. Carousel nursery idea
Old fairground rides suit a baby room better than you'd think. One print shows a striped vintage merry-go-round with blue and white horses, another a rocking horse with a blue mane, and the third a purple horse leaping across bright yellow.
The first two are soft and old-fashioned, in powder blue and cream. Add the purple horse only if you want a burst of color, because it can carry a wall on its own.
Pairs well with: ballet and lavender paris.
14. Ballet nursery idea
Tutus and pointed toes, kept gentle. A ballerina in a pink tutu reaches up on her toes, a bunny in a tutu holds out her arms, and a small dancer in soft impressionist-style pastels poses beside a swan.
Blush, cream and a little lilac are all this room needs. Our ballet nursery decor has more dancers if you'd like a fuller wall.
Pairs well with: poodle and impressionist garden.
15. Impressionist garden nursery idea
Picture the water lilies people queue to see in Paris museums, soft and a little blurry. These prints borrow that impressionist style: white swans on a rose-pink pond, two kittens floating in an upturned umbrella among lily pads, and a ballerina resting beside a swan.
Dreamy, low-contrast art like this suits a calm nursery. Keep the walls soft warm white and let the pinks, greens and lilacs in the prints do the work.
Pairs well with: ballet and soft blue and pink.
16. Soft blue and pink nursery idea
Blue isn't only for boys, and a Paris nursery in blue and pink shows it. These floral prints mix the two: pink and blue hydrangeas, peonies in blush and cornflower with painterly texture, and a wreath of blue flowers with two butterflies.
This is the French country side of Paris style, a touch shabby chic and very soft. Pair it with white furniture that has a little curve to it, and a pale blue ceiling if you feel brave.
Pairs well with: blush eiffel tower and impressionist garden.
17. Blush floral glam nursery idea
For a full glam room, start with blush florals and add gold. A pale pink rose opens among trailing leaves, a garden of peonies fills a frame in soft pink and sage, and pink cherry blossom branches cover a grey-blue ground.
Paneled walls, a gold light fixture and brass details on the crib give you the Paris apartment look. The prints keep it soft, so the gold reads as a finishing touch. For more blooms, see our floral nursery decor.
Pairs well with: soft blue and pink and blush eiffel tower.
18. Modern black and white nursery idea
Paris can be crisp, too. A raccoon in a black beret, round glasses and a striped sweater gives this room its Paris wink, next to a curly black doodle portrait and a cream poodle in a clean line-drawn style.
Black, white and cream with plenty of open wall make a modern nursery. Add one warm wood tone, like an oak crib or shelf, so the room never feels cold.
Pairs well with: paris balcony cat and breton stripes.
Browse more: dachshund wall art, French bulldog wall art, ballet nursery decor and floral nursery decor.
A Parisian nursery for a girl, a boy, or either
Paris themes often end up in girls' rooms, and the ballet, poodle, blush floral glam and blush eiffel tower ideas lean the softest. For a boy, I'd look at the breton stripes, paris artist, paris café or bicycle through paris rooms, which trade pink for navy, green and warm brown.
For a room that suits any baby, start with the sightseeing dogs, dachshund in a beret, carousel or modern black and white ideas. They feel Parisian through the subject, not the color.
Choosing Parisian nursery decor for the walls
Get the wall right first and the rest of the room follows. My rule of thumb is one large print on its own, or two or three in matching frames. Over a crib or a dresser, three in a row is the easiest layout to get right.
Mixing subjects works when the backgrounds agree. A poodle, a café dog and a balcony cat on the same cream ground look like one story; the same three on cream, navy and yellow look like three different rooms.
Every print in this post comes in five sizes, unframed or in an oak frame in natural, walnut, white or black, so a mixed set still matches.
If Paris is one idea among several, my nursery themes guide shows how a place theme sits next to 70 others.
Hanging wall art safely in a nursery
The usual guide for art is a center about 57 inches from the floor, with 6 to 8 inches between the bottom of the frame and any furniture below it (Architectural Digest). In a nursery I bring the center down to about 48 inches, so the art reads at seated eye level from the rocker.
Keep the crib itself empty except for a fitted sheet (NIH Safe to Sleep). For art near the crib, my own rule is simple: hang it securely and out of reach, using proper hardware rather than tape or one small nail. Anchor dressers and bookcases to the wall too (CPSC, 2025).
Parisian nursery questions parents ask
What colors go with a Parisian nursery?
Blush pink, French blue and cream are the classic base, with black, navy or gold as the accent. Lavender, pistachio and soft mint work well too. Each idea above lists three colors taken from its prints.
Is a Paris themed nursery only for girls?
No. Breton stripes, café scenes, bicycles and dachshunds in berets all suit a boy, and the sightseeing dogs, carousel and black-and-white ideas suit any baby.
How do I keep a Paris nursery from looking cartoonish?
Pick one Paris symbol and repeat it in two or three prints rather than scattering many. Soft, painterly art and a plain crib, rug and curtains keep the room grown-up while the art stays playful.
How many Paris prints should go on a nursery wall?
One large print, or a set of two or three in matching frames, fills most nursery walls. Three in a row over a crib or dresser is the simplest arrangement to get right.
How high should you hang art in a nursery?
I center nursery art at about 48 inches, a little lower than the usual 57-inch guide, and keep it 6 to 8 inches above furniture (Architectural Digest). Keep the crib empty except for a fitted sheet (NIH Safe to Sleep), and hang any art near the crib securely and out of reach.
What furniture suits a Parisian nursery?
White or pale oak furniture with a soft curve, a cane or scalloped detail, and brass or gold touches. Keep the pieces simple and let the wall art carry the theme.
Shop Parisian nursery decor
Every print in this post links straight to its page, and our Parisian nursery decor gallery, Animals in Paris, gathers six of the watercolor-style ones in one place. Start with the print that made you smile first. That first pull is usually right, and the rest of the room can follow it.