Library Decoration Ideas and Unique Decor for Children's Libraries

Libraries are important places where children and their families can come to learn and explore.

As libraries struggle to remain a competitive alternative to various forms of digital entertainment, the need to create an inviting atmosphere that encourages exploration and learning grows every day. With clever decor ideas, you can create a space that is both inviting and unique. Let’s take a look at some of the ways you can add fun decor to your library to make it more appealing to families and children.

Plus, you can use this opportunity to create eye-catching presentation areas for guest speakers and photo opportunities that promote your library on social media.

Children’s and School Library Design Ideas: Start With the Right Zones

Before choosing murals, furniture or a theme, consider how children, families and staff will use the space. An effective children’s library design gives each activity a clear place while keeping the library welcoming, flexible and easy to navigate.

Consider creating:

A welcoming entrance and checkout area
Quiet reading nooks
A storytime or presentation zone
An early-learning or interactive area
Flexible seating for individual and group activities
Clear pathways and visual cues between areas

For elementary and school libraries, these zones can often be strengthened without changing the building’s layout. Murals, sculpted landmarks, themed seating and visual cues can help define each area while complementing the work of your architect, interior designer or facilities team.

Explore custom children’s library decor. Visit our dedicated library decor page to see how IDS Kids designs and fabricates custom murals, themed seating, sculpted features, checkout desks and interactive elements for children’s libraries.

Decor Ideas to Help Transform Your Library into a Family-friendly Destination

Sculpted Trees in Libraries Bring Nature Indoors for Engaging Spaces

When I was little, my local library had a sculpture of a tree growing up the spiral staircase going between floors. The weekly visit to the library was a magical memorable childhood experience as I loved running up the stairs and looking at the tree. Even now as an adult when I return home for family gatherings, I will revisit that library to remember the delight I had as a child.

Trees are a symbol of wisdom, which is why they are so often associated with libraries (that and the fact that books are of course made out of trees). Using this imagery and adding sculpted trees to your space is another great way to spruce up your library. Choose trees that are native to your area or ones that represent something special about your community such as state symbols or local landmarks.

Childrens playroom with a tree trunk play structure, green alligator bench, stump seats, and bright mural of animals and trees by a river under a colorful sky. — A children’s play area sculpted to look like a famous cypress tree in Louisiana, known as “The Castle” by locals.

A sculpted tree can become a backdrop to a presentation area or bench seating can be added to make it functional.

A whimsical children’s library interior design features a cozy reading area with a large artificial tree, red and white mushroom-shaped stools, and bookshelves lining the wall.

A children’s library interior design featuring artificial trees, green leafy canopies, and bookshelves surrounded by green chairs, creating a cozy, nature-inspired reading area. — Use them as a focal point for a presentation area or have them *grow* throughout your space.

A whimsical children’s library interior design features a cozy corner with a tree-shaped bench, a red treehouse, cartoon animal wall art, bookshelves, and bright yellow walls. — Bench seating built into the base makes this tree multifunctional.

These trees will help create an atmosphere of adventure and exploration while also providing a place for people to sit, read, or just relax in nature’s beauty without having to leave the library.

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Themed Reception and Check-out Desks for Modern Libraries

A library’s information desk is often the first thing that patrons see when they enter the building, so it’s important to make it as welcoming and visually appealing as possible. One way to do this is to create an eye-catching, themed desk that reflects the library’s mission or the interests of its patrons.

For example, if the library serves a community with a strong interest in nature and the outdoors, a desk with a nature-themed design could be particularly appealing.

A circular wooden reception desk surrounds a large artificial tree with green leaves in a brightly lit, colorful room decorated with jungle-themed murals

A desk can show guests that books will take them on a journey, whether it’s around the world or an escape into a fantasy world.

Colorful reception desk with Welcome sign, playful travel-themed decorations, maps, suitcases, and cartoon children on the front. Inspired by children’s library interior design, the bright, cheerful area includes toys and paperwork atop the counter.

A whimsical castle-themed reception desk with turrets, cartoon dragons, books, and a WELCOME sign brings the magic of children’s library interior design to life. A person is seated behind the desk. Bright colors and playful designs create a fantasy atmosphere.

An eye-catching, themed check-out desk can help to create a cohesive and inviting atmosphere in the library, and it can also be a great conversation starter. Patrons who are drawn in by the unique design of the check-out desk may be more likely to engage with library staff and ask about the library’s services and resources.

Ultimately, a well-designed, themed check-out desk can be integral to creating a welcoming and engaging environment for patrons, and it can help to support the library’s overall mission of serving and supporting its community.

Exciting Photo Opportunities in Libraries Create Memorable Moments

One particularly effective way to engage with your patrons (plus create user-generated content for your socials) is to set up a photo op at the library. This can be as simple as setting up a backdrop or props related to a particular theme and then inviting patrons to take photos and share them on social media using a designated hashtag.

Consider creating a mascot for your library. This is a great way to brand your library as a child-friendly place. Mascots create major benefits for marketing potential and for making your business appeal to children.

A group of adults and young children gather for storytime in a colorful library, thoughtfully designed with children’s library interior design elements. An elephant statue and vibrant portraits decorate the green wall behind them, while books and toys are visible around the inviting room. — This library in a fossil-rich area uses a prehistoric mastodon as their mascot.

A young boy sits on a rock holding in front of a library mascot elephant

Fun characters are begging to be photographed, and parents are always looking for an opportunity to show off the great time they are having on an outing with their family.

A person takes a photo with a phone of two children sitting next to large colorful statues of a crocodile and a hippo reading a book, by a window with parked cars outside, showcasing playful elements of children’s library interior design.

5 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Office Photo Op

Innovative Seating Solutions for Comfortable Library Reading Areas

Thoughtful seating helps children and families find the right place to read, learn or participate in group activities. When planning children’s library seating, match each area to its purpose: built-in benches and quiet nooks for reading, movable stools for flexible programs, and themed seating for storytime or interactive zones. Custom colors, cushions and sculpted details can help define each area while keeping pathways clear and books easily accessible.

For children’s libraries, consider adding bean bags or soft floor pillows in bright colors to encourage kids to curl up on the floor with their favorite books.

Three children sit on pink bean bags, each reading a book in a library section labeled Graphic Novels.

Go further and add themed benches or stools for a magical touch that will truly appeal to children. Themed seating allows you to transform your atmosphere without taking away space that can be used for books.

Three mushroom-shaped stools are lined up against a wall with a colorful mural of swans and pond scenery, on a tiled floor

You can also add themed seating to areas used as a presentation or reading space for guest speakers to create a special place that stands out from the rest of the library.

Hot Air balloon seating area in a library

A child wearing a Seattle Seahawks jersey and beanie sits on a brown bench with orange cushion, reading a book, surrounded by vibrant children’s library interior design elements.

Vibrant Colors and Murals Revitalize Your Library’s Interior Design

Using vibrant colors throughout your library is one of the best ways to bring life into the space. Add color via paint, murals, fabrics, furniture pieces, sculptures, and more!

A colorful children’s library interior design features house-shaped reading nooks, bookshelves, modern furniture, and children seated on the floor raising their hands while an adult leads an activity near a screen.

Murals are an amazing way to transform the look of a room, especially in a children’s reading area. Create a mural theme around a genre of book, like a children’s area themed around old fairy tales.

A colorful mural of oversized, stylized books and writing objects decorates a corner wall in a hallway of a library

Colorful children’s reading area with a white bookshelf full of books, green vine-themed benches, and whimsical wall art featuring vines, birds, mushrooms, a harp, and blue sky with clouds and sunlight

Brightly colored walls or ceilings are also a great way to surprise visitors when they enter your library!

A modern children’s library interior design features tall windows, tree-shaped decorations on the walls, bookshelves, and a round table with four blue chairs under a circular ceiling light.

Library Design & Decor is Important for Enhancing Patron Experience

Creating unique decor ideas for libraries is not only possible but easy when you think outside of the box!

A colorful, cartoon caterpillar statue with orange antennae and spots is smiling while holding and reading a brown book

By adding custom seating options with colorful cushions as well as sculpted trees and fun colors throughout walls and furniture pieces you can create an inviting atmosphere that encourages exploration and learning in any library setting. Additionally, creating presentation areas with creative backdrops provides guest speakers with a platform they won’t soon forget while providing you with photo opportunities perfect for promoting your business on social media!

With just a few simple touches you can transform any drab library into an inspiring place full of possibilities! Start brainstorming some ideas today – your patrons will thank you later!