Decorating with decals: Why they're worth a second look

Jul 13, 2023

Design-wise, we've come a long way since the giant 101 Dalmatian stickers that adorned my bedroom walls in the mid-nineties. These days, peel and stick adhesives, aka decals, are still popular for kids' rooms, but have made their way into the rest of the house too. They've been big in home decor for a while now — here's a DIY we showed you in 2018 — and we understand their ongoing allure. Whether you're in search of something bold to create a custom, high-end look, or a more subtle statement, there are stunning options available in just about any design style — and for almost any surface.

We've narrowed down our choices to only include removable options. They're perfect for reviving a rental and are great for nurseries and kids' rooms because you can peel them off and start anew as little ones grow. With less of a commitment, you can go also go a little bolder in your design or veer toward the super trendy.

We've got a step-by-step tutorial for how to install them right here. And below, you'll find a long list of gorgeous decals for walls, windows, and floors that are sure to revamp just about any room in your home.

Add some botanicals with these beautiful cranberries illustrated by artist Natasha Prévost. Each set of branches contains 24 stickers.

Cranberry Branches, $90, Station D

Infuse sunny vibes into any space with these watercolour stickers. They're matte finish, and about 3.75 inches wide.

Watercolor Sun Wall Decals, starting at $35, WallcandyYYC via Etsy

Use these subtle leaf designs to create the look of custom wallpaper in minutes. Choose from 34 different colours.

Foliage Wall Decals, starting at $30, LUMAwallsdecor via Etsy

A very popular motif in wall decals, these oversized florals are an easy way to make a statement in your space — plus they're available in full- or half-size packs.

Wild Flower Wall Stickers, starting at $154, Rocky Mountain Decals

These sweet little watercolour whales range in size from 3 to 7 inches and come in a pack of 40. You can arrange them as you wish, but if you copy the pattern above, they'll cover a 9-foot-wide wall.

Vinyl Whales Decals, $70, Station D

The kids are going to LOVE this one. Not only does it feature the crew from Paw Patrol, it provides games and stories with the characters through virtual reality (!) using its free app.

Paw Patrol Wall Stickers, $39.99, Indigo

Use these colourful arches to create a focal point in mere minutes. They're available in 77 different colours, and seven different sizes — and the company can provide custom sizing if you contact them directly.

Arch Wall Decal, starting at $45, WestCoastWalls via Etsy

If you want to go bold with your removable designs, this vibrant terrazzo pattern will certainly help you achieve that. Each pack comes with 125 individual shapes ranging in size from 1 inch to 3.5 inches in height.

Terrazzo Wall Decor, $66.66, The Lovely Wall via Etsy

These handmade, matte decals come in a pack of 24, are available in 44 different colours, and can be arranged in a variety of different ways depending on the design you're going for.

Semi Circle Wall Decor, $69.58, Kenna Sato Designs via Etsy

Create this bold boho design in minutes — plus it's available in two different sizes.

Plant Decor Wall Decal, starting at $21, Creative Silhouettes

This erasable chalkboard wall calendar can be used month after month.

Cleo Calendar Decal, $35.99, Décor Imprimé

This cute-as-can-be height chart comes with carrot stickers in four different languages to keep track of your little one's growth up until the age of seven.

MIMI'lou Multilingual Rabbit Sticker, $36, Smallable

These dot clusters are available in 28 different colours, and come in packs of 36 freestanding clusters. Arrange them all-over to look like custom wallpaper (without lining up the seams!), or as a smaller, focal point on the wall around a piece of furniture.

Dot Clusters, $65, Urban Walls

Made in Quebec and designed by artist ​​Et Mélina Créa, this transparent vinyl window film adds a lot of drama. It's priced per square foot, and you can order it to custom fit your space.

Agathe Coloured Frost Decal, $6/ sq ft, Décor Imprimé

Made to look like a stained glass window, this design doesn't use any adhesive (meaning no messy window cleanup if you decide to remove it) and would look so stunning on a sunny day with the light shining through.

Non-Adhesive Window Cling, $22.34, RoyalWallSkins via Etsy

This vintage-inspired design offers privacy without blockingall your light. It uses static cling to adhere to glass surfaces and would be so lovely in a bathroom window, or on French doors as shown in this other design from the same company.

Privacy Window Film, starting at $10.50, DDDdecoration via Etsy

The subtle design on this window film offers up some privacy, but still lets in light.

Orba Window Film, about $99.45 CAD, Emma Jeffs

If you're going with removable tiles, why not go bold? This vibrant design is available in 4, 6, and 8-inch tiles and comes in packs of 24 or 48 units.

Wall Tile Stickers, starting at $49.95, OhMyTiles via Etsy

Get the look of intricate Carerra marble backsplash with these panels. The panels have a high shine finish and measure 20 inches by 19 inches when assembled.

Hexagon Marble Peel & Stick Backsplash Tiles, $44.98, The Home Depot

Give your floors a black and white tile makeover, reminiscent of a pretty cafe, with these stickers. They're available in four tile sizes and three different package sizes, plus you can choose from a matte or gloss finish.

Tile Stickers, starting at $19.93, SnazzyDecal via Etsy

Reminiscent of vintage parquet flooring, with a hexagon twist, these wood-look tiles are available in three finishes (twill, gloss, matte) to choose from, depending on where you plan to use them.

Walnut Wood Hexagon HoneyComb Tile Floor Stickers, starting at $74.78, FUNLIFEHomeDecor via Etsy

Instead of individual tile stickers, these Art Deco-style stair risers come in strips. They're available in matte or gloss, and six different stair heights.

Claude Navy Stair Riser Deco Strips, starting at $92.70, Quadrostyle via Etsy

Available in red, pink or blue, these stick-on subway tiles would make a lovely backsplash.

Metro Mia Self-Adhesive Tiles, $42, Simons

Designed to look like an antique tin tile backsplash, a pack of them comes with four pieces and will cover 20 x 20 inches of wall space.

Antique White Peel and Stick Tin Tiles, $34.98, The Home Depot

Brittany Toole is an associate producer at CBC Life.

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