Graffiti at home: How to turn a wall in the children's room or living room into a unique urban artwork

The same photo wallpaper hangs in many apartments. A spray-painted motif exists only once, and that's on your wall. This is precisely what makes graffiti in living spaces so appealing: the image is designed for the room, not the room furnished around the image. Anyone planning something like this quickly asks themselves the same questions. Is it allowed? How much does it cost? What color should go in the children's room? And how can you recognize an artist who works cleanly?

Commissioned graffiti is a design that an artist sprays or paints by hand onto a wall at the request of the owner. It is legal because the owner consents. Unlike printed wall art, it is created directly on the surface, adapts to windows, doors, and sloping ceilings, and is a unique piece.

Commissioned graffiti is legal if the owner agrees

The difference between artwork and a crime lies solely in the question of permission. Section 303, paragraph 2 of the German Criminal Code punishes anyone who "unauthorizedly alters the appearance of another person's property in a manner that is not merely insignificant and not merely temporary." You are authorized to create graffiti on your own wall. Therefore, commissioned graffiti on your own house is generally not a criminal offense. However, permission may be required for graffiti on a building's facade, for example, due to historic preservation regulations or local design guidelines.

Things are different in a rental apartment. During your tenancy, you're generally allowed to decorate your walls as you wish. However, when you move out, the ruling of the Federal Court of Justice in 2013 applies (Case No. VIII ZR 416/12): If you take over a neutrally painted apartment and return it with a striking color scheme that many prospective tenants wouldn't accept, you have to pay for repainting. Applied to graffiti , this means: Either you paint over the design before moving out, or you clarify with the landlord beforehand, ideally in writing, that it can remain. Some landlords appreciate a well-done mural in a child's room. You shouldn't rely on this, though.

Almost any load-bearing wall is suitable for use in children's rooms, living rooms, and stairwells

The surface is crucial. A smooth, painted plaster wall is ideal. Wallpaper with a coarse texture, crumbling plaster, or damp areas must be repaired beforehand, otherwise the paint won't adhere.

In a child's room, many parents prefer a design that can grow with the child: instead of today's favorite character, perhaps a landscape, an animal, or their name in graffiti lettering. In the living room , large, calm surfaces behind the sofa or an accent wall that divides the space work well. Stairwells are ideal because people pass by them rather than sitting in front of them. There, a bolder design is perfectly acceptable.

In an apartment building, the stairwell isn't entirely yours. If you're renting, you need the landlord's permission; if the building belongs to a homeowners' association, a resolution from the owners is also required. And if you're rethinking a room entirely, you can also incorporate the ceiling or sloping roof.

A useful rule of thumb: The motif should suit the use of the room, not just current tastes. An artist who asks beforehand how the room will be used generally works more thoughtfully than one who only asks about the motif.

A good project begins with a design

Urbane Liebe is a brand for graffiti and mural design from Goch on the Lower Rhine and a project of the creative agency AuftragsART. Urbane Liebe brokers commissions to a network of over 100 artists throughout Germany and designs for private individuals as well as companies, from children's rooms to garage doors.

The process at Urbane Liebe has five steps. First, you describe the wall, your design idea, and the location via message or WhatsApp. Then, the surface is inspected, either in person or based on photos. In the third step, you receive a design proposal and a quote. After that, an artist creates the design, and finally, the finished wall is inspected and approved together.

One advantage of every provider is that you see the design before the first coat of paint is applied. At Urbane Liebe, homepage the artist is also selected to match the desired style. Anyone wanting to see what this looks like in practice can find examples of stairwells, facades, and live graffiti at events on the Urbane Liebe

The cost of a graffiti mural is determined by the amount of work involved, not the square meter

A fixed price per square meter is rare for hand-painted designs, and there's a reason for that. A flat, gradient-like color scheme takes significantly less time than a finely detailed animal motif with shading. Four things are particularly important: the size of the area, the level of detail in the design, the condition of the surface, and the artist's travel time.

Urbane Liebe's nationwide projects start at around €1,500, plus materials and travel expenses (as of September 2026). A simple, large-scale design is less expensive than a detailed one, and for an initial estimate, Urbane Liebe photos, the wall dimensions, the location, and a brief description of the desired design.

Sounds like a lot for one wall? Consider this: you're paying for the time of an artist who designs and paints the motif by hand. A print is cheaper because it's produced for many people at once. If you want to save money, it's best to cut corners on the level of detail, not on preparing the wall.

In the children's room, the color system is decisive

Is graffiti harmful in a room? The honest answer: It depends on the paint and how long the room is ventilated afterwards.

Traditional spray paints contain solvents that evaporate as they dry. Therefore, for every interior painting project, it's essential to consider which paint system the artist is using. Water-based spray paints are available, and many artists combine spray cans with brushes and rollers. For the base coat, it's worth looking for the Blue Angel ecolabel for low-emission interior wall paints (DE-UZ 102). Paints bearing this label must comply with strict limits for volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

In practical terms, this means: Plan the children's room so that it can be well ventilated after the design work is completed, and ask the artist beforehand when the child can sleep there again.

Hand-painted graffiti is worthwhile where photo wallpaper and wall decals are unsuitable

Not every wall needs an artist. If you just want to quickly add color to a room, a street art photo wallpaper often a good option. The differences lie elsewhere than many people think:

The table shows where a hand-painted motif is worthwhile: in rooms that you use for a long time, and in walls that cannot be filled with a standard format.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does graffiti in a child's room cost?

It depends on the wall size, ceiling height, and level of detail. At Urbane Liebe, nationwide projects start at around €1,500, plus materials and travel expenses. A simple, large-scale design is less expensive than a highly detailed image.

Is graffiti in a room harmful?

Solvent-based spray paints release fumes as they dry. Therefore, ask about the paint system, use low-emission interior wall paint for the base coat, and find out when the room can be used normally again.

Am I allowed to have graffiti sprayed in my rented apartment?

Generally, yes, you can repaint during the tenancy. However, if you took over the apartment with a neutral paint job, the landlord can, according to a 2013 Federal Court of Justice (BGH) ruling, demand compensation for the cost of repainting. This applies if you return the apartment with a striking color scheme that many prospective tenants would not accept. Anyone wishing to keep the original design should clarify this with the landlord beforehand, ideally in writing.

What is the difference between graffiti and murals?

Graffiti originally refers to spray-painted art based on writing. Mural is the umbrella term for large-scale wall paintings, regardless of the technique used. In everyday language, the two terms are often used interchangeably, but commissioned wall art usually refers to the same thing.

About Urbane Liebe: Urbane Liebe is a brand for graffiti, murals, and wall design based in Goch on the Lower Rhine and a project of the creative agency AuftragsART. Through a network of over 100 artists, Urbane Liebe fulfills commissions throughout Germany. These commissions are for private individuals, companies, and municipalities alike. They range from children's rooms and house walls to offices, electrical boxes, and municipal facades.

Sources (accessed 23.09.2026)

• Urbane Liebe: Homepage, About us , FAQ, Service pages Children's room/House wall/Garage door, City page Goch: https://www.urbane-liebe.com/
• Section 303 of the German Criminal Code (StGB) - Damage to property: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/stgb/__303.html
• Section 20 of the German Condominium Act (WEG) - Structural Alterations: https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/woeigg/__20.html
• Section 62 of the North Rhine-Westphalia Building Code 2018, North Rhine-Westphalia Building Portal: https://bauportal.nrw/verfahrensfreie-bauvorhaben-nach-ss-62-bauo-nrw-2018
• Section 62 of the North Rhine-Westphalia Building Code 2018, Service Portal of the City of Geldern: https://www.geldern.de/rathaus-aktuelles/serviceportal/dienstleistungen/genehmigungsfreie-vorhaben-ss-62-bauo-nrw-2018
• Section 9 of the North Rhine-Westphalia Monument Protection Act (version effective from June 1, 2022): https://recht.nrw.de/lrgv/gesetz/01062022-nordrhein-westfaelisches-denkmalschutzgesetz-denkmalschutzgesetz-dschg-nrw/
• Federal Court of Justice (BGH), Judgment of November 6, 2013, VIII ZR 416/12 (Press Release): https://www.bundesgerichtshof.de/SharedDocs/Pressemitteilungen/DE/2013/2013183.html
• Blue Angel DE-UZ 102, low-emission interior wall paints: https://www.blauer-engel.de/de/produktwelt/wandfarben-innen/farbige-wandfarben-dispersionsfarben

Joachim Rodriguez y Romero

Owner and Managing Director of Kunstplaza . Publicist, editor, and passionate blogger in the fields of art, design, and creativity since 2011. Graduated with a degree in web design from university (2008). Further developed creative techniques through courses in freehand drawing, expressive painting, and theatre/acting. Profound knowledge of the art market gained through years of journalistic research and numerous collaborations with key players and institutions in the arts and culture sector.

www.kunstplaza.de