Q&A Painting a Child's Room

Q. What is the most challenging aspect in designing a paint

finish or mural for a child's room?

A. The biggest challenge can be the parents! Some feel that

their child's room has to fit into the colour scheme of the rest

of their home. Or they choose colours in shades that would

appeal to an adult sensibility. It's important to allow a kid's

room to be a kid's room! Create a space that is safe, inspiring

and fun. It should be about the child and their personality.

Having said that, kids grow up at such a rapid pace that

another challenge is to create wall finishes with longevity.

Q. What are specific ways to give the design in a child's

room longevity?

A. With themed rooms, avoid carrying the theme to

everything in the room. Theming everything, from the

lighting, bedding, drapery, framed posters and wall murals, can

quickly get tiresome. Reserve the trendy items for the

decorative accents like toys, switchplates, and mirrors. Choose

wall colour that will work with many of the objects in the room

including the existing bedding and furnishings. If negotiating

with your child means using trendy or truly bright colours,

consider painting one wall as a focal point with the other walls

as paler versions of that colour or as neutrals.

Q. What advice would you give to parents who are painting

their child's room for the first time?

A. Define your budget. If you want maximum impact on a

minimum budget and can paint the room yourself, try a unique

paint finish or mural. Painting the walls of a child's room is a

great place to start since colour has such a huge emotional

impact on us. If your child is old enough, involve them from

the start. By including them in the decision-making process

they'll feel that they've invested something, and they'll take as

much pride in their space as you will. Do give your child colour

options but be sure to show them colour swatches that both of

you can live with. Remember that, regardless of the wall colour

or finish, your children will decorate walls with their own

interests over time. But take comfort in knowing that painting

a room is still one of the most affordable and impactful ways

to update a room.

Q.What is an "activity wall" and how are they different from

a mural?

A. A mural is a large image that is painted directly on a wall's

surface. They often consist of scenes such as landscapes or

characters from popular children's books. An activity wall

incorporates objects mounted directly onto the wall on top of

a painted mural. They are interactive. Items such as magnet

boards, chalkboard paint and lighting are integrated directly

into the mural scene and serve a dual purpose. For example, a

shelf will form part of a ladder on a fire engine mural or

colourful hooks hung up in a row within a child's reach can be

used to hang up clothing while appearing to form the bolts on

the hull of a submarine mural. Activity walls are an

imaginative and fun way to add functionality to an otherwise

flat mural. It is a great way for kids to interact in their space

and with their favourite things.

Q.What are some things to keep away from when decorating

a child's room with paint finishes?

A. Don't kill a good thing by overdoing a theme. Wall

finishes don't necessarily need to cover all the walls in a room.

A paint finish applied to one wall will often be more

impactful than painting the whole room. Try to remember that

it's not your fantasy room but your child's fantasy room.

Raggedy Ann and Andy may have been your ultimate

bedroom heroes but your child may have different ideas. Avoid

trying to incorporate every colour under the sun. Using too

many colours can be more confusing than helpful. Instead, use

a child's favourite toy, clothing or beddings as the basis for

creating a palette. But don't be afraid of colour. Remember that

if you don't get it right the first time change is only a paint

can away.