Congratulations on your upcoming arrival. This is a very exciting time in your life. Of course, you want everything to be perfect for when you bring that new bundle of joy home. Creating the perfect nursery scene can be fun and exciting. With so many different options this does not have to be a project to dread.
Before you begin, consider this. Is this your first or last child? Are you absolutely certain of the gender? If this is your first child and you are planning on having more, you may want to consider a theme or style that will fit any gender and still look good a few years down the road. If this is your last or only child and this is going to be their own bedroom forever, you might want to consider something that you will still like when they are toddlers. However, redecorating for each new addition or stage in life could be fun too.
With that in mind, the best type of paint for a child’s wall is something that is washable. If your little angel puts their dirty handprint on the wall and you try to wash it off, you don’t want the paint to rub off with the dirt. For a bedroom wall, especially a child’s, a satin or semi-gloss paint is your best choice.
Now that you know the type of paint you should use, you need to choose a color. Before you do that, think about what you are going to do with the room. Do you already have a theme and wallpaper border picked out? Are you going to match the color to a particular piece of furniture or decorative bedding set? If you can, take a piece of what you are trying to match to the paint store with you. Pick out a color that is less prominent in the piece you are trying to match. For example, if you have a border that has lots of greens, reds, yellows and only a hint of blue, pick a paint that will match the blue. It will make your border stand out more.
If you are planning on using this room for more than just a nursery, consider that your child may someday write on your beautifully decorated walls. With this in mind, you can encourage your child’s creativity and give them their own space to work on by using chalkboard paint. This is available in stores, but you can also find recipes online to create your own colorful paint. You do not have to paint an entire wall with this. Choose a spot that your child will have access to, and paint from the middle of the wall to the floor.
You also have many different options for a textured look on the walls. Sponge painting and ragging are two very simple techniques. Using materials you have around the house is more cost-effective but they also make sponges and rags that fit a roller. Add a little sand to your paint to add actual texture to the wall, or use a plastic bag to get a slightly different look. For a textured look with sand, stores sell granules of many different sizes. Just choose your box, and follow the directions. If you use the plastic method, you need to add a little glaze to your paint so it will dry slower. Paint a section of the wall, and then take the plastic bag and spread it around on the wall. Lift the bag off, and move to the next section.
Remember, changing the look of a room takes time. Don’t expect to get it all done in a day. Pick a look that you like, and go for it. Your children will enjoy whatever you create because you did it for them.
