What Color Should I Paint My Kid's Room?
From infant to teen, a child's room should express their interests and personality. First, we'll explore some paint color combinations for your kid's bedroom. Then, follow step-by-step painting advice to achieve the look you want for a nursery or kid's room.
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How To Paint A Kid's Room
Color Painting Advice
1. Explore the Best Paint Colors
If they are old enough, invite your children to help you select paint colors for their rooms so they can express their unique personalities.
Rather than painting all the walls one color, treat three walls with neutral tones and allow them to choose their favorite paint color for a feature wall. This will make it easier to update their space in the future.
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How To Paint A Kids Room
Color Painting Advice
Cool & Relaxing Paint Colors
Fashion a clean, open space for your child by pairing a pale blue like Pitter Patter with light green Goody Gumdrop for wall colors.
Use Windswept, a cool white, for trim and furniture to give lightness to the room or nursery. Finally, select a bold color for an accent wall or décor, like Riviera Paradise.
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How To Paint A Kids Room
Color Painting Advice
Warm & Inviting Paint Colors
For your teen, create a room that inspires adventure but is still warm and inviting. Lipstick is the perfect sophisticated pop of paint color when it is paired with Tortuga in an older child’s room.
To add contrast, find furniture and décor in Delicate White and Black Magic.
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How To Paint A Kids Room
Color Painting Advice
Classic Off-White
Instill sweet lightness into a space with a pale yellow, such as Perfect Solution and a white, like Delicate White for trim.
Add muted pastel paint colors like Kangaroo Paw and Merry Music. These pastels will work well together for years down the road.
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How To Paint A Kid's Room
Painting Advice
2. Choose The Right Product
A child’s room is their in-home playground, which means frequent cleanings are a must. Use a satin or semi-gloss sheen to protect the paint color from wear and tear.
Choose from our premium, low-odor PPG Paints products that will provide a durable and scrubbable finish.
How To Paint A Kids Room
Painting Advice
3. Prepare Your Kid's Room
Remove draperies, pictures, nightlights and switch and outlet cover plates.
Tape off woodwork, window frames, door trim, and other areas not being painted at this time. Remember to gently remove painter's tape before the paint dries to prevent damage to the new paint.
Arrange drop cloths to protect carpeting, furniture and any areas not being painted.
Fill holes, imperfections and cracks with caulk or spackle.
Use a damp cloth to remove any dirt or dust on walls and baseboards. Clean the walls with a mild detergent to remove any contaminants, or crayon, marker and finger paint stains.
Be sure to prime any new or bare surfaces, and any problem areas. Also, if you have chosen a color that is substantially lighter, you may need to prime.
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How To Paint A Kid's Room
Painting Advice
4. Paint the ceiling
If your project including painting the ceiling, do that first.
Using a brush, paint a 2-inch-wide strip on the ceiling where it meets the wall. Then, start in a corner and begin rolling across the short length of the ceiling, continuing to where it ends.
Oil paint v. Latex - Oil paints take longer to dry and allow you to brush across the surface several times for a smooth, even finish. Latex paints dry faster and only one or two strokes are needed.
Let the ceiling completely dry before painting the walls.
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Please refer to the Product Label, TDS or MSDS for safety and detailed application instructions.
How To Paint A Kids Room
Painting Advice
5. Paint the Walls
Paint each wall from the top down, working from unpainted areas into wet, painted areas.
Do one wall at a time, in 2 to 3 foot sections. Use a brush to paint a 2-inch-wide strip along the areas where they meet the ceiling, and near trim. Then, using a roller, create the letter “W” or "M" on your wall. Fill in the area, rolling from left to right until the area is completely painted. Roll on the paint using even strokes to ensure a uniform look and coverage.
Brush Tip: For best results, dip half the length of the bristles into your paint. Tap the brush gently against the side of the can, but do not wipe it across the lip. Hold the handle near the base, applying light pressure with your fingertips to make the bristles flex slightly.
Roller Tip: Slowly roll it back and forth in the lower end of your roller tray until it is well covered. Then use the ridges in the upper portion of the tray to remove excess paint.
How To Choose A Color For Any Room