We are in the process of moving my boys to a new bedroom as we prepare for the arrival of a little girl in the spring. Right now the room is painted really ugly brown and we are wanting to redo it for the boys.

We are renting so the landlord would prefer for us to use neutralish shades or at least something that can be painted over easily.

Anyway, this is the first time we've had the opportunity to paint because we've lived in rentals pretty much our whole marriage. The kids have always had boring white walls and I'd like to do something fun for them.

So-- I'm looking for ideas and color recommendations. They are four and six and hopefully we won't be moving again for awhile so I'd like something that will be appropriate for their young boy years, KWIM?

Anyway, I'm way out of my league, I stink at decorating and have no idea what to do except slap some blue paint on the walls, and how boring is that? I'm sure some of you are much better than I am at this sort of thing so I'm asking you.

Oh, and we're going to be buying them new bunkbeds and bedding so we're not really locked into any color schemes in that area.

TIA

how about stripes??

or a mural using an overheard or something you could trace?

Think of it as a scrap layout.... take a ppicture of the boys you like really well and pick paper that you like to go with it.... and then use those colors....

you should maybe think about some fun wall decals

you can find decals/morals for the walls in thomas the tank engine, etc. you could do one whole wall with that and then take a neutral shade from the moral/decal and paint the rest of the room.

have fun

just wanted to say congrats on a baby girl!!

Personally, I like just plain color on the walls- and then put up pictures to decorate with (or posters in the case of my kids)

I can't stand wall paper, borders or faux finishes.

But that's just me.

• pearlygadget Said:

Spoken like a true scrapper.

I've been looking around my friend the internet for some ideas and I think I've found some stuff I like. Now to make it actually happen.

Lori, I am NOT buying Thomas stuff. I HATE Thomas stuff, I am ready for my son to outgrow the freaking Thomas stuff.

For your boys room color, I suggest that you ask the boys if they have a favorite color, or go to the paint department and choose some samples of the color/colors you like and then let them choose from your favorites! : ) And then paint, I like the idea of a light-med blue and then you can decorate the room with pictures, posters (as mentioned already), shelves for trophys, knick knacks etc. Add comforters and a valance or drapes and Voila, you have a finished kids' room! You will do well, and have fun doing it!
Congrats on the baby girl coming this spring!

They do have favorite colors. They are red and gold/silver.

But I do think that picking out a few of my favorite options and letting them choose is a good idea.

Oh fun! I love decorating even more than scrapbooking!

I like neutral colors best and always try to stick with earth tones because they make rooms feel larger and inviting, but for a kids room you could paint 3 walls a neutral warm khaki color and then paint the bunk bed wall a fun color like, for example, if you wanted to do their room in fire trucks you could paint that one wall fire engine red. If you wanted to do an underwater theme you could paint that wall ocean blue. If you wanted to do a dinosaur theme you could paint that wall jungle green. You get the idea. Do you have a theme picked or if your not going with a theme do you having bedding picked? I'd definitely get that first and then take a pillow sham or something with you to pick the color or bring back a bunch of sample cards to match up. There are SO many shades of colors and it's hard to do it based on just memory. Have fun!!

And congratulations on the little princess!!!

i know you don't like thomas, it was just an example

try strawberry shortcake maybe suggest it and let me know what they say

I had to laugh out loud at your comment that they like red, gold and silver!!! I am not that good....to come up with a boys room of those colors, however, I might suggest the blue paint, and the comforters can have the red they like, and maybe some pillows and etc in reds blues Navy and for the gold, throw in a yellow or two! ????
I do like their favorite color, red! That is my fav too! I wish you lots of luck in this remodel!

• Prettylolo Said:

Snort. Lori, you're a brat.

Red and gold/silver.... sounds like a good fire truck theme to me! You could buy those wooden letters at Michael's to spell their names and paint them gold and even if you didn't want to paint the entire wall red you could paint a red block on the wall to make a sort of frame for the gold letters. Or cover the letters in fire truck scrapbook paper. Or you could do all this with any theme.

I'm really very excited to do this because we've never had a landlord who let us paint before. But I'm starting to stress too.

• Princess_Erin_Jo Said:

but you love me

Brooke, thanks for your great ideas.

My older son is huge into trains, and his brother just kind of follows along. I don't know if I want to do a specific theme unless I can find stuff uber cheap. I want it to last several years-- even if we have to move I don't want to have to replace all the bedding and whatever a year from now, KWIM?

But your ideas rock. You've given me some great ones.

• Prettylolo Said:

Yeah, because you know that I wouldn't call you a brat if I didn't actually you.