Add a splash of colour

If you prefer neutral colours over brights but are keen to add a simple feature to your child’s room without going over the top, a painted headboard is a great choice. This design will last for years and creates a focal point that any kid would love.

To start this project, decide where you’d like to place the headboard; you may prefer it bang in the middle or a little off to one side of the bed, as we have done here. Using painter’s masking tape, mask off a 160cm square, measuring from the skirting board. Paint the square in your choice of colour (we used Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Blue Night) and leave it to dry before applying a second coat. When dry, carefully peel off the tape.

Decorate the bed with lots of soft pillows and cushions – it’s always good to add a big euro pillow which is ideal for reading. Use bedlinen colours that offer a nice contrast to the headboard and that can be repeated as an accent in other parts of the room.

The upper part of the headboard makes a perfect backdrop for hanging pictures and you can create an interesting effect by hanging them on either side of the divide between headboard and wall colour. For inexpensive artwork, grab some greeting cards and place them in a few affordable frames. We painted our frames in the same Resene colour as the headboard.

Painting furniture is another great way to link colours in a room. This cheap bedside table was given a new look with a lick of Resene Sea Nymph to tie in with the colour of the duvet. Even the plastic animals were given a paint job! Use Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel, which is easier to wipe clean than a lower sheen finish.

Left: Wall and floor painted in Resene Surrender using Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen (wall) and Resene Walk-on (floor). Headboard and picture frames painted in Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen in Resene Blue Night. Bedside table and animals painted in Resene Lustacryl in Resene Sea Nymph from Resene ColorShops.

Kid's Bedroom Decorating Ideas
View more decorating ideas for kids from Your Home and Garden magazine in the Resene kid's bedroom inspiration gallery.

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