DECIDING WHAT COLOUR TO PAINT A CHILD'S ROOM WEEK 48 QUOTE 48

"I always tell my clients 'Your home is your decorated personal space but your child's bedroom is their personal space, so it should be an expression of their personality." 
Maria Killain : Color Me Happy.
"Kids use their room for many things; sleeping, playing, learning, getting creative, and feeling comfortable. It's their space. That is why decorating your kids rooms the right way is so important."
Cool-Kids-Rooms.com : Lolita Galstain

I love colour, always have, that's why when we built our house years ago and came to the walls, we used strong colours. We've never regretted it. Living rurally we found that strong natural colours framing native timber windows, looked superb. At the time of building we had lots of little kids, endless building decisions to make with managing the project ourselves while maintaining normal working patterns. 
But one of my regrets now is that my husband and I chose all the colours rather than letting our kids make choices for their own rooms.
Recently I noticed that there is a trend to paint not only the living area and the children's or baby's room white, but to also paint the children's furniture white - the all white look. I looked online to find that the most popular selling colour paint for kids bedrooms is white, then beiges, grey greens, pale blues yellows and pinks, following close behind.
A person at "Surf Net Parents", says "white is a great color but it isn't great for walls. It makes walls look boring and cold. It doesn't make you feel invited. Use a color your child likes...."
As I kept reading I found some colour experts and interior designers for children's areas, said that neutral colours or off-whites should be used, then a child's own work or things they have made, can be shown off on this background. Then there were people who thought colours should be cheerful and energizing in children's rooms and needed to be ones that would "grow with them". One lady said to use colours that make a statement, giving the example of light charcoal and white for a baby's room, saying "It's unexpectedly elegant". Others recommended doing what I didn't - use your child's favorite colours, the ones they love and connect with their character.
There is a lot written on colour psychology - how colour affects our mind, mood, feelings and behavior. Certain colours seem to create specific sensations.


BLUES ~

Blues cause the body to produce calming chemicals. Blues can give feelings of sadness or indifference for some people. People are more productive in blue rooms - studies show that weightlifters are able to handle heavier weights in blue gyms. (I know this has nothing to do with children's bedrooms but I found it interesting) Another interesting fact, blue is often used on the walls of psychiatric and correctional facilities to provide a soothing effect. Blue they say is a healing colour. If blue is diluted to a lighter hue it can reduce stress. Blue generates a sense of well-being. Blue gives an impression of space.

PURPLES ~
Purple gives a feeling of whimsy and fantasy. Purple has connotations of luxury, wealth and sophistication. It is a romantic and sensual colour. Historically purple was a colour of royalty and drama. Pale purples are friendly but at the same time a cooling colour. We mixed a purple-blue colour for our bedroom in a previous house which was high, overlooking the sea - it was totally ethereal.




REDS~

This is the most emotionally intense colour. It represents passion and is the colour of love. Red symbolizes aggression, boldness, assertiveness along with opulence and excitement. Red attracts attention. It is an appetite stimulator. In a large space red can be energizing and invigorating. In a small space some think it is cozy and intimate, while others sense it as claustrophobic.










PINKS ~






Pink is a tranquil colour. In the past it was thought to be a girl only colour, but not so today. Sports teams sometimes paint the locker room used by the opposing teams bright pink so their opponents will lose energy.










ORANGES ~

Orange has a feeling of sumptuousness. It's a colour from the earth and rocks with many rich tones. Orange conjures ideas of the cultures of India, the Middle East through to Morocco. It promotes the feeling of excitement and vibrance. The colour orange improves the appetite and enhances social interaction.






YELLOWS ~






Yellow is a cheerful  wake-up colour. It is a fun colour. Certain shades are quietly distinctive. Yellow enhances concentration, communication, circulation and stimulates activity. However people loose their temper more often in yellow rooms. Yellow speeds up metabolism :) Most people's mood is lifted by yellow light frequencies.














GREENS ~

Green is the easiest colour on the eye and can improve vision. It is a calming refreshing colour. People waiting to appear on TV or go on stage sit in a 'green room' to relax. Green is a restful colour and aids in sleep. Green gives the sense of gracefulness and reflects a garden palette. It symbolizes freshness and a summery feel. Green is my favorite colour.






NATURALS AND NEUTRALS ~ 










These are earthy colours. Thought of as being restrained and subtle but always harmonious.




















MONOCHROME COLOURS ~

These colours have an absence of pigment. They are elegant colours of restrained luxury. Some think they are reticent colours. Associated with minimal decor. The paler tones reflect light.
The example of WHITE - a colour of innocence and purity. White suggests cleanliness but it shows dirt and is more difficult to keep clean. It implies sterility from its association with hospitals. White gives an impression of enlarging a space.
The example of BLACK - a powerful colour which can be intimidating.








THISWEEKWITHTHEKIDS ~ if you are about to repaint the kids bedroom, ask them about the colours they'd like to live in. Look at what is already there - the flooring colours, curtains, furniture, the colours of items that will be in the room. When you get down to some final choices look at them in the natural daylight, night light and when it is raining. Colours can seem very different in different weather conditions. The final choice colour must make the occupant feel comfortable. And as many people wrote - have fun with your colour.
Cathy