Interior Painting – Kid Space

Whether you’re expecting a new arrival, moving into a new home, or freshening up a well-used space, kids rooms are FUN! If it’s within your budget, you may want to hire a professional painting company or artist to create a unique mural for your child’s room. If you’re not sure whether or not a house painting service or local artist are within your budget, many advertised artists will be happy to meet with you to discuss your options and most licensed house painters provide free painting estimates.

Low or No VOC Paint

If doing it yourself is more your style or better fits your budget, keep the following in mind: It takes longer for the paint to dry and fumes to truly clear than you may think. When starting with your basic first coat of paint on the way that will serve as a canvas for your art, consider  low-VOC or no-VOC paint. VOC stands for volatile organic chemicals, which could be harmful to your child if they’re inhaled while the paint is fresh. Most paint manufacturers now use techniques resulting in many fewer VOCs than conventional paints. These paints release significantly fewer polluting toxins, and no-VOC paints are odor free (most low-VOC paints will produce a slight odor). Low and No-VOCs paint can be applied in exactly the same way as conventional, high-VOC paints. In general, low-VOC interior paints are comparable in price to conventional paints; no-VOC paint tends to be slightly more expensive. Additionally, low-VOC and no-VOC paints aren’t considered hazardous waste materials, so disposal is much easier than with standard paints.

Residential Paint That Lasts

When choosing art for your room, keep in mind that the child will most likely be using this space for years to come. A bouncing baby boy may love dancing hippos with pink tu-tus but what will he think when his friends come over when he’s 5? Consider how often you wish to repaint the room, or perhaps go with a more lasting theme.

Interior Paint – Acrylics Are Easy To Find

For the art itself, you can go with the 2 oz containers of acrylic that you would find in any craft store. If you’re an Ann Arbor painter, Michael’s Arts and Crafts, Meijer, and Wal-Mart all carry them. Be sure to bring your reference pictures with you to the store so you can buy the exact colors that you need. If you don’t have reference pictures and are creating your wall art from scratch it may be helpful to select colors from elsewhere in the room. If you’ve already purchased bedding, lamps, or other decorations, borrow from them to create a color scheme that compliments the whole room.

Professional Painting Trick – Projectors!

Be sure to let the wall dry thoroughly before you start to add any art – give it several days and good ventilation! If drawing is a skill you’ve been blessed with, go ahead a free hand your vision using artists chalk so you can clean up and redo any errors at will. If you’re like me and were not gifted with natural artistic talent, all is not lost! A great trick for getting images to look right on a wall without free handing them is to use an overhead projector. Trace your outline on acetate and project the image onto the wall, trace with a pencil or artists chalk and then paint.