Painting Inspiration

The year has turned and it is a time for new beginnings – welcome to 2011 and a whole new look for your home. With a little inspiration and some help from the team at Mitre 10, you can transform any room into a masterpiece. From the kids’ bedroom to the master suite, it’s time to perform a makeover with paint, as this is the most dramatic and cost-effective way of making a change.
 
The inspiration for your makeover can come from many places. Base your pallet on your favourite colour, or a picture you have seen in How To magazine. You may draw your inspiration in the children’s room from their favourite action hero or cartoon character. Wherever you draw your inspiration from, be sure to talk to the folks at Mitre 10 about what paint product will best help realise your vision.
 
The new year can be a time of massive change for some families with the chance to sell your home and move on to “greener” pastures. If this is the case, it is important that any room makeover is orientated towards potential purchasers. This will mean that you will be using your colour wheel to select neutral tones and mainstream accents. You want to appeal to the broadest range of people and using neutral tones, beiges and taupes will do the job and look fresh and contemporary.
 

Refresh your walls with a coat of the same colour, it will brighten and freshen, giving a cleaner look.

For those of you who are staying put and just want to alleviate the atmosphere of last year, then it is time to search for your inspiration. Perhaps this glowing summer has inspired you to work with a South Pacific feel, or the toys your kids received at Christmas have been such a hit that you will theme their room in Spiderman reds and blues or bright Barbie pinks.
 
Children’s room ideas
Start with base colours that appeal. For girls, pink, purples and yellows are popular. Those aged between three and six are still living in a magical land where fairies, princesses and butterflies are part of their world. Vibrant colours, butterflies hanging from the ceiling, colourful stickers on the walls, glitter and fantasy will create the perfect fairytale room for them.

Using stencils of favourites shapes, planets, birds or letters will add interest to the room and the use of contrasting colours can be very effective. For the more adventurous, painting scenes from movies or cartoons on the walls will really bring the room to life and again working with a stencil can help.

Girls aged between seven to ten are full of personality. They are growing up fast and their room should reflect that. A good suggestion is to have a feature wall with a slightly darker shade of purple, pink or yellow (like mustard, for example) to create a secret cave-like feeling about the room; a place to hide and scribble in the diary. Use fairy lights hanging from the ceiling to give a little magical touch and personalise the room using wood letters to write their name right above their bed. Using a wood stain for natural effect is fine but accentuating the letters with colour will make them stand out all the more. Always consult your colour wheel to make sure you have colours that compliment.

For the boys, various shades of blues and greens always work. If in doubt, look to the favourite toy for inspiration. The good old classic themes like space, cars, pirates and superheroes will always be a good option. The same concept of age applies to the boys – at around seven years old, they need a more grown-up room that reflects the changes in their personality.   The kids room is more than just a place to sleep, it is their personal space in the house. It should reflect not only their personality but also stimulate their creativity by encouraging play and imagination. The right room can be the best nanny you could ever wish for, simply by creating a place where your kids will spend hours playing happily.

 
Adults room ideas
 
First ask yourself what your room represents to you and how much time you spend in it. When you come home from work, cook the evening meal, put the kids to bed and go to your room, what kind of space do you want to find?
 
These questions will help to determine the right colour for your bedroom. Light colours are calming and relaxing and will reflect the light nicely. Try whites, off-whites, beiges and taupes as these are popular and provide a neutral pallet for you to add a touch of colour. Cool colours such as greens and blues will also open up the room and help create a relaxing outdoor feel.
 
Think about the colour of your bedroom furniture, as well as the curtains, and consider how the paint you choose will work against it. You can always paint the furniture to create different contrasts and take the makeover a step further.
 
A darker shade of beige, sand colour or light browns can be a good option if you still want to have light colour but are prepared for a little change. If you spend lots of time in your room watching TV and movies, a feature wall behind the TV creates a good frame, giving personality to the room.
 
Alternatively, a feature wall behind the bed is an area in which you can express yourself and dare to be a bit different. Deep, dark, dusky reds will create a luxurious feel if you want a room you can pamper yourself in, or if you want to add an air of romance.
 
Be careful not to let strong colours dominate the room or compete for attention – use these in the smallest amounts. A deep burgundy may work on a feature wall in a good-sized room but cover all four walls of a smaller space and it will quickly become overbearing and claustrophobic.
 
If you are unsure of your colour choice, you can always buy tester pots and paint a small area of the wall. See how the colour looks at different times of the day, in relation to the windows in your bedroom, and also how your lighting scheme affects shade and mood of the paint.
 
Mitre 10 has experts onsite to help you talk through your ideas and select the right colours for your room, just ask in store.