The last couple of years has seen us take on a number of projects from designing and building our new kitchen ourselves from scratch to completely gutting both bathrooms. We still have a pretty major project coming up soon which I’ll reveal in a few weeks but our thoughts are also turning to the relatively simple task of redecorating.
On the list is the hallway and one of the children’s rooms that hasn’t been touched for a few years now. Whilst it is quite neutral – done so to tempt potential buyers- now that we don’t plan to sell up (not for a while now at least), we want to make the room feel more like their own.
According to a recent survey by Dulux, whilst 92% of parents thought decorating their children’s rooms is important, only 25% of them actually consulted the children themselves or involved them in the decorating process. We find this quite surprising given that kids usually have the best ideas. Their imagination knows no boundaries and they aren’t afraid to think big!
Currently, our boys are very keen on Minecraft which is a project we are considering but we’ve been inspired by the decorating ideas for kids rooms that Dulux has come up with. There are some fabulous ideas there along with step-by-step instructions and even YouTube videos to help create the look regardless of whether your child is a story-loving bookworm or a wannabe superhero.
We get what the parents who responded to the survey were saying; time constraints mean it is much easier and quicker to make the decisions yourself but a little forward planning and a lot of discussion doesn’t mean that the task actually has to be harder than it needs to be.
According to Dr Sam Wass who teamed up with Dulux’s Creative Director Marianne Shillingford to create the room ideas featured, there are many psychological benefits for your child when they are encouraged to be creative and their input is valued.
“Children typically create little things, but the bedroom is the first real, permanent thing that they can influence. Involving a child helps them to establish their own inner space and the image that they want to project to others. And for parents, having a chance to work together with their children can really help to establish a stable, respectful relationship.
“This new study by Dulux confirms this. Children, when given a chance to be in charge of their bedrooms, respond positively: they feel a sense of pride, they spend more time in their bedroom, and they become more inclined to keep it tidy to show it off to their friends. For these reasons, and more, I think it would be wonderful if more parents involved their children when decorating their bedroom”.
Bringing in moving services and transferring to a new home is a new opportunity to get decorating. Bringing in removal companies such as http://www.youmoveme.com/us/la-orange-county. Some parents have admitted that they prefer to match children’s bedrooms to the style of the rest of their house and according to their own personal tastes. Yes, I’m quite wrestling with this but at the end of the day, kids are only kids for a short time. Why not make the most of the fun you can have with them and their imaginations? Apparently a treehouse is the top request when children are asked for their input and our lot were in full agreement. To be honest, the thought of creating something unique like that is proving as tempting as it seems challenging. I wonder…
If it’s wear and tear that you’re worried about there is always Dulux Endurance+ range which is 20 times tougher than standard paint, meaning you can deal with stubborn marks without ruining the decor.
As Marianne Shillingford points out, the importance doesn’t only lie in involving children in the decision-making process but in their hands-on practical help in getting the job done. We know that our children love being involved in jobs normally reserved for the grown-ups. They had great fun when it came to dismantling our old kitchen, and being given the responsibility of even the smallest of jobs not only helps to instil a good work ethic but the sense of pride they get from being able to say: ‘We helped with that!’ is immeasurable! Yes, it might take a little longer at times, especially if your helpers are younger, but the pride and confidence they will be glowing with is well worth it, we think!
