One of the most fun parts of decorating a baby nursery is brainstorming nursery painting ideas. Some parents prefer the same nursery paint colors on each wall, allowing the crib and the bedding to be the focal point of the room. Others get more creative by painting nursery wall stripes or using one whole wall for a mural.

Nursery Paint Colors

Parents have literally hundreds of different colors and shades of nursery paint colors to choose from. You don’t need to stick to the tired pinks for girls or blues for boys. Choose nursery paint colors that complement your overall nursery theme without overwhelming it.

Warm colors, such as peach or rose, give the room a cozy, inviting feel. If the room is a bit on the small side, nursery painting ideas using cool colors (such as green or light blue) will open up the room and make it feel larger. For optimal visual stimulation, paint the room in bright primary colors.

Make sure you buy enough paint. Generally, one gallon of paint covers about 400 square feet of wall. Before you start on your painting project, move all of the furniture out of the room. If this isn’t possible, move the furniture to the center of the room and cover each item with a large cloth. You’ll also want to put a large cloth on the floor to protect the flooring or carpet.

Wash the walls before you start painting, and put masking tape up wherever the wall meets the ceiling to avoid accidentally painting the ceiling. Use a paint brush to carefully paint the first 12 inches or so from the crown molding, wall edges and ceiling. Then use a roller to fill in the rest of the wall.

Nursery Wall Stripes

Stripes give a nursery an interesting and customizable look. It’s not difficult to paint nursery wall stripes if you have the right tools. Before you start, make sure you have:

• A level
• Masking tape
• Measuring tape
• Paint brushes that match the width of the stripes you want
• Pencils or chalk
• Single edge safety razor blades.

Prepare the walls by washing them and filling in any holes or dents. Paint the entire wall with eggshell or semi-gloss paint in a light color. Start painting nursery wall stripes in a hidden area, such as behind the closet door. Use the measuring tape and a pencil to mark where you’d like your stripes to go, and mark the stripes with masking tape. Use the masking tape as a guide when painting nursery wall stripes.

Nursery Mural Painting

If you’re the artistic type, you may wish to use an entire wall to paint a mural for your baby’s nursery. With these nursery painting ideas, the only limit is your imagination. Some popular nursery mural painting ideas include:

• Castles
• Characters
• Forests
• Maps
• Pirates
• Racetracks
• Tropical trees.