Making the decision to decorate your child's bedroom should be fun and as stress-free as possible. With so many alternatives to choose from, it's understandable that sometimes you just won't know where to start. In this article we will be focusing on wall murals and the different options available to create a beautiful mural in your kid’s bedroom.

Murals can certainly add dramatic impact to your room. Before you start, it's important to consider a few factors

1. If it's for your child, take some guidance from what type of theme they may like, but not get board of quickly

2. Consider the age of the child or children – this will also help determine the type of mural you may like to create – some are more permanent than others

3. Gender - if you have a boy and girl sharing a room you may need to think about a theme that works for both genders like a safari or under water theme

4. Wall space - are you thinking of creating a mural for one wall or two? What size wall will you be covering – this will affect the budget and time taken to decorate the area

5. Budget – there are many different price alternatives for murals, from beautifully illustrated hand painted murals by professionals, which could work out quite expensive, to use of removable and repositionable stickers to create your own mural

Once you have decided on a theme with your child, look into the various options of wall murals available. There's a huge range available; from wallpaper murals, professionally hand-painted murals, paint by number mural kits and vinyl wall stickers.

Wall Stickers

Wall Stickers are a cheap, effective solution to creating a wall mural. Designing a wall mural on two walls with wall stickers can cost as little as £40 for the stickers and about £15 for a couple of pots of paint. With an extensive range of themes available for boys, girls and both genders, wall stickers are fast becoming a firm favourite with mums and dads. The added benefit of some wall stickers are that they are removable, so as the child grows older, it's quite easy to re-theme the room with a more 'grown-up' wall mural. So maybe your 2 year old daughter is really keen on having a princess themed room, it’s easy to create a wall mural by painting a powder pink background, with blue sky, and use the room stickers to create a princess themed mural. When your daughter grows up, she may want to choose a surf them and you will be able to find wall stickers to create a new wall mural. Many wall stickers remove from the wall without leaving any trace, so they won’t damage walls. A range of wall stickers are available from Blik and FunToSee.

PICS GO HERE

Wallpaper Murals

Wallpaper murals are an effective way to decorate one or two walls in a room and guarantee dramatic impact. There's so much choice of printed wallpaper available now and the latest printed styles are a far cry from the patterned, embossed wallpaper of yesteryear. Take into consideration the effort needed to ensure the walls are prepared and ready to be papered. You'll need to remove any existing wallpaper, if any, and ensure any holes are patched up. Wallpaper Murals are probably best suited for older children and teenagers who’s taste may not change as frequently. A 260cm x 180 cm wallpaper mural could cost you around £70. Also consider costs for wallpaper paste, brushes and a table.

You'll find a great selection from Just Murals

Paint by numbers Wall Murals

There are two paint by numbers methods available. The first is using an overhead projector to enlarge the transparency onto the wall. This gives you the freedom to choose the size of the mural, and position, but you will need to either buy or hire an overhead projector.

The second method is by using a paper transfer. Affix the transfer by tape to the wall and trace and paint following the paint colour guide supplied. Paint by numbers wall murals are a cost effective way to decorate a wall, but ensure you have a steady hand for painting all the intricate designs, otherwise it may look messy. Paint by number wall murals start at about £35 for the smaller kits. Available from Wall Art Designs.

Hand-painted Murals

For a fine art finish, hand-painted wall murals are probably best left to the professionals unless you have an artistic flair. You will be able to discuss the theme, colour and illustrative style with a professional, to ensure you get the finish you are looking for. The room may be out of use for a while, whilst the mural takes shape. There are many artists available with different illustrative styles and the cost will normally be determined by theme and style. Joanne Perry Murals specialise in children's themes.