• Decorate a kids' room with paint.child brushing a wall with colourful paint image by Cherry-Merry from Fotolia.com
  
  A fresh coat of paint gives a kids' room a brand new look without spending a lot of money. Look for novelty paints, stencils and stamps to simplify the project and keep frustration to a minimum. Older children may want to have a say in the colors and designs of their room, so involve them in the process to ensure you create a room that suits them.
  
  

Chalkboard Paint

• Create a chalkboard surface on one or more walls of the room using chalkboard paint. Ready-made chalkboard paint is usually black and can be painted directly onto walls without applying a primer first. Another option is to make your own homemade chalkboard paint by mixing 4 tsp. of sandless grout into 1 cup of latex paint. Make sure to purchase sandless grout, as some grout has sand mixed into it and this type of grout will not work as well. Stir the mixture together and apply it to the wall with a paint roller or paintbrush. This recipe allows you to create a chalkboard wall in any color to match the decor of the child's room.
  
  

Magnetic Paint

• Magnetic paint consists of a primer mixed with a magnetic additive. Magnets will stick to the painted surface but the paint itself is not magnetic so you do not need to worry about damaging computers located near the wall. Purchase the magnetic primer premixed or look for a powdered magnetic additive that mixes into any latex primer. Paint the clean wall with two coats of the magnetic primer. Once the primer has dried, apply a layer of latex paint in any color to decorate the wall without negating the magnetic effect.
  
  

Murals and Patterns

• Painting a mural on a wall requires some artistic skill, but several methods are available to help you paint a scene even if you do not possess any natural talent. Look for stencil sets in art supply or home improvement stores to simplify the process. Make customized stencils by cutting heavy cardboard with an craft knife to create your own designs. If you prefer to apply a pattern to the wall, use stamps to create perfect circles or other simple shapes. Stripes or squares are easily achieved by applying painter's tape to the wall prior to painting. Remember to smooth down the edges of the tape to prevent the paint from bleeding underneath it and causing distorted lines or shapes.
  
  

Compromise

• Let the child help choose paint colors for their room to reflect their own personal tastes, but don't resign yourself to years of staring at solid walls painted a stomach-turning shade. If your child chooses a color you can't stand, use that color as an accent rather than a base shade for the walls. For instance, if your child wants black walls, compromise with black stripes on tan or blue walls. Another option is to use the offensive color on only one wall of the room and use a lighter color or white on the remaining walls.