Q: In a fit of nostalgia, I promised my 6 year old daughter we could paint a rainbow in her new big girl room. I always wanted one when I was little, etc. She is absolutely fixated on it and I did promise, so I am resolved to deliver. However, I would really love for the room to look stylish and something I like as well and not like this picture, which I am sure she would love but I would not. Any ideas on how to paint a rainbow on the wall of the room and still keep the room elegant? Thanks for any thoughts, inspiration, etc you can give!
Sent by Laurel
Editor: Hi Laurel. Here are two ideas: The best rainbow as decor I've seen is this one above shown on Design*Sponge awhile back. Although beautiful, it looks pretty time consuming and a real commitment, but what works about it is that the colors chosen are more sophisticated versions of the ROYGBIV we know from grade school. Perhaps you could try something on a smaller scale.
My second thought is to see if she'd be satisfied with something smaller like a decal or piece of artwork. This rainbow decal by tinch Design Studio is repositionable and she also sells a magnetic version which is more interactive.
Readers, what ideas do you have for honoring Laurel's promise to paint a rainbow?
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http://www.ohdeedoh.com/uimages/ohdeedoh/2009-09-rainbow.jpg
would your daughter allow that?
put it on one wall and keep the rest one color?
What about instead of a solid arc of colors, making the arcs out of dots. I'm thinking Skittles, like this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lrodddock08/3796473867/
Good Luck!
The best I have found over the years painting murals for kids is to have them be involved in the process.
If you tape up each line of rainbow with blue tape and have her color each one/ Let it dry, move on to the next, not only she will love it because it is hers but but it will have the elegance of her innocence. Which I found priceless. have a bit of orange in the yellow and see it being fix on the wall, a bit of aqua green in the blue ect...
Make it big. Suggestion: each stripe is 4" minimum.
Would love to see what you came up with!
The rainbow that Renee posted is amazing, and something I wish we had been capable of, but we went a different route for the rainbow room request from my 5yo.
My son wanted an entire wall in his room painted like graffiti. During our negotiations, I had the idea of just having a pull down window curtain painted. That might be a good way for your daughter to still have the rainbow of her choice and a more tasteful one of your liking. Plus on a rainy day she could pull down the curtain and have something cheerful to look at!
For inspiration: http://www.frenchdressing.com.au/storefrontprofiles/DeluxeSFItemDetail.aspx?sid=1&sfid=98118&c=176659&i=244035494
Instead of the full arc of a half circle I would do a 1/4 circle arc from the floor to a corner (or a door) That way you don't take up a whole wall. Though I love the color wash rainbow posted above. I would have loved a rainbow in my room growing up too.
How about a design from the rainbow brite cartoon?
http://www.rainbowbrite.net/characters/twink.html
Not sure if there are still decals around, but a framed poster from the movie would be way cool :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rainbow_brite_and_the_star_stealer.jpg
When I was in junior high (ha!) I took my closet doors out and painted a rainbow inside of the arch of the doorway. It was pretty cool.
I don't have any real suggestions, but I really like brakeforbread's approach! Kudos!
My idea was kind of similar to brakeforbread's -- paint a vertical rainbow as a headboard. I like the idea of using paler versions of each color, to tone it down a bit.
Renee's idea is completely BEAUTIFUL. I almost want to do this to my daughters room!!
How about something soft and subtle - maybe use a sponge texture so it could be a touch faint and not so in your face. Arc it into the corner too.
I realize this doesn't involve painting, but what if you were to present her with the idea of hanging some of those crystals in the window(s) so that rainbows dance around her room when the sun hits them?? ...and then maybe you could accessorize with rainbow items? Like pillows or curtains...
There are some great suggestions above
I'm not crazy about this picture, but I do like the idea of adding butterflies or silhouettes of birds
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_K2LvOMLE_mQ/SHynKOOflQI/AAAAAAAABEI/sGpYITKxLlc/s400/Rainbow_and_Butterfly_Mural.JPG
I agree with kathleen08 on this-- making it subtle, and watercolor-y might tone down the cartoonish vibe you seem to want to avoid. A rainbow coming out of a window or door and down to the floor in washed out colors might be sweet and bright and enough to satisfy the rainbow craving! Also, another reviewer mentioned prisms-- we have one in a sunny room, and the rainbows on a sunny day just float everywhere and are really magical :)
It is paint. Paint a giant rainbow that she loves! Whatever she wants!
Unicorns! Butterflies! Anything but Leprechauns - they freak me out.
Paint over it when she is tired of it.
How about something like this?
http://i1120.photobucket.com/albums/l482/Zayabibu/RainbowButterflies.jpg
This is photoshopped, but it should give you an idea of what I'm thinking...
What about something she could play under? This is a rainbow silk stretched over a couple of playstands:
http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/playstands-6
I'd do a 70s funk vibe, like on these cushions:
http://hunkydoryhome.wordpress.com/2008/02/23/rainbow-colours/
But that's just me.
I second potpie. It's her room. Let her have the rainbow of her dreams.
I would go for less in-your-face primary colors and stick to less saturated colors, like pastels or darker muted colors, depending on the rest of the room.
Just hang up a pride flag?
I have been planning a rainbow to extend in a 1/4 arc from the side of my kiddos' closet, over the mantel, and to the floor. Pretty huge, which is the reason I've been putting it off. Thanks for the great ideas. I think I'm going to go a bit muted, as well. I do like the idea of letting the kids help, but this may be too big for that. @brakeforbread - PERFECT!
ooh! Rainbow silks! I know you said you'd paint (and maybe could use the rainbow silk to match colors at the paint dept?) But wow love the idea of a canopy or maybe just a simple throw like this:
http://hyenacart.com/ImagineYourself/mt/2445/64461/Rainbow-Silk-Baby-Toddler-Blanket
it would be a rainbow that could go with her wherever she wants!
Agree with potpie. It's only paint which is a heck of a lot cheaper than pillows/ bedding/ furniture/ rugs and when she's sick of it in a couple of years some good primer and a couple more coats of paint and you're all good. And go big or go home if you want the room to have a modern rather than Lisa Frank-y vibe. If the brightness freaks you out then a wash of color would be easier on the eyes and more true to nature. The ombre effect is cool and actually not that time consuming since you need to work with a wet edge on the paint at all times- meaning it's got to be done right away. Keep the surrounding furnishings and colors pale and neutral and it'll be even easier to swap things out when she's 9 and wants a 'sophisticated' room.
@ eeka, hahaha, hilarious!!
my folks painted a noah's ark for my brothers room. it included a big rainbow. even after it had been painted over several times you could still see or feel the stripes of the rainbow. so if it makes a little bead line of paint try to smooth it out with your finger or sponge brush.
other than that i would look on etsy or flicker for a print or canvas painting that you could hang. perhaps painting curtians with rainbows or sewing some? i do like the idea of skittles or perhaps beads, buttons or other objects that can be glued or sewn to a cloth or board. good luck.
Thanks everyone for the inspirations and suggestions! If my daughter were extremely clear on exactly what she wanted, it would be different, but other than "rainbow on my wall" she is pretty open so since I do have an opportunity to create something we will both love, I'm tyring to do just that! It's true that it is just paint (we're painting the whole room, not just the rainbow), but it's hard work to paint and I don't plan to do it again until she's old enough to do it herself, so I'd like to love it. I don't think that's too much to ask! I love the colorwash rainbow and also the one posted by brakeforbread. They are very different so I will see what we come up with! Thanks again for the inspiration and if anyone has suggestions for a blue that would be lovely for the walls, I'd love to hear it.
I agree with some of the others, that the real key is going to be the exact colors you choose. I would try for more sophisticated, less obvious colors instead of the standard primary & secondary colors.
I would do an arc on one wall with a HUGE radius -- that is, a very gentle curve -- so that it feels like a real, big rainbow is just touching down in the room.
no real help here, but I was a kid who had a rainbow room many many years ago. my parents went with rainbow patterned wallpaper on one wall and painted the rest of the room yellow (my favorite color). they gave the task of finding the wallpaper to my artist grandfather so they could be guaranteed something attractive.
I loved my room! (really hope my 20 month old never wants anything like it, but loved it as a kid). however you end up doing it, your daughter will like hers too.