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Children are a welcome addition to any household, often changing your perspective of the world (it suddenly starts revolving around them instead of you!)

Life never stands still, and the addition of children is no exception. That previously neutral toned room will probably look a little out of place with bright children’s toys and furnishings.

Bright, colourful and cheerful paint schemes help create stimulating environments for children. While very young children only see in black and white, it is not very long before they appreciate the angst you experienced deciding the final colour scheme for their room.

And once they get old enough to tell you they don’t really like the colour, you can always repaint it (or get them to do it)!

Resene ColorShops stock a full range of paint, accessories and wallpaper. From bright and bold to relaxing and neutral, our trained professional staff will help you choose colour confidently. While you are in-store, ask about the Resene DIY Card to enjoy savings on future purchases.

Most families decide to redecorate when they have children. Whether you decide to do this before or after your child is born, there are still some important points that you should keep in mind. We cover many of them on this web page.

For more information on these and any other paint or colour related questions, please come and see us at your local Resene ColorShop.

Inspiration from Resene KidzColour

Strongwilled, excitable and opinionated – today’s children know just what they want, sometimes much to the horror of their parents. Children are increasingly influencing the way their bedrooms are laid out and coloured, injecting their own personality into their room. To help you get started, Resene has created KidzColour – a range of colours and metallics designed for children of all ages.

Following testing with various aged children, the bulk of the Resene KidzColour range features bright, bold, full chroma hues and metallics – perfect as a statement by themselves or combined with another equally bold hue for an invigorating scheme.

For those with a newborn in the house, Resene KidzColour also includes a smaller palette of soft pastels that may be mixed and matched with each other or used as a base for one of the brighter accent colours. From red Resene Chaos to pink Resene Candy Floss and not forgetting blue Resene Surfs Up, this colour range has been designed with children for children. All colours from the Resene KidzColour range are available in popular Resene testpots – perfect for all painters no matter what age.

The Resene KidzColour range also includes favourite effects finishes, such as Resene FX Magnetic Magic and Resene FX Blackboard Paint. Resene FX Magnetic Magic is an innovative magnetic base coating that turns walls into magnetic boards suitable for use with a wide range of magnets. Resene FX Blackboard Paint is a premium scrubbable waterborne coating for all types of interior and exterior smooth surfaces where a hardwearing blackboard coating is required. It is easy to apply – in fact the hardest part is keeping would-be chalk artists away long enough to give the paint time to dry before they start covering it up with chalk! And if you need more colour options, you can also use Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen as a chalkboard finish.

Children grow fast and tastes change rapidly, so make sure your plan incorporates options for the future. If you don’t mind completely revamping the room in a few years, you can opt for a fully themed room… but be prepared to change it later! Latest trends and fads can be incorporated using cushions, posters, wallpaper borders and toys that can be easily changed as the trends and fads do.

Check out what others have done in the past in the online Resene Decorating inspiration gallery use their ideas as inspiration for your own.

With colours and finishes galore, children and parents can design a bedroom that will be the envy of all their friends without breaking the bank. And, as your child grows and develops new tastes, it’s easy to simply add a new feature colour or repaint a no longer liked hue to create a whole new look.

Remember, there are lots of great effects you can create using paint and metallic effects finishes, colour blocking, stamps, sponges and general arts and crafts activities to add wall art, pencil holders and more to the finished room, so let your imagination run wild. Stencils, clouds, stripes – the list goes on! To get you started some suggestions are included on the Resene KidzColour chart and on the Resene website. Plus you can download lots of free stencils to get you started.

Let your children loose with colour. The Resene KidzColour collection is available from Resene ColorShops, or order your copy online.

Clear the air

Indoor air quality is important, especially if you are planning to paint your child’s room. Not only do you want to minimise the fumes while painting, but you also want the paint odour to disappear quickly so you can put the area back into service without putting any family members at risk.

While the odour levels of standard Resene paints are not high, Resene have developed low odour products – Resene Zylone Sheen and Resene Ceiling Paint – and Resene Zylone Sheen Zero with no added VOCs to help you and your family breathe easier. Or choose durable and washable Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen, which is Environmental Choice approved, low in VOC and ideal for the rough and tumble of children’s rooms and play areas. The lack of solvent fumes means they are more pleasant to use than standard products and the area can be quickly put back into service. Improving indoor air quality can also help prevent headaches, asthma, nausea, dizziness, respiratory complaints, allergic reactions and improve general well-being.

With no nasty solvent smells, easy clean up in water and a wide colour range, the hardest decision will be choosing your favourite colours.

Make sure any areas you paint are well ventilated with good air flow and if inside, open windows wherever possible. This will help the air to circulate and the paint to cure. Even low odour paints need this air circulation to ensure they cure properly and that any emissions from the paint can dissipate quickly.

And when you’ve finished the painting, you can bring unwanted paint and paint containers back to our Resene PaintWise service (NZ).

Painting during pregnancy

In general Resene recommends that you should not paint during pregnancy. Hire a professional or ask a family member or friend to help instead.

Waterborne paints contain very low levels of solvents. Thus the risk from exposure is very small. However, there are still potential hazards to be avoided. The stretching action when painting walls and ceilings or putting up curtains, if overdone, can cause problems during pregnancy. Of course climbing up and down step ladders etc. is also an underlying risk.

However, if you have some small projects, such as painting a picture frame or a cot and have decided to paint these items then the following is recommended:

• Avoid oil based/solventborne products. Use only waterborne products.
• Do not use spray paints.
• Wear a suitable mask when sanding and painting.
• Do not eat or drink during painting.
• Ensure good ventilation during and after painting.
• Do not use any solvent for cleaning tools etc.

Always consult your doctor or midwife if you have any concerns before carrying out a project when pregnant.

Beware of lead-based paint

Lead is a health hazard. You can get lead poisoning if you do not take care when you remove lead-based paint from a building. As lead tastes sweet, children are particularly at risk from lead poisoning because they may swallow bits of paint that contain lead or soil that has been contaminated. Children chewing on cots or toys are also at risk if leadbased paint has been used.

Until 1965, many paints had high lead levels. Even if a building has been recently painted, it may have been painted with lead-based paints or have layers of old paint covered by modern paint. Today only special purpose paints contain lead and these are clearly labelled.

It is not possible to tell lead-based paints by their appearance, but there is a simple test that can detect whether the paint is a health risk. Resene ColorShops can test your paint flakes for lead-based paint for free. Simply take a large flake of any paint you suspect may contain lead into your local Resene ColorShop. If a building was built before the 1980s it is best to presume it has been painted with lead-based paint. Contact your local Health Protection Officer if you are unsure.

Lead poisoning effects

• Many adults and children with lead poisoning will have either vague or non-specific symptoms such as stomach pains, difficulty sleeping, constipation and loss of appetite or no symptoms at all.
• Children who may have no obvious symptoms can still suffer some brain damage over a period of time.
• If your child has more severe symptoms such as weakness or difficulty walking, seek urgent medical attention.

For more advice on lead-based paint, ask for the ‘Resene Putting your safety first’ brochure at your local Resene ColorShop, view it on the Resene website or contact your local Council.

Safe storage

Always keep paint and paint preparation and cleaning products securely closed and out of your child’s reach. As children learn to climb and open cupboards and drawers from an early age, a locked garage or shed is the most secure place to store them.

› Download a PDF of this information

For more information visit Resene.co.nz

Article provided by Resene.

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