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Original poster

DD (9yrs) has chosen horrible wallpaper - how do I make it look nice?

45 replies

Pennies · 08/08/2013 20:46

DD has set her heart on this paper for her bedroom. It is for a feature wall - not the whole room.

I am not very good at interior design but am wondering how on earth to make it look nice. What colour should I do the other walls? What about curtains / accessories? She currently has white furniture in her room and we're not replacing any of it.

This is a reward for her doing very well at school - we said she could have her room exactly as she wanted it. Doh.

OP posts:
MummytoMog · 08/08/2013 21:00

Your daughter has very good taste. White furniture will be fine. For all other accessories pick out one of the other colours and have all in that (I would suggest the turquoise). I would do the other walls in white and get some nice bookshelves in turquoise orange or green for them to tie it in. What's the floor like?

SwedishEdith · 08/08/2013 21:01

Oh. I was expecting it to be much than that. Erm, could you put it on one wall and put her desk in front (to minimise it a bit). Does she have a chimney breast in the room? Just put it in the alcoves (or pretend there are alcoves) and make it look like bookcases?

Lots of colours in it to pick out for duvet covers etc- don't pick all of them though. Maybe? I'd do the other walls either white or I might be tempted to do each of the other walls one of each of the colours of the individual shelves i.e 1 x orange, 1 x aqua and 1 x that other colour. I might paint over that a few months later but might be worth trying. Would she go for that?

KateCroydon · 08/08/2013 21:04

It's fine. Sheesh. Go a nice restrained white (not pure - maybe a very light grey?) and it'll look zippy

Madamecastafiore · 08/08/2013 21:04

Do white for the rest of the room with accents of the colours, orange, turquoise, pink etc.

Put mirror on wall opposite to reflect wallpaper too.

I'd go for a plain duvet cover too and see if you can get a pink flock chandelier and a big rug in the colour that isn't the chandelier or duvet cover.

I'll come do it for you. Is my passion!! Smile

TheRealFellatio · 08/08/2013 21:07

Well it's certainly bright but it's not that awful. It's very busy though so I think you need to keep everything else as plain as possible. I would go for that on one wall with the other walls painted. I would choose white, but as you have white furniture perhaps the aqua blue would be nice. but as you have white furniture perhaps the aqua/turquoise colour would be nice. I would avoid curtains and go for nice plain blind.

Yorkieaddict · 08/08/2013 21:09

It looks fine to me. Its not what I would choose admittedly, but then I'm not a 9 year old girl. Is it not up to her to choose curtains, other wall colours etc if you said she can have her room how she wants? It is her that will be spending the most time in it presumably? It seems only fair to let her have it to her taste, even if that does not match yours,

Liara · 08/08/2013 21:14

It's not that bad. Pretty funky. What does she want to do with the rest of the room?

I would really go for it and make the walls orange and the accessories turquoise, myself.

Not sure it would be massively conducive to good sleep though...

Original poster
Pennies · 08/08/2013 21:19

She wants turquoise walls - I thought it might be too garish and would prefer white but I see that some have suggested turquoise - although I think I might go 3 shades lighter than that in the paper. She wants curtains made of this which certianly picks out the colours of the paper but would it bee too much?

It's not got a chimney breast. It's a square room with a window on the right wall. It has white built in cupboards on the wall facing what will be the 'feature' wall.

OP posts:
Liara · 08/08/2013 21:20

that link doesn't work for me...

Original poster
Pennies · 08/08/2013 21:20

Sorry, link doesn't work.. Try this

OP posts:
Liara · 08/08/2013 21:21

Actually, I think her suggestion could work.

Blu · 08/08/2013 21:24

t will be great - go with what she wants if that's what you have promised - it's HER room!

Turquoise or white will be fine, or any of the other colours in the paper. Good for her going for something different!

BeesGoBuzzzzzz · 08/08/2013 21:24

I think just let her get on with it, you might find she has a better sense of style than you. IMO opinion she has picked nice wallpaper, not sure why you call it 'horrid'.

BeesGoBuzzzzzz · 08/08/2013 21:26

And remember, this is wallpaper we are talking about, not a facial tattoo!

Phineyj · 08/08/2013 21:28

Cor that is brilliant paper, I may have to break my lifetime vow not to do wallpaper!

Original poster
Pennies · 08/08/2013 21:29

I just think it's a bit in yer face, really. I would like it if it had a white background. She totally adores reading though and this seems to encapsulate that for her so of course she can have it. Also, we live in quite a dark house and I was also worried about it just looking too dark.

OP posts:
soundevenfruity · 08/08/2013 21:29

I think she chose well. I would try to steer her away from all room being turquoise though and go for off white. You can buy inexpensive pine shelves (including IKEA picture shelves that are much narrower for display of pictures and photos without drilling additional holes) and paint them in colours of shelves in the picture. Dulux counters colour match anything and then put them on the walls as continuation of the design. For curtains I would pick minor cheerful colour from the wallpaper - lemony, coral (?). But if you promised her the room to be exactly the way she wants it - then you have to stick with it.

LibraryBook · 08/08/2013 21:30

I think turquoise will make it look really trashy. I think you need to have the remainder walls white. It will look amazing with white walls. And the curtain fabric choice is incredible. I think it will look amazing.

What colour is the flooring?

3rdnparty · 08/08/2013 21:31

If she agrees how about using the fabric for cushions-maybe a large floor cushion rather than curtains that might be a bit busy....? Maybe plain turquoise curtains?? I like the paper for a kids room..

HoikyPoiky · 08/08/2013 21:31

I think it all looks really nice and a million times better than sparkly pink stuff
I agree that white walls would look best but light turquoise would be OK too.

I wouldn't worry about going overboard on accessories. Just use whatever your DD likes. It will all look fine. I think people get a bit carried away trying to match everything.

BeesGoBuzzzzzz · 08/08/2013 21:34

Stop worrying!!!!! She likes it, that is all that matters. At nine she should just go with it, and how amazing she is cool enough to choose something individual. You are presumably a fair bit older than her and perhaps maybe just a teeny bit conservative style wise so of course you won't like the same thing!

Original poster
Pennies · 08/08/2013 21:35

OK so:

*The books wallpaper
*Turquoise walls
*Dotty curtains (can't really do blind as inset dormer window and quite small windows and we need as much light in as possible)
*Neutral carpet
*White furniture.

Soooo, rugs:
* Rug 1

I was thinking orange light (angle poise) and lampshade. White bedding with dotty cushion and orange throw...

OP posts:
NoComet · 08/08/2013 21:37

Tell your DD it's a brilliant choice, I've been collecting magazine folders, ring binders and storage boxes in tourquise, pink, purple and bright green, so my real bedroom book case looks like that.

Rest is white walls and pale maple furniture hence the injection of colour.

Original poster
Pennies · 08/08/2013 21:37

OK swap turquoise wall for white ones!

Of course I love the fact that she's gone bold and I'd love to have the guts to do it myself. Elephants Breath is about a daring as I get Wink.

OP posts:
BeesGoBuzzzzzz · 08/08/2013 21:39

No, let her have the spotty curtains! Honestly, what is the bloody point of being nine if you can't pick some really not very bright just not beige curtains?

You wait til she is fifteen. Then you will be weeping.