Summer is in full swing. The kids are home looking for things to do or acting bored out of their minds. You have a long to-do list. And one of these days (or years), that room that desperately needs to be redecorated is going to get done.
Why not get it done this summer? And while you’re at it, get the kids involved! It’ll give them something to do and a fond memory of the summer besides playing video games or going on vacation.
Now, you may be thinking, “How do I get my kids to help me with painting? Painting isn’t a fun task.”
That’s why we’re here. We can help you turn your redecorating project into a fun activity for the whole family.
Step One: Toss the redecorating self-doubt out the window
Yes, redecorating seems like such a huge commitment. You want to be careful what colors and room accessories you put in the house because they’ll probably be there for a while. You don’t want to end up regretting a paint color decision or buying something you don’t end up using.
At James T. Davis, we can help you make those choices well, so that this project will be something to look back on fondly for years to come. With our help, you can make something Pinterest-worthy that you can show off to your friends and family. You can take pride in your decorating decisions and feel confident that you have all of the support and resources you need to create something beautiful.
Your family is unique, and you can redecorate a room in a way that no one else can. You can have a new sense of ownership and give purpose to a room that has perhaps lost its luster. So don’t worry about coming up with all the ideas yourself. Talk with your family about the project and prepare to think outside the box. Then gather some cool ideas, and come to us (with your kids, if you want!) for a free consultation.
Step Two: Find a Theme
Our brains are hardwired to want things that are aesthetically pleasing, so an unfinished or undecorated room becomes an unused room—and that’s not what our goal is here.
Your first step in redecorating the room is to determine a theme. Maybe there’s a specific color scheme that your family agrees on. Maybe you have a key piece of furniture or a decor item that you want to make the centerpiece or focal point of your new design. Maybe your kids have some creative ideas about what they’d like to see—even if one likes unicorns and the other likes spaceships.
Whatever the case may be, this is you and your family’s project, and we want to help. In your consultation, we can help you figure out all the details. We can help you pick and mix the right paint. If you have decided on a particular theme or focal point object, bring along your ideas, the focal object itself or pictures of what you want to focus on. We’ll help you pick colors and other accessories to go with your room, and when all is said and done, you and your family can feel confident that you know how to redecorate your room.
Step Three: Getting Ready
Hopefully at this point, some of your doubts and fears have been relieved, and you feel more confident in tackling your painting project with your kids. You now have a theme, a vision and a purpose for this room’s future. You have your paint and your buckets and your paint brushes. And you have your kids standing ready with their paint clothes on, ready to get busy and messy.
But there are a few more things to consider if you’re going to make this project fun for the whole family. If you just start going at it with the painting, things are going to dissolve into chaos pretty quickly. You’re working with little amateur artists, so take a step back for a moment. What do you need to make sure this project is less of a mess and more of a success for everyone?
There are a few things to remember when getting ready to begin a project like this. The first thing to remember is to make sure nothing truly valuable is damageable. Get the valuables out of the room or cover them up with protective cloths. Cover up the floor. Paint can splatter when it’s being applied, and the last thing you want to do is get a bright green splotch of paint on Great-Grandma Doris’ beautiful, hand-knitted throw blanket.
The second thing to remember is to give the kids both a chance to have fun and an opportunity to have ownership of a piece of the project. Maybe you need to let the kids make a mess first. Let them paint handprints or smiley faces or sign their names on the wall first. Or let them paint some fun pictures. Maybe one of them felt a little left out when theme decisions were being made, so let him or her paint some of his or her ideas on the wall before it gets covered up again. Then let your little ones take some ownership of the project. If you’re using one of their ideas, give them a space to make their part happen. Also ensure that they have a paint brush that’s easy to use and their own supply of paint, rags and rinse water. Do two of your kids tend to fight or get in each other’s way? Make sure they’re working on different parts of the room so that neither their paint brushes nor their personalities collide.
The third thing to remember is simply this: have fun. Don’t take the project too seriously, or you’re going to wear yourself out before the day is done (and yes, the kids will still have energy somehow). Take breaks if you need to. Your kids have ownership of this project, too, so prepare to be flexible. It may turn out exactly as you’d hoped. It may not. Either way, it’ll be okay, because you got a project done, your kids had fun, and you’ll have this memory to look back on every time you walk into the room.
Step Four: Admire your work
You’re done! It may have taken a day or it may have taken a week, but at last you’ve finished painting and the decorations are back in place. You have something to look at and be proud of. You accomplished something incredible: redecorating a room in your house and helping your kids have fun at the same time!
Call James T. Davis today. We can help you make this midsummer dream a reality!
