by Gillian Taber

Created on: March 12, 2011   Last Updated: March 14, 2011

Colour is very much a personal choice. Whilst most would not put deep shades of green with maroon, there are those who find the combination attractive. When it comes to a child's bedroom, or decorating a play area, choice of paint colour will depend on the parents and what appeals to the child. There is no 'best' colour, but there are some reasons to choose certain colours above others, and these are discussed below.

Looking at Wisegeek information, there is a great deal of thought as to what constitutes the most soothing and relaxing colour. According to interior designers, scientists and psychologists, blue and green are the colours which most people report using in places where they wish to be calm and relaxed, such as bedrooms and bathrooms. This is worth remembering when choosing paint colours for a child's room

Age is a big consideration when painting for children. Baby isn't going to want black and red any more than a teen is going to want pastel blue and fluffy white clouds with smiley faces. Bedrooms vary in usage as children grow, but let's begin with the nursery.

Although it will probably adapt, at first the nursery needs to be a place of peace and harmony. Avoid paint colours which are loud, vibrant and primary, such as neon yellow, burnt orange or radiant red. Stick to neutral, pale and calming colours for the walls and ceiling Accent colours can come via the carpet – No room belonging to a small child should ever have a pale carpet, for obvious reasons of spills and sickly moments, so avoid if possible – and in the first couple of months, black and white objects and pictures are a great idea as these are the colours baby sees best. If parents are feeling particularly adventurous, black and white paint can be used to create murals, patterns and pictures in bold shapes on the walls. They can always be painted over later.

As baby grows into toddler, the room can become a more personalised area. Even six month old babies can display a preference for a particular colour and adding this to their bedroom can help make it unique and pleasing to them. Toddlers love primary colours and big, bold shapes. Walls can be painted in a neutral shade and then blue, red and yellow can be used to highlight features such as dado rails, wainscots, shelving and window frames.

Using brightly coloured characters from favourite television programmes and books can add extra dimensions in colour. This doesn't have to cost the earth. Copy the characters onto the

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