About 15 years ago I was asked if I would decorate a friend’s daughter’s bedroom; with some hand painted wall murals.
It was years before the advent of wall decals and vinyl stickers. But my friend wanted something fun and pretty to break up the vast expanse of magnolia.
The room was a bit of an odd shape — it had an alcove with a sloping roof; but I thought this would lend itself well to creating something really lovely.
Now, I was obsessed with Enid Blyton books when I was a child; and particularly loved The Magic Faraway Tree.
I loved the idea of creating a cosy space; so the little girl could lie in her bed and pretend she was in an enchanted forest.
As her bed fit really well in the alcove, I imagined a tree’s branches surrounding the bed; almost giving her the feeling that she was sleeping in a tree house.
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Creating Hand Painted Wall Murals
Decorating childrens rooms is so much fun. I think you can get away with being so much more creative and playful; han you would do anywhere else in the home.
I started off by painting the alcove in hot pink emulsion. Then waited for it to dry then started on the tree design.
Most of my work is created on the Mac or the Cricut these days; but I still love drawing by hand occasionally.
So I drew the tree freehand — with a white pencil — then filled in the lines with white paint.
How to Create Childrens Wall Murals
Next came the foliage. I’d made a leaf shaped stencil and began to add leaves to the branches. Using a gorgeous, zingy lime coloured emulsion; building them up one by one.
After they’d dried, I painted over a few of them with a glitter glaze. Then added some small white stars and some large powder blue flowers, again in emulsion.
I’d found some brilliant shiny, self adhesive mirror flowers online, which were perfect for popping in the middle of each larger painted flower and dotting around the tree to give it a bit of sparkle and life.
And finally, I’d bought a butterfly garland and cut each little butterfly loose, to glue around the tree.
Adding a few 3D elements, to a mural, is a great way of really bringing it to life. Plus it gives the design a totally unique feel.
Also by adding a little glitter and sparkle — to catch the light — will make something that would otherwise be flat and dull, gorgeous and ethereal.
Adding Fairy Lights To Hand Painted Murals
Adding fairy lights to hand painted wall murals, when you’re decorating childrens bedrooms is a fantastic way to add even more interest.
Plus they act as a built in nightlight too.
I attached fairy lights around the trunk and branches of the tree with the help of some clear, self adhesive hooks.
When they were switched off, you could barely see them but when they were on they looked amazing! They glinted off the glitter glaze and twinkled off the tiny mirror flowers.
All of a sudden our plain old wall had turned into something really magical!
I also painted a couple of freehand butterflies and leaves to the wall leading into the room.
The Finished Wall Mural
Finally, once the bed was back in place, and I’d touched up a couple of areas, it was finished.
It was so simple to do — and cheap too. We used a small can of paint for the hot pink wall; but the white, lime and blue emulsion were all tester pots.
It took just a day to create this. The longest time we had to wait was 40 minutes or so for the pink background pain. Then the same again for the body of the tree.
Everything else was fairly instant! I used a glue gun to stick the fabric butterflies to the wall and the mirror flowers were self adhesive.
Needless to say, my little friend was pretty happy with her new space. As was I.
Caro Davies is a former art-director turned writer and content-creator, and editor behind UK lifestyle blog The Listed Home. She writes about home-related topics, from interiors and DIY to food and craft. The Listed Home has been featured in various publications, including Ideal Home, Grazia, and Homes & Antiques magazines.
Wow that looks so good, what a great effort! The photo with the feet in the corner made me laugh though! #twinklytuesday
Carolyn
Thanks Carolyn!! Haha — I wondered how many people would notice my slippers!! I had my feet up, taking a pic of my efforts! :)
PS — just taken another look — they’re actually my HUSBAND’S feet!! LOL! That’s even funnier!! :)
OMG Caro you are so incredibly talented, I want a wall like that in my bedroom x
Ahh that’s so lovely of you Sarah — but yes — I was tempted to paint my own wall once I’d done that one!! LOL! X
Oh gosh, you are one talented lady. That tree looks incredible and I would’ve never of thought to add lights.
Jenna at Tinyfootsteps xx
Thanks so much Jenna — had such fun being allowed to graffiti on my friend’s wall!! LOL! SO glad it turned out OK!! ;) X
CARO!!!! Oh my goodness if I pay you will you come and decorate my whole house???? You have inspired me!!
Kate — that is my favourite comment ever!! And yes — of course I will ;) X
Oh my God, that is amazing. You are amazing. How did you create that so effortlessly? You lovely lady, are a goddamn artistic genius. When we buy a new house I will need to hire you as my interior designer. Could I pay you in cookies? Hugs Mrs H xxxx
Cookies gratefully received Lucy! Nothing makes me happier than slopping some paint around! Thanks so much for your lovely comment! X
That is so cute!!
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Thank you Caitlin! Makes a change from a boring white wall ;) X
What can I say that is absolutely stunning. What a fab friend you are. x
Aaah thanks so much, that’s such a lovely thing to say!! My tiny friend was really happy :)
You are SO talented! You have such an amazing eye and talent for interior design. Please come and do my room next! Jess x
Aaah bless you Jess — that’s so lovely of you to say. I wish I’d pursued it as a career to be honest, I really love it. It’s gorgeous to be able to share things like this in my blog now! X
Wowzer love the colour and everything about this! Thanks for linking up w/ #homecorner
Thanks so much — thanks lovely of you! :)
WOW you are truly the most creative person ever. I could never have drawn that. It looks amazing! I bet a little girl’s dream bedroom too. I love it. Thank you so much for linking up to Share With Me #sharewithme
Aaah that’s such a lovely thing to say Jenny — thanks so much!! :) And thanks for hosting x
Wow…just wow! This is incredible – how talented are you. I would love this as a room now let alone if I was a five year old girl! Thanks for linking up with #twinklytuesday
Aww thanks lovely! I’d forgotten about it, until some of the girls said they’d like to see me post a girl’s bedroom!!! So good that we have the photos! I may do something similar for the boys xx
Wow, this looks amazing. What a lucky little girl. My husband and I have often talked about doing something similar in our children’s rooms – this might just finally give us the inspiration we need! Thank you for sharing, it’s so lovely x
Aaah thanks so much Kiran! She was happy, so it was worth spending a day on!! :) Also, if you create it yourself, you get exactly what you want! Thanks for your comment x
This is lovely Caro, just perfect for a little girl! I have been planning on painting a tree somewhere in our house, not quite sure where yet though! xxx
Thanks so much Katie!! I’m so happy to have found a fellow ‘painting on walls’ lover!! ;)
This is incredible! You are so, so clever. Both the idea and the execution is sublime. I wish I has an nth of your talent. If I attempted something like this, it would end up an unsightly splodge on the wall.
Wow — that’s a real compliment coming from you Rachel — thanks ever-so much! :)
Ooh this is amazing! You did an incredible job :) I’m currently pinning away all over the place getting ideas for Elsa’s bedroom and now I’m wondering if my landlord will let me paint a mural.
Charlotte, it’s only paint at the end of the day! Just say to him that you’ll be happy to make-good and paint it back to normal when you leave. I’m sure he’d be happy to let you create a mural! x
Oh wow that is amazing! you are so talented! Miss M would just love that tree and she loves butterflies. I bet your home must look stunning! x
Thanks Rachel! You should give it a go — it was a really easy project :)
I am totally in love with this, I have added it to my pinterest for Boo’s Room Ideas for when we redecorate. How magical, amazing!
Aaah thanks Jenni — thats lovely of you! x
Oh, I love this so much!
We are planning room makeovers for both kiddies this year and this has given me a lot of inspiration for G’s room.
You know, if you ever fancy coming to Norfolk you are more than welcome to decorate G’s room – I can pay you in cake! xxx
Aaah I LOVE cake!! I wish Norfolk wasn’t so far from me – I’d take you up on that!! ;) x
Just popped over from Tots 100 – what a beautiful room! You are one talented lady xx
Aaah thanks so much Megan — that’s SO lovely of you xxxx
This is honestly amazing! I’m so impressed!! It’s perfect for a little girl and you’ve captured that magic faraway tree vibe perfectly! So clever #HomeEtc xx
I was so obsessed with those books when I was little!! So nice to create a space that reminded me of them!
Oh you put me to shame!!! 4 months later and I am still working on the girls room. I have done nothing since putting the bunk beds. This looks amazing. My girls would love a room like this. Can you come and do their room please? ;-) #HomeEtc
Haha!! You weren’t the only one to ask!! I had lots of people queuing up when I first did it… once was enough though!!! ;) Do it — your girls will love you for it!! It’s easy, I promise!! xx
that is stunning. I love the way you did the tree in the corner so it grows around the space and the lights are soo cute. My daughter would love a wall like that in her bedroom
Thanks so much Shelley :)
Gorgeous, I did very similar for Grayson’s first nursery 7 years ago, I have never actually blogged it, maybe I shall xxx
Yes — you SHOULD!! I wasn’t blogging when I did Amelia’s room — but took loads of photos of the process! So nice to be able to turn them into a blog post, all those years later! :)
Absolutely STUNNING. Those alcove spaces are so difficult to decorate but I think you’ve done a fabulous job. Love how it looks like the trunk is coming out of the skirting board. Amazing!
#HomeEtc
Thanks lovely!! I LOVE those alcove spaces!! Much easier to get creative and try to do something to fit the space, than work with a square wall :)
WOW! that is truly amazing! WOW … just WOW #HomeEtc xx
Aaah thanks so much Emma! :)
Wow! what a lucky little girl! She must have been soooo happy with this. I love the idea of lights on the wall. Thank you for sharing.
She was pretty chuffed! Amazing to think that she was 6 when I did that and she’s 11 now!!!! How time flies! xx
What a beautiful wall! That really is quite special, I bet your friends daughter was delighted with it! I cant believe how talented you are, and this was how many years ago?! So, so so impressed :-) Emily #HomeEtc
Aah thanks so much lovely! It’s so weird — I wan’t even blogging when I did it — but took loads of pictures!!! I think I was a blogger in training! So nice to be able to share them now :)
Caro, that it just amazing. What a beautiful design and how clever are you! I also loved the Magic Faraway Tree and I can imagine Moon Face beaming away when he sees this (along with a very proud and excited owner.) Really lovely. #Homeetc
Aaah those books were so magical weren’t they? All this talk is making me want to go back and revisit them!!!
You are a very talented lady, this is simply beautiful. The twinkly lights really make it truly magical – every little girl’s dream decor! #HomeEtc
Aaah thanks lovely!! I must admit, I’d have LOVED one when I was a little girl!!!
Wow, just wow! I love this & my daughter would adore this in her room. We’re about to start decorating the outside of the shed at the bottom of our garden. My husband & daughter want a night theme with an owl sitting on a branch of a tree. I might employ some of the techniques you’ve used here. Great post! #HomeEtc
It’s so funny — I did it well before vinyl decals became a thing and these days you can buy really similar designs! SO easy to paint it though — and mush more fun! ;)
Oh my gosh I love this! Nice work, very talented and hard working you must be. Can you do mine :P
Aah bless you Jessica!! It was so simple to do — really! And makes a nice change from vinyl decals too as you can have whatever you want! :)
This looks ever so lovely sweetie!
Danielle | thereluctantblogger.co.uk
Thanks so much Danielle — that’s so lovely of you :)