Painting a Safari Theme

Tips from Real-Estate-Agents.com

by Kathy Maynard, reprinted courtesy of ServiceMagic.com

Q: Hi, I am decorating my 13-year-olds daughter's room in a safari theme. We found some material for the dust ruffle with animals on it. The colors of the safari material that I have found have been so boring. Neutral. How can I paint or decorate her room to give it some color? How can I make her room unique and different from the other safari rooms?

A: Thanks for your question. The colors of the savannah do tend to be rather boring and neutral like camouflage, because that's necessary for the survival of both the hunters and their prey. My first thought was to paint the walls, ceilings and wood work in varying hues found on the savannah. That could be very attractive but that would be subtle and not add much in the way of color.

However, a painter who has experience painting murals had some interesting suggestions. Why not go all out and recreate the environment of the savannah, with grass on the bottom and blue sky on top of the walls or even the ceiling? Start with a wainscoting 1/3 up from the floor in green to replicate grass. If you don't want the muted color of dry grass, choose a brighter grass of spring.

Then you could have some animals peeking out from behind grass, trees or whatever your imagination suggests. If you aren't into painting animal bodies, you only need their heads. Black and white zebras or tigers of bright orange and black can add some stronger colors to contrast the traditional muted neutrals. Paint a tree with overhanging branches. Mosquito netting can be draped from around the bed for a camp.

You could hire a professional muralist for a consultation to propose some ideas and paint your walls, or find some stencils to trace onto the wall. I bet your 13-year-old would love to help you make her room very special!

To find the name of a painter to paint a mural, visit Service Magic at http://www.servicemagic.com and register as a member (it's free). Let us help you locate the ideal Service Professional in your area!

Good luck!

Kathy Maynard

-- Tips courtesy of ServiceMagic.com