How to Paint a Flower for a Girl's Room

Flowers, with their simple shapes and universal appeal, are a perfect decoration for a girl's room. Little girls tend to like bright flowers in clean, geometric shapes, while older girls (and women) may prefer conceptual flowers in monochrome colors or abstract outlines.

Things You'll Need

• High-gloss paint
• Stencils
• Cereal boxes
• Soft-bristle paintbrush
• Glitter or rhinestones

Instructions

1. Choose a high-gloss paint to create noticeable flowers that reflect light and pop off the walls. High-gloss paints are durable, easy to clean, and give the designs more visual interest.

2. A stencil is the easiest way to get a clean, accurate flower for a bedroom wall. Make your own stencil by cutting the shape of a flower from a flattened cereal box.

3. Press (or tape) the stencil firmly against the wall, so paint doesn't seep behind and smudge the flower. Fill in the outline with paint. Wash the stencil before switching paint colors.

4. If you draw by hand, use a small brush with soft bristles that form a point. Trace the outline of a flower before you start, or draw freely for a less-precise, modern look.

5. For a garden-themed room, paint flowers 1-4 feet high, as if they're "growing" from the baseboards. Line the wall with flowers (or the whole room, if you're feeling ambitious). Then use a fine paintbrush to draw random, slightly curved strokes of green to create "grass" in between the stems.

6. Stagger the flower heights for a visually appealing effect. Don't be afraid to have extra-tall flowers or flowers that curve and droop. There's no need to space the flowers evenly, either. Let them "grow" in bunches or cluster them in corners. An amazing substitute for a headboard is a cluster of painted flowers.

7. Try a reverse flower for an artsy look. Cut out a flower shape from thin cardboard (a cereal box will work here, too). Tape the shape to the wall, and spray paint lightly around the flower. Use a color that complements the wall paint to create a misty, ethereal look.

8. 

   Add glitter or rhinestones while the paint is wet. Rhinestones look great if they're placed randomly around the edges of the flower. Don't overdo it, or you'll end up with a discotheque instead of a garden.

Tips & Warnings

• Monochrome flowers look classy and fresh against a solid-colored wall. Try white on pink, purple on yellow, or pastel flowers on a white wall for a subtle contrast. Want something more realistic? Use green paint for stems and leaves, white or yellow for the center of the flower, and a bright color for the petals. Want to paint a more complicated flower, like a rose or an iris? Print out a large picture of the flower, trace it onto a sheet of transparent paper, and use an overhead projector to project the outline onto the wall.