How to Decorate With Wooden Letters in Children's Rooms

Wood letters are useful in many ways to add decor to a bedroom.

Using wooden letters to decorate a child's room is a creative way to personalize a wall or other decor. If you are handy with wood-working tools, you can easily draw letters onto wood and cut them out with a jigsaw. They are also available at craft and hobby stores in a wide array of inexpensive sizes and styles. Whether you stain, paint or add sparkly embellishments to the wooden letters, they give the room a one-of-a-kind look.

Things You'll Need

• Sharpened pencil
• Latex semi-gloss paints (for the mural)
• Paintbrushes
• Wooden letters
• Acrylic paint and artist paintbrush
• Glue
• Wood beads or heavy twine
• Flat wooden circles
• Hot-glue gun
• Narrow ribbon
• Wood plaque
• Embellishments, such as faux gems, stickers or sequins

Instructions

Lake Side or Ocean Mural

1. Paint a mural on your child's wall by sketching a simple scene onto the wall with a sharpened pencil. Draw a small house or hut by using a square piece of cardboard for the body of the house and drawing a simple triangle for the roof. Remember that a mural does not have to be detailed to look effective. You can also use stencils from a discount or craft and hobby store. They have many varieties to choose from.

2. Paint the top section of the wall with blue latex semi-gloss paint to create the sky. This should cover approximately 3/4 of the wall from the ceiling down. Avoid the hut or house drawing; you will fill it in with color later.

3. Use beige or sand-colored paint to create a beach underneath the blue sky and paint the area from the blue down to the baseboards. Do not paint the hut. Allow the paint to dry thoroughly.

4. Paint the house and rooftop in the colors you desire. Allow it to dry. Add windows and a front door by drawing them on in pencil. Fill in these areas with paint.

5. Cover the wood letters with acrylic paint and allow them to dry. Attach them to the door by hanging them onto nails. The letters can spell signs that say "Mikey's Bait and Tackle Shop" or "Lifeguard Station."

Letter Train

1. Paint small, chunky wood letters with acrylic paints that coordinate with your child's room. For instance, you can use the letters for "TRAIN" or "CAR." Allow them to dry thoroughly.

2. Connect the letters to each other with heavy twine and a hot-glue gun. You can also use large wooden beads to connect the wood letters.

3. Paint flat wood circles to look like tires or the wheels of a train. Glue them to the bottom front side of the letters. You can do the same thing with his name and create a name car. Stand the letters up on a dresser, bookshelf or nightstand.

Plaque

1. Glue small wooden letters onto a wood plaque. For instance, if your child collects Barbie dolls or little race cars, write the word "BARBIES" or "CARS" with the letters.

2. Paint the plaque and letters, if you desire, with acrylic paints and an artist paintbrush. Allow them to dry before hanging. Add embellishments such as stickers, sequins, faux gems to decorate the plaque if you choose.

3. Create a circle loop out of a narrow piece of coordinating ribbon. Tie the ends together. Glue a section of the loop onto the center back of the plaque with a hot-glue gun.

4. Hang the plaque on the wall above your child's collection.

Tips & Warnings

• If you cut the letters yourself, be sure to sand the wood before painting or staining it. This may be necessary on purchased letters as well.

References

• Sheffield School: Tips on Decorating Children's Rooms --- Nautical Themes
• Michaels: "Boy" Wheels