Ask any young girl under eight, and the overwhelming majority will proudly declare that pink is their favorite color. Until my daughter was born, I had no idea just how vast the spectrum of pink could be. This color captivates their imaginations in a way that’s hard to comprehend, and for reasons that might hark back to our ancient past, it seems they can never get enough of it.
I never set out to raise Mia as a stereotypical girly-girl obsessed with purses, tutus, and sparkly pink everything. Yet, here we are. On any given day, she can be found dressed in pink leggings adorned with butterflies, a shirt bursting with floral patterns, and pink sandals she received from a particularly indulgent grandmother. When I attempt to guide her toward other colors, she solemnly promises to wear them tomorrow, but that day never seems to come. So, when it came time to redecorate Mia’s bedroom, which still bore the remnants of its previous life as “the office,” her desire for a pink room came as no surprise.
“How about we paint your walls a vibrant orange?” I suggested enthusiastically, employing that specific tone adults often use to sway children.
“PINK!” came her immediate and unwavering response.
I pressed on, “What about… Tangerine?” I even added a playful shimmy, hoping to conjure an image of tropical fun. But Mia was having none of it.
“PINK!” she repeated with growing impatience.
Tip #1:
When redecorating your child’s bedroom, try to keep it a surprise and start the project while they’re occupied—at preschool, with Grandma, or on a playdate. This way, you can make significant progress without them hovering around, and they will likely adore the result, as even old toys can feel new against freshly painted walls.
As we headed toward the paint store, Mia declared, “I want my room to be The Magical Meadow.” It was clear she had given this a lot of thought.
Her older brother, Jake, chimed in from the backseat, “Do you want faeries in it, Mia?”
“Yes! Faeries and butterflies!” she exclaimed.
“What about a rainbow?” Jake suggested.
“Yes, a rainbow!” she replied, pausing before adding, “And I want a unicorn!”
“Anything else?” Jake encouraged.
I could feel control slipping away. “I can do faeries, but a unicorn might be pushing it,” I responded, trying to regain some semblance of rationality.
Jake then declared he wanted a giant spider on his ceiling. He had a rocket ship-themed room with purple walls and glow-in-the-dark stars, which I had planned to keep unchanged until middle school. Suddenly, a handful of faeries didn’t seem too daunting in comparison.
“Mom, can you add a praying mantis?” he asked excitedly.
So, back to the topic of pink—its varieties are nearly endless. There are hot pinks, soft pinks, peachy pinks, Dusty Rose, Bubblegum, and even whimsical names like Razzle Dazzle and Secret Rendezvous. I settled on three sample jars to narrow it down.
As the sample patches dried on Mia’s wall, she skipped in to assess my work. “Not that much pink! I want the whole wall pink!”
I tried explaining that I was testing different shades of pink to see how they looked in various lighting. Sometimes I wonder what she thinks of me.
My husband, who prefers a minimalist approach, suggested a more subdued palette. However, upon returning to the paint store, Mia immediately gravitated toward a shade called Easter Bunny.
Tip #2:
Avoid bringing your child to the paint store. The sheer volume of choices can overwhelm them, and they tend to be drawn to the most outrageous colors.
“Look, Mia,” I said, holding up a softer shade.
She waved the Easter Bunny sample at me, “This one!”
“But Mia, it’s almost the same name. This one is called Easter Bonnet,” I countered.
“What’s a bonnet?” Jake asked, genuinely curious.
While the kids busied themselves in the store’s swivel chairs, I seized the moment to swap Easter Bunny for a sample of Pink Peony. Unfortunately, that choice backfired; it turned out to be too subtle, more like vanilla trying to blend in at the pink family reunion.
Tip #3:
Always start with paint samples. Colors never look quite the same on your walls as they do on a tiny swatch under store lights. This can save you money and prevent you from living with a regrettable color for years until you find the courage to repaint.
After three trips to the paint store and five sample jars, we finally settled on Ballerina—a soft pink that was just right.
“But where are the faeries?” Mia asked as the paint dried.
“Flying in,” I replied, hoping they’d arrive just in time to enjoy Mia’s Magical Meadow, a place as enchanting as she imagines it to be. Until, of course, her next obsession with turquoise and horses emerges.
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In summary, embracing your child’s color preferences—especially if they lean toward pink—can lead to a delightful transformation of their space that sparks joy and imagination. With a bit of planning, patience, and creativity, you can create a room that reflects their unique vision while also satisfying your aesthetic sensibilities.
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