The best paint for a children's room is water-based, low in VOCs, certified to the toy safety standard and tough enough to wipe clean. Little Greene's Intelligent range and Farrow & Ball's Modern and Estate finishes all meet that brief, and both brands state that these paints are certified child-safe to EN 71-3, the toy safety standard. For walls, choose a wipeable matt such as Intelligent Matt Emulsion or Modern Emulsion, and for woodwork and furniture a hard-wearing eggshell or satin.
Colour matters just as much. Soft, gentle colours make a calm backdrop for sleep and play, and are easy to build on with brighter accents that can change as children grow.
Here is how to choose, finish by finish and colour by colour.
Photo Credit: Little Greene; Colour Used: Ashes of Roses (6)
What makes a paint right for a child's room
- Toy-safe certification. EN 71-3 is the European standard that limits the migration of certain elements from toys. Farrow & Ball state that their Modern and Estate ranges are independently tested and certified toy-safe to this standard, with a few specialist exceptions such as Casein Distemper. Little Greene's Intelligent range is certified child-safe, so it is suitable for children's rooms and nursery furniture.
- Low VOCs and low odour. The water-based paints we stock contain very little in the way of volatile organic compounds, so the room is pleasant to be in again quickly.
- Washability. Children's walls get handled, drawn on and bumped. A wipeable finish saves a lot of repainting.
The best finishes for walls
- Intelligent Matt Emulsion (2% sheen). Little Greene's tough, washable matt. The Intelligent finishes withstood 10,000 scrubs in industry-standard testing, so marks can be washed off without spoiling the look.
- Modern Emulsion (7%). Farrow & Ball's durable, wipeable wall finish, which they use for nursery walls and murals.
- Estate Emulsion (2%). Beautifully chalky, but Farrow & Ball describe it as gently wipeable rather than washable, so it is better suited to a calm nursery than a busy playroom.
Photo Credit: Farrow & Ball; Colour Used: Yeabridge Green (287)
Woodwork, cots and furniture
For skirtings, doors, shelves and furniture, you need a finish that is both tough and safe.
- Intelligent Eggshell (10 to 15%) and Intelligent Satin (30 to 35%). Self-priming on most sound surfaces, including melamine, so you can update a cot, a chest of drawers or a toy box with a clean, a light key and two coats. Our guide to painting IKEA furniture shows the method.
- Modern Eggshell (40%). Farrow & Ball's most durable interior finish, which they suggest for baby-safe furniture.
Allow painted furniture to harden fully before it goes back into use: up to seven days for Little Greene's Intelligent finishes, and up to 14 days for some darker Farrow & Ball colours.
Soft colours that grow with them
Gentle, slightly muted colours suit children's rooms best. They are restful at bedtime, flattering in all lights and easy to update with accessories.
- Soft pinks: Little Greene's Ashes of Roses (6), a dusty, grown-up pink, or Farrow & Ball's Peignoir (286).
- Calm greens: Yeabridge Green (287) or Little Greene's fresher Sage & Onions (288).
- Gentle blues: Blue Ground (210), which Farrow & Ball suggest with Yeabridge Green in a playful nursery scheme.
- Warm neutrals: Farrow & Ball use Elephant's Breath (229) as a calming base, or try Paint & Paper Library's Stone I (201).
A neutral or soft colour on the walls, with a brighter shade on a chair, a bookcase or the inside of a cupboard, is easy to change as tastes do.
Photo Credit: Farrow & Ball; Colour Used: Blue Ground (210)
Questions we are often asked
How soon before the baby arrives should I paint the nursery?
Paint well ahead, ideally a few weeks before, so the room can be aired thoroughly and the paint can fully harden.
Is all Farrow & Ball paint toy-safe?
Farrow & Ball certify their Modern and Estate ranges, but exclude a few specialist products, including Casein Distemper and some primers. Check the product before using it on cots or toys.
Can I paint a cot?
Yes, with a certified child-safe finish such as Intelligent Eggshell or Modern Eggshell, and allow it to cure fully before use.
