So you are thinking of having a mural installed or painted in your child's room? What a perfect addition to your little one's room. A mural is a beautiful gift to give to any child. I have a mural in each of my 3 children's bedrooms and I can't tell you how much joy it has brought to them over the years. If you could only see the look on little kids' eyes when they see my children's rooms. There are several options open for you online. Lets take a look:

CANVAS

Canvas is my favorite option. The muralist can work off premises and paint a beautiful custom mural without ever entering your home. The best part is that the mural can be removed and saved for other children in your family or to take with you when you move. The mural can be adhered to your wall with heavy wallpaper paste, and once attached to the wall it appears as if it was painted directly on the wall surface. Here is one artist who paints on canvas:

AllKidsMurals.com - http://www.allkidsmurals.com/ - All Kids Murals specializes in custom child murals, and starting at $500 per wall, this is the cheapest around.

PAINT BY NUMBER MURALS AND KITS

There are kits available that allow you to be the artist. The detail level of a custom painted mural is not available but there are some nice designs that I think your child will love:

Wall Art - http://www.wallartdesigns.com/ - Each mural comes with a color guide and acrylic paint, so you don’t have to worry about getting the colors right. You can be sure your mural will look just like the ones you see here.

Wall Nutz - http://www.wallnutz.com/ - Paint-By-Number Mural Kits and even more kid decor!

Mural Magic - http://www.dreamroomcreations.com/ - With our kits and some simple instructions you don't have to be very artistic to create a work-of-art... anyone can do it.

Mural Design - http://www.muraldesign.com/kits/index.shtml - The kit includes easy-to-use patterns which you can trace and paint onto any wall, headboard, or canvas.

WALLPAPER

Wallpaper is the most inexpensive option, but it is also the least creative. However, there are some options out there that are pretty nice. Take a look at the below sites:

USA Wallpaper - http://www.usawallpaper.com/wallcoverings.html - Their collection of wallpaper murals includes windows, boats, port holes, dolphins, dinosaurs and much more!

Leland's Wallpaper - http://www.lelandswallpaper.com/index.htm - They have a collection of wallpaper that when put together can look like a mural.

Internet Wallpaper Store - http://www.wallpaperstore.com/Murals.htm - A selection of over 200 murals.

MURALISTS IN YOUR AREA

If you would prefer to have a custom mural painted directly on your wall, you would be better off with a local artist. You can look for a local artist in many ways via the internet.

1. Search Engines - Search engines, especially Google.com, do a search for 'muralists NJ' or whatever state you live in. You might also try searches like - 'kids murals NJ', 'Children's murals NJ', etc.

2. Yellow Pages Online - http://yellowpages.superpages.com/ - Do a search for 'murals' and enter your state name.

3. Faux Directory - http://www.fauxdirectory.com/ - A listing of Faux artists and muralists

So how are you supposed to know which muralist is right for you and your family? As with any employer, you will want to ask a lot of questions before signing any contracts.

1. Make sure you take a look at the artists' portfolio. Do the samples match your tastes?

2. What is the price? Have you compared the price to other artists?

3. How long is is going to take the artist?

4. Does the artist have positive testimonials from other clients?

5. Does the artist provide a sketch for you before making you sign a contract?

6. What quality paint will the artist be using?

7. Does the artist seem to have a personality that is pleasant and matches you and your family?

Having a mural installed can help brighten up your child's youth. Make sure that you get your money's worth. Good luck!

Rachel is owner of AllKidsMurals.com - http://www.allkidsmurals.com -

Custom hand-painted canvas murals that you and your child will love. Your mural can be hung like wallpaper and taken down to be saved and passed down through the family.

Rachel is owner of AllKidsMurals.com - http://www.allkidsmurals.com - Custom hand-painted canvas murals that you and your child will love. Your mural can be hung like wallpaper and taken down to be saved and passed down through the family.

allfreelance@comcast.net