I agree that black paint for the wall seems depressing for a 3 yo. Since he doesn't have a bed yet, offer a black bed and black lamp instead, maybe a black rug too. Maybe if you hang up pictures, choose black frames. I don't know what you promised, specifically, when you said he could help to decorate, but since he's already made some choices tell him that he was a great helper. Choose a few wall colors that you like, something neutral or uplifting, and let him make the final pick -- emphasizing that these are the colors he gets to choose from and, unfortunately, black is not a color he can pick for the wall.

My boys share a room and they like black/dark colors (ages 10 and 6, they started sharing a few years ago). The room is painted apple green (my choice), but they have black wall-mount lamps from Ikea and greyish-navy blue beds -- my oldest picked his lamp, we got a second to match when his brother moved in. The beds were a joint decision where I offered a couple colors (they had just said "blue"). Actually, now that I think about it, my youngest wanted a PINK bed. He was totally into pink when he was 3 and 4 :-) I told him that he could have some pink pillows, which he was happy with. Now he's six and no longer loves pink.

Do you know what style of bed you're looking for? I specifically wanted my kids to be in captains beds because the room they share is tiny. I ended up finding identical style beds on CL, then painting them (one was natural oak, one was white with pink/green accents). But for a while my oldest was in a loft bed, and the younger in a mattress on the floor. I think the loft bed is still in the garage!!! I really liked the loft when we just had our older son; it was a great use of space in the small room, but not as high as a bunk. It's not the easiest bed to make, but we go the fitted bottom sheet/duvet cover route which makes it MUCH easier. Even now, with their captains beds, they still aren't that easy to make because one side of each bed is against the wall.

EDIT -- I just saw MagdalenaLee's mock-up and it doesn't seem too dreary there -- is the room really bright? Evenso, it seems kind of "moody" for a 3 yo. I believe that colors, scents...the general atmosphere...can affect a child.

Speaking as someone who was once a 3 year old boy that would have loved to live in the Batcave, I think you could use elements of the batcave to negotiate away from black paint. One of the the consistent parts of the batcave is that Batman keeps a collection of fairly strange trophies there (a life size green dinosaur replica, a gigantic penny, his previous costumes, relics from the Joker, etc.,). You might ask your son for his trophies and find ways to hang them on the wall or from the ceiling to achieve a look similar to the Batcave without committing to the dark walls needed to make the room look like it is underground.
Just a thought.

Did anyone suggest doing just 1 wall black? - or even a section of a wall? Sorry, but I skipped down to say this. & it need not be paint - it could be fabric....

ahhh, a batcave!! :) maybe find a black popup tent for him to play in in his room?? my kids loved the popup tents when they were young!! the batman shelf is cute!

When we moved into or house, my then 10yr old chose black and white striped wallpaper and black and white checkerboard floor. The room has knee-walls, so really only half the wall was striped, with a white ceiling. People with vertigo couldn't stay in the room for any length of time. Built-in beds were painted black, fabrics were royal blue and black with neon accents (think surf jams from 80's-90's). It was cooool!

You could paint the back of the door black. The only one who would see it would be him, when the door is closed.

Butternut- it's revere pewter. His room is so small with these crazy angles. Your boy's room looks large, and I like the mockup magdalenlaee did, but it is a bit moody for a 3 year old.

I was surprised my ds didn't dig his heels into the navy blue. He's stubborn. And opinionated. I also want to do short orange curtains in his room.

Good luck trying to compromise. I'm sure you guys can come up with something. Love that accent shelf. They have so many posters and art on super hero stuff, I'm sure you'll have no problems!

Love that bookshelf. He might neeeeeed a really cool batman decal or two, and they just would not show up on black paint

https://www.etsy.com/search?q=batman%20decal

Funny, I read the comment about "tell him it will look like a cave" and thought "oh no dont tell him that every 3 YO WANTS a cave"

My 3YO wanted a cave, 13 years ago, he had a raised platform bed so I made a cave out of curtains for the bottom portion. Filled it with a cushy rug, pillows, and he often curled up like a bear cub and napped there. Maybe you could do the same thing with ceiling mount curtain tracks around the bed? When open the draped/pleated fabric would be part of the headboard effect. When he wanted to be in the cave he would close the bed in.

Black ceiling? Or black trim? I think I'd actually like black closet doors....

Although this is a lot of dark paint, the white trim, white headboard, and light flooring help pull it off:

Luxe West Hollywood Residence · More Info

I actually like that mock up that MagdalenaLee did! It does seem sort of mature...but maybe he'd grow into it. Maybe with a little bit less dark grey...I have BM Chelsea gray in my house now. He may buy that as "almost black".

Or a chair rail with the Downpipe on the bottom and white on top?

I could get the lighter colored superhero duvet instead of the navy blue quilt.

I am considering this bed:

Would keep the window treatments light. White wood blinds and maybe a valance, or a light colored roman shade. Will it work?

I'm with MagdalenaLee all the way. Once I looked up the color, I was for it all the way. With Magdalena's mock up I'd say yes, yes, yes!

SImilar to a blue wall/blue bed question here not long ago -- I think children see a color they want and they want to see a lot of it. They may not realize that if you make that bed without the bright pint sheets folded down and have black on the walls, the bedding won't show off like it does in the photos or where he saw it. If he gets scared at night, would a black room create problems at bed time? It's possible to use black, but it may not be all he imagined.

I would look att the downpipe in that room. Get a sample and paint it on a sheet or two of posterboard. If it looks deep grey like the mock up, it might work well. If it looks closer to black, maybe you can suggest a "lighter shade" in the black family. Either way, I would look to bring in some of those bright colors in a rug (maybe a solid bright color), window treatments (use a plain white or black shade but edge it with ribbons of red, black (if white), blue and green) to tie them in with the bedding and shams.

Tell your DH that, worst case, it's a gallon of primer and a gallon or two of paint if you try it and then ave to change it, but if this is what he really, really wants and he surprises you by telling you hes seen black paint for a bedroom (they notice all sorts of things and file them away when you aren't looking), he gets the satisfaction of trying to make his imagined coolest room ever a reality and then enjoy it. Be glad it's just paint. It's easier to change the walls than refinishing the floors black or putting in black carpet -- or even painting the trim black. Then figure out how to do it well -- how to give him daytime and nght time lighting, where to incrporate some more white, where to put colors, etc.

Think you're on the something butternut! Love it all together! Your 3 year old has good taste ;)

Lascatx - I agree! Paint is like hair...can always change it back :)

If I could find a rug in a bright green to pick up the Hulk's color...!!

Just saw your new post -- if the background is navy, that could make a difference -- putting dark navy with dark grey. Again, I would test the color in the room. Since you have the print duvet option, that could make things easier, but I don't really care for the way that have put that together That white with the all over print reminds me of superhero underwear or pjs.

I like the other shams and pillowcase. Might look at a solid color for sheets -- the border and the superhero pillowcase. Get a navy blanket or throw to bring in some more color. se a white or navy window shade and trim the bottoms with ribbon to tie in with the bordered shams.

Part of what he's loving is the super-saturated color and carton super-hero feel. You need to embrace that somehow, somewhere in the room.

Yep -- Best parenting advise ever -- pick you battles. My dad never understood my letting the boys grow their hair longer, but I just told them it had to be neat and clean. They have both since cut it short on their own. T hey both had good grades, were responcible, helped their friends and stayed out of any real trouble. I got the better end of that bargain!

I was going to do just plain white cotton sheets from Costco anyway...I like to be able to wash them in hot and bleach if needed.

PB has these navy bordered roman shades, but not sure of the window measurements yet to know if the standard size would fit...suspect it would look weird with that triple window, but I think this is the idea you had in mind?.

Definitely go with the Black section of the wall, an entirely black room is not a good choice to make!

That's in the category -- I was thinking you could get a white shade and use the iron on fusible tape to apply multiple colors adn really customize it -- like bands of each of the colrs across just the bottom but those looks god and would be easier than doing four matching shades.

ETA: Overstock has some solid green rugs. I found some other green rug options here.

Sounds like you can have some fun withthis project. Imiss doing kids' rooms. :)

my kids hated wooden blinds-- only had them up in their rooms for a relatively short period of time! they preferred any type of shade that could easily be pulled all the way up so they could see out the window or open it... of course, it probably won't matter too much to a 3 yo!! roman shade is a better choice, as long as it is sturdy! :)

What about a compromise? Could you paint his closet black so he could play bat cave in there when he wants? That's what I did for my daughter who wanted a particularly obnoxious shade of pink. I also explained that painting is difficult and that there was a very good chance she would tire of an entirely pink room long before we were ready to paint again. Another rationale that worked with my kids was to say that if their walls were their favorite color, then they couldn't choose objects (lamps, pillows, etc) in their favorite color because they wouldn't show up. That made them warm to the idea of a background color.

I really like what MagdalenaLee put together...and the bed you're considering. I say go for it!

When my son was that age, we elevated his bed and built a hideout with curtains underneath. Or is there a way to hang black curtains to partition off a corner or his bed?

I'm with Yayagal on going with the husband's suggestion. At 3 I remember having no part in picking decor. My parents moved an old record storage in as a cubby box for toys and that was basically it.

I agree to give him a couple of choices of what YOU are comfortable with, mainly since he is only three. Love the idea of a pop up tent, kids love to hide an play in their own cubby hole spaces. Having said that, I let my TEENAGER have his walls black and it turned out really cool. I also let him have the small wall next to his door white and all of his friends signed it with different colored sharpies. It turned into a graffiti wall. I figure why not, I could just primer over it later when we move some day. I'm ALL ABOUT picking your battles. Good Luck with whatever you decide. He is a lucky little boy to have such caring parents and a beautiful room.

TOO FUNNY! I did the same thing 25 plus years ago with my son but I specifically said "any color paint you want" When he chose black I said, "any color but black" He chose a very vibrant turquoise which cast an errie greenish glow down the hallway at night. I went with black curtains and bed and filled one complete wall with a colorful solar system wall mural.
Like others have said. It's fun decorating kids rooms and it can always be repainted.
I love the bed you are considering and think it will work well with your dresser. I'm not too computer savy and could not find the link. Would you be so kind as to post where you found that bed. I think it may work well in my guest room. Thanks

I am apparently the outlier, becaus I would totally go with the Downpipe. It's more charcoal than black, and as long as the furniture isn't black on black, I think it will be fine. And he will probably be fine with it for at least a decade. Give him the choice of black walls or black furniture, not both. It will be fine. A pain to paint, perhaps, but it will look great.

My sons were 12 or 13 when I told them they could choose the color for their bathroom (after we removed floral wallpaper). Since our family does a lot of deer hunting, one said "Blaze orange!" I said "No way". We ended up doing the bathroom in camo - top half of the wall tan, the bottom green, with a camo wallpaper border between the two, camo shower curtain, and antlers instead of a towel bar.

I also vetoed a black bedroom. I am completely in favor of involving children in decisions, but that doesn't mean they can get everything they want.

Look at these rooms ... some are surprisingly airy for having black walls. I'd paint the walls black and make sure to have plenty of white trim and bright colors in the accessories.

http://www.houzz.com/black-walls-in-bedroom

While I like the picture above of Downpipe (drainpipe?), there is no way to know what it will look like in the child's room until it is actually painted. The direction of the windows may make it look much darker. I think there are many decisions appropriate for a child of three to make, but none with ramifications or effects lasting much longer than a single day.

Thanks! My current thought is maybe one wall downpjpe and the other three manor house gray... I think he will be ok with this. We aren't moving in until next month so he has time to change his mind too :)

On my phone since DS spilled water all over my laptop, but whoever asked for where the bed is from it's from room and board. Piper bed with wood panel. It comes in a lot of different colors and woods. Hopefully the link works. http://www.roomandboard.com/m/catalog/kids/beds/piper-wood-panel-bed-in-natural-steel-in-kids

I might get this and call it a hulk rug :)

I like how you're trying to incorporate the color he loves -- accent wall sounds like a reasonable compromise. If the room is really as sunny and bright as it seems in that photo, it seems it could be a nice combo.

When you posted the bed earlier, I didn't realize all the edges of the frame were steel. Just, personally, that seems hazardous for a child's bed since it has so many corners rather than rounded edges. BUT this is my own personal projection because my boys are rowdy, I realize each child is different.

Melle I was thinking the steel would be good cause he'd have a harder time ruining it!!! :)

I think it's practical, for sure, but my kids have had various incidents hitting their beds; I can only imagine how it would have been had the edges been steel.

But you're right, kids do wreck their stuff! We did a good job painting the beds, but I see a few dings on the footboards. I assumed that touch-ups would just be part of the drawback of painted beds.

A definite no to the bed with the steel surround. Imagine him jumping up and down on the bed like kids do and falling on that metal. Oye.

I like this Batman Blueprint:

https://www.jossandmain.com/Oliver-Gal-Artist-Co.-Batman-1992-Framed-Print%2C-Oliver-Gal~ALIV6083~E19437.html

"A definite no to the bed with the steel surround. Imagine him jumping up
and down on the bed like kids do and falling on that metal. Oye.":

There is no difference in the injury rate ... wood is not enough softer than metal.

I've seen children with concussions because they fell off a sled and landed on snow ... it's the sudden stop that does most of the damage, not the material they hit.

I agree- if a kid is jumping on the bed and falls on the square corner of any foot or headboard, he's going to get hurt! thank goodness they're usually pretty resilient and make it through childhood with mostly just bumps and bruises--

Would a rounded corner be less dangerous than a squared corner? One of the things I liked about my boys' beds is there are no sharp corners, I thought they'd be a little safer that way.

Kids can "help" decorate-- that doesn't mean they should get anything they want. There's nothing wrong with saying "NO," even after you said yes, with good reason.

Black paint is hard to cover up and darkens a room too much.

It's your house, you paid for it, and it's your *CHILD.* You pick the paint. Or, pick a few colors YOU like then let the kid "help" decide which of your choices to use.

Any kid should be overjoyed at having ANY say in a house decor, let alone a themed and decorated room. Most of us never got to decorate our rooms with themes or extravagant decor, and that didn't scar us for life. Kids should not always get what they want, and they have to learn "no" is an option for adults at any point. Getting to pick any sort of theme as a 3 year old is more than a luxury.

Metal furniture? No way. That's an injury waiting to happen.

Overrule him? He's. a. CHILD. It's your right as the parent to say no whenever you want. That's perfectly fair. You're the one paying for the house, you're the one painting it, and you're the adult here. If the kid wanted poop designs painted on the wall, would you allow it? No.

There's nothing wrong with saying no. You don't need to tell the kid they don't make black paint. Simply say "no black paint, your options are 1, 2, or 3." And the kid can be glad they got ANY options as a CHILD (yes, CHILD!!!!), let alone at only 3 years old. I'm bolding that because it needs to be highlighted here... after an entire thread debating whether it's wrong to not let a 3 year old child not get to paint a wall a ridiculous color. This is your child, and a child that's only 3 no less-- if you don't want black wall paint, say no, with no explanation necessary. You are the adult. Choose the paint you want, and the kid should be grateful for any say in any of the decor, bedding or whatever else.

If you're 3 years old, you hear "no" A LOT over the course of a day. Therefore, I am of the school to let kids decide on the small stuff --- and in my book, wall paint is small stuff. Oh, and BTW, while my children were quite "indulged" (?) at that age, have have turned into highly accomplished, caring, considerate, and independent adults. (And super thrifty).

So, to Butternut, go with your gut. It's tough enough to handle a 3-year old without having to defend your parental style.

See if he likes this wall color :)

...promised by 3 year old son he could help decorate his new room at the new house.

He chose..

You did leave him make choices. The bedding and theme of the room is helping. If you don't want Downpipe I would be pick the paint you're good with or give him options to pick from. You didn't lie to him, you left him help.

Oh for goodness' sake. It's a can of paint, I'm not letting him run in the street, eat cupcakes for dinner, stay up all night long, get tattoos, or ride his bike without a helmet! I posted because I was unsure how to make it work, and you all helped me to see that maybe it could, especially if I just do one wall in Downpipe.

If his choice was completely untenable, I'd tell him no. But if there is a way to accommodate him, even if it isn't my first choice, why not? It's a can of paint. Besides, it's so fun watching his big brown eyes open so wide with delight when you tell him something he's happy about. He keeps asking to see pictures of the "Avengers' bed" daily. He is so psyched.

Yes, he's a lucky boy to have a say in his room. There will be times in his life when he can't paint the wall the color he likes best, and much much worse. But I refuse to prepare him for that famine by starving him now.

This kid wakes up every morning, often before 5:30 (!), so excited to start his life that day that he can't fall back asleep. I can only wish that feeling lasts as long as it can.

Butternut, if you and DH don't mind all that much about the wall color, and it sounds like you don't, then it really isn't that big a deal. I'm remembering when my daughter was 3. She has always been opinionated about everything and she wanted choices. I would give her two options for outfits (that I found suitable for the occasion and weather) and she got to pick which one.

It's silly for posters to rag on you if indeed a black wall or four is something you are prepared to approve.

Butternut-sometimes I let my 4 year old have cupcakes for dinner -well, I'd love to but common sense prevails ;)

Sounds like you guys are compromising well! Love it when the small things make their eyes light up!

My niece had not only pink...but a hot pink/fuchsia nail polish bedroom! LOL It came that way, when my BIL bought the house, but she really wanted purple trim. He said no, but I kind of wish he'd let her do it. It was a great room! We painted old furniture white and purple (mostly dresser, small bookcase and end table...and my mom helped me paint flowers and butterflies on the furniture. It was SO cute!

She told me the other day (now 15) that she loves going to Goodwill and looking at design magazines...because I took her with me shopping for furniture at Goodwill. I told her that there was nothing we really liked at the big box stores and this way her room would be unique! So, if you're okay with a choice, then let the little guy have some fun :)

I actually let my 4-year old have dessert before dinner while on vacation because she was inconsolable on the first evening, when she had no space left for dessert after the appetizer and main course. Bad Mom!

Nosoccermom- that's called knowing your kid and preventing meltdowns. It's all good! In my world anyways!

agreed, as long as you're willing to repaint as needed/desired, I'd do what ever he and you agree on- doesn't even need to 'work' imo!! just don't balk if he wants a change again soon! they're just easier to redirect at this age:)

that joy for life is such an awesome thing! I loved it when my kids were young and had such eager, bright eyes and were full of that spark!! it faded in each of them as they got into their teen years-- but brightens again as they get even older!