Another color parents shun is black. Nobody wants their kid living in a dark, morose room. However, a black wall can actually serve well as the backdrop for bold artwork and other colorful pieces - like the planets we see here.
While this is not perfect for a 38 year old woman, it's a great spot for a kid to do homework, and I couldn't bring myself to take it out of the ideabook.
You do want to keep the area streamlined and functional. The wall here is totally funky but the organization of the desk and bookcase make it a place where work can still be done.