Teenage Room Makeover

Published November 17, 2012

Fabric is wonderful for making dramatic statements in a room

There comes a time when your little girl is no longer little and would like to surround herself with everything that is “cool” and “hip” in the teenage world. Gone are the teddy bears, yellow paint and cartoon characters only to be replaced with posters of Justine Beiber and Robert Pattison.  If this sounds familiar to you then you may be ready for some ideas on how to transform your “tween” or teen’s room into a space where she would be happy to entertain her friends.

The most important thing here is to let HER choose the paint colour…. within reason of course. Depending on your tolerance level there are some colours (like black) that may never see the inside of your home. By allowing her to choose the paint colour this allows the both of you to work together on all the other elements like bedding, pillows and lighting. There should always be compromise.

This teenage room was all about the blues. Not the music kind but all the wonderful shades of blue that can work so beautifully together if a plan is in place. Blue doesn’t have to be a cold and sterile colour for a bedroom. It can transform itself into a calm and serene environment with a lot of “cool” factor.

For this room the yellow walls were replaced with a very, soft blue pastel shade that was mixed using Benjamin Moore’s Pastel Base paint. Your local paint store is able to match any paint colour you wish. Just ask them ahead of time and be sure to let them know what finish you would prefer. For bedrooms it is often recommended to use a washable, eggshell paint.

Rather than painting all four walls in the room it’s nice to add some drama by wallpapering one or two instead. Behind the bed is always a popular area, as it tends to provide a nice backdrop for the headboard and side tables. Wallpaper by “Design By Colour” in blue adds a bit of fun and modernism to the room. Top it off with two IKEA “Fillsta” table lamps and a matching “Fillsta” ceiling light and you have yourself a contemporary and funky space.

A simple washable, ivory duvet cover can be jazzed up with colourful and bold pillows. Joanne Fabric’s “Nassau, Osprey” is a great example of a vibrant patterned fabric that adds a bold statement to this bed. A white, feathery pillow finishes the look.

For the window the same Joanne fabric was used for the bench cushion and roman blind. Complemented with an ivory shag rug the room is complete.

The last task is to convince your teen to keep the room clean and continue the “minimal” look. Good luck with this one.