How to Decorate a Teenager's Room

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

Rate: (3 Ratings)

That choo-choo train theme in your son's room might have been cute when he was a toddler, but if his voice has started to change, chances are he's ready for a new look. This is actually good news--one fun way to bond with your teen is to make a project updating his decor. The key is to work together to find a look that reflects your child's growing sense of self. Read on to learn more.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step1

Talk to your teen to get an idea of what she doesn't like about her current decor--and ideas she might have for updating her room's look. She might want something similar to what a friend has, or might have a theme in mind.

Step2

Flip through teen-focused catalogs like PBTeen, Pier 1 Kids and BombayKids. See what appeals to your child--often these catalogs decorate according to a specific theme or color pattern. Take a trip to Target or Bed Bath & Beyond for additional ideas.

Step3

Choose a color palettte and a theme to work from. It's better to find a rug or bedding first and then select your wall color, so you can count on an exact match.

Step4

Paint the room together, or let your teen and some friends do the project under your supervision. While you could hire a professional painter to do this task, getting your child to do the work gives him a greater sense of pride in his new room.

Step5

Buy furniture your teen needs to do her homework and organize her things with, like a desk, shelves and storage items. You might want to update existing furniture like the bed and dresser to match the new pieces--either by repainting or refinishing, or replacing them if they are not in good shape.

Step6

Accessorize with bulletin boards, French memo boards, photo frames, posters, throw pillows, lamps, throw rugs and any other pieces that appeal to you and your teen.

Tips & Warnings

Part of being a parent is choosing your battles, and teen room decor is one battle that it's usually better to let the kid win. Unless she wants to paint her walls black or decorate with obscene photographs, your best bet is to let her get the silly pink rug that you think is hideous. Save your arguing for that too-tight mini skirt or her curfew, and keep the decor project fun.
Give your teen opportunity to earn money to outfit his room, if money is the source of arguments about the decor. Help him find a part-time job so that he can choose from an upscale catalog rather than a discount store. Then he'll have more ownership over that expensive lamp than if you'd just given it to him.