How to Make a Teen Girl's Bedroom Unique

You can dress up a plain mirror to fit the theme of your daughter's room.

The teen years represent a time when your daughter begins to understand who she is becoming, what her tastes are and how she would like to see the next several years of her life play out. She is learning what makes her unique in this world. The decorative items in her room start to reflect the world from her point of view, and you can help her to create a room that is uniquely hers.

Instructions

1. Think about her hobbies and interests, or pick a theme. If your teen has started to show interest in some hobbies or gravitates toward a certain decorative theme, this can be the springboard to some decorating ideas for furniture and for colors. For example, many hobbies like manga collecting or themes like Gothic-inspired decorating have associated colors.

2. Incorporate some standard pieces like mirrors or dressers. For example, if your teen wants a beach theme in her room, dress a mirror by gluing seashells onto the frame of the mirror, or find drawer pulls shaped like seashells.

3. Shop at yard sales and second-hand shops. Chances are very good that you'll find some unique pieces such as antique steamer trunks with the old travel stickers still on them, a set of '60s-style beads to hang in a door frame, a collection of old Mickey Mouse art or sculptures made from found materials for your budding artist.

4. Work with vibrant colors. For example, make a focal wall by painting the bed wall a bright color like Chinese red, jade green or midnight blue. Hang photos with silver, black or yellow frames on that wall. Paint quotes or stencils on the wall using metallic paint. Paint is one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways you can create something unique; it's also easy to change if your teen changes her tastes or when she eventually moves out on her own.

5. Introduce interesting patterns. Funky patterns like zebra stripes, leopard spots, flowers, paisleys and other patterns add visual interest to your teen's space. You can mix the patterns if you choose items like bedding, throw pillows, rugs or curtains that feature one or two colors that are also found in the patterns. The common color functions as a visual tie between the various patterns.

References

• Creative Homemaking: Decorating with Pattern; Nikki Willhite
• Country Living: Decorating with Patterns; Alexa Yablonski
• Creative Homemaking: Teen Bedroom Decorating: Top 5 Quick Tricks; Kathy Wilson
• Creative Homemaking: Room to RIP for Your Gothic Teen; Fran Sloan
• Creative Homemaking: Decorating a Bedroom with Cheap Teenage Furniture; Jessica Ackerman
• Creative Homemaking: Teen Bedroom Makeover; Lisa Herbik

Resources

• Decorator's Secrets: Teenage Bedroom Makeover
• Home Decorating Room by Room: Decorating with Brown