Ideas for a Bedroom Makeover That a Teen Girl Can Do Herself

Use paint for a do-it-yourself bedroom makeover.

The tastes and interests of a teenage girl tend to change quickly. When your teen wants to redo her bedroom, look for projects that she can do herself. By choosing makeover options that are relatively inexpensive and present minimal risk to the structure of your house, you can give your daughter freedom to decorate without incurring a great deal of cost or damage.

Painting

A new wall color can dramatically change the feel of a room, even if you change nothing else. If your daughter is careful, she can paint her walls in a single day. Help her choose a paint color, and bringing small samples home first to test on the walls. Depending on the original color, you will need to buy enough paint for one or two coats; you will need more if the original color is a great deal darker or bolder than the new color. Your daughter can use painter's tape around the outlets and edges of the room and paint the walls with a roller. If your child is not responsible enough for a full paint job, she can use a second color and a sponge to add texture to her existing wall color.

Updated Window Treatments

If your daughter's room has large windows, updated window treatments can make a big visual difference. Depending on her tastes, your daughter might dye her existing curtains to a new color, add ribbons or beads to the fabric or create new decorative curtain ring loops. If her room has solid shades, she can use paint to make custom designs. For a dramatic, romantic look, she can make valances out of long pieces of sheer material.

Art

Give your teenager the opportunity to express herself with a large piece of custom art. Start with several blank canvases and a variety of paints; your daughter can make individual prints or put the canvases together for a continuous pattern. She might also make a series of prints or experiment with mixed-medium paintings. For an equally dramatic statement, look for large canvas frames and stretch fabric across them; look for remnants or small pieces of designer fabric for a one-of-a-kind piece of art.

Dresser

For an afternoon project, your daughter can add flair to an old dresser. Using photos from magazines, old postcards, fabric, or craft paper, she can make a personalized design for the fronts and sides of the dresser. To make the design, have your daughter brush the front of the paper or fabric with water to make it more pliable and attach to the front of the dresser with a thin sheet of craft glue; use a roller to smooth out bubbles and wrinkles. Finish with a clear coat of spray lacquer.

References

• Good Housekeeping: Easy Bedroom Makeover; Julie Mihaly
• House and Home: DIY Decoupage Dresser