Teen Bedroom Decorating: Top 5 Quick Tricks
By Kathy Wilson
Decorating a teens room is one of the most sought after pieces of advice from home decorators, but doesn’t have to be as hard as some make it seem. Teens are just looking for a way to express their own sense of style and creativity, and parents are just looking for a way to save a few dollars while doing it! Here are my top five tricks for making your teens happy with their space.
1.Add color. Use color in a teens room with much more abandon than you would in a public area…teens respond to color and pattern. Paint each wall a different color with the most dramatic color directly behind the bed for drama. (They are teens, after all!:)) Don’t forget the ceiling. Remember, warm colors like red and orange energize a space, while cool colors such as clue and purple bring calm. Match your color scheme to your teens needs and personality.
2.Add pattern. Pattern adds energy to a room, and no one thrives off an energetic atmosphere better than a teen! To keep the look from being too busy, try pairing a print with a geometric, and temper the look with a solid. Keep the rooms colors in the patterns to tie them together.
3.Organize. Offer your teen a way to keep the clutter and mess to a minimum, and they will find their space much more enjoyable. Plastic bins or baskets can go a long way to corralling school papers, makeup and jewelry, and knick knacks. Use drawstring bags, hooks attached to the walls or inside closets, or boxes under the bed for hobby items. Make sure they have plenty of hangars so they never have that excuse! If they absolutely cannot find it in their hearts to hang up their own clothes, consider installing a closet system with shelves to place their folded clothes on. Better than the floor!
4.Make the bed a star. The bed is the primary piece of furniture in a teens room, and their usual hang out spot. So make it important in the room. Make throw pillows for it, pick up a couple of yards of fleece in a funky print to make a blanket throw, paint a headboard panel behind it in a contrasting color. Paint the bed frame itself one of the brighter accent colors in the room. For girls, pick up an inexpensive netting canopy, or hang your own fabric from the ceiling with small hooks. In a boys room, remember, less is more. Solid colors, fewer pillows, and a place to set their sodas and snacks will all be appreciated!
5.Allow your teens personality to shine through. Help them find a way to display awards, trophies, or certificates that speak of what is important to them. Don’t judge whether your teens decorating taste is boring, or loud, or tacky…let them experiment with their creativity and have fun with their space!
Kathy Wilson is an author, home decorating columnist for LifetimeTV.com, and editor of The Budget Decorator and other popular websites. For hundreds of free budget decorating ideas, visit her at http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com. Also visit her other websites at http://www.TheGardenGlove.com
