Update your teen's bedroom inexpensively with paint and fabric.
Updating your teen's bedroom from the themed kiddie room you designed years ago can give her a space that reflects who she is now and what she enjoys without dipping into her college fund or causing you to take on a second job. Set a budget for the bedroom makeover and work with your teen to take advantage of any talents you both have to save money. Turn the bedroom project into a creative way to bond and spend time with your teen, while giving her a bedroom she can truly enjoy.
Instructions
1. Paint the walls a light -- but interesting -- color. Include shapes, designs or special painting techniques, such as a sponging method for a more grown-up and sophisticated finish. Stripes, squiggly lines, circles or other shapes can add interest to one wall. Paint typically provides the biggest impact in a room for the least amount of money. The colors on the walls should complement the overall color scheme or theme you are decorating with to create the mood your teen wants.
2. Update your teen's current furniture with a fresh coat of paint, or let him pick out furniture from secondhand stores or yard sales. Paint all the furniture the same color for a uniform look without spending a small fortune for a brand new bedroom set. Put new knobs on old dressers for a finished look. Reupholster an old chair or ottoman in fabric that complements his color scheme or theme to provide extra seating for his friends.
3. Decorate with clearance fabric or plain in a color or pattern she likes. Use the material to create coordinating curtains, throw pillows and duvet covers. For example, two flat sheets can be sewn together on three sides with snaps or buttons on the fourth side. Slide an old comforter inside and you have brand new bedding. Roll up old towels or T-shirts and sew the same fabric around them for instant throw pillows. Fabric can also be hung against one wall to mimic curtains and add color if you can't paint the walls.
4. Decorate the walls with artwork, pictures, posters or clothing that complement your color scheme and theme. For example, hang his old concert T-shirts on the wall for a music-themed room or sports jerseys for a sports-themed room. Reuse poster frames or picture frames to add new images or hang a clothesline across the room and let him pin his favorite pictures and posters to the line. He can easily update the images by changing them out without adding more expenses or damage to the room.
5. Create storage space in the room to corral her makeup, hair accessories, electronics and other small items that never seem to stop accumulating. Use paint, markers, stickers, papier-mache, tissue paper or scrapbook paper to cover old shoe boxes for instant storage containers that are decorative as well.
6. Accessorize the room with a new lampshade, rug or keepsakes. Install floating shelves if possible to give him a place to display his trophies, keepsakes and awards.
Tags: your teen, color scheme, color scheme theme, scheme theme, flat sheets, pictures posters, teen bedroom