Teen Decorating

How to Help a Teenager Decorate Their Bedroom.

© Kristin Abraham

Jul 12, 2006
Some tips for helping you and your teen decorate their bedroom in a style they'll love.

When I was about 14 or 15 my parents, probably just my mom, decided we could redecorate my room. I was so excited. I had a Raggedy Ann room and one wall was wallpapered in accent paper, which featured HUGE Raggedy Anns, Andys and a panda bear for some strange reason. The white parts of the panda bear seemed to glow in the dark so his huge white eyes with the smaller black centers could be very creepy to a child. Although I had stopped being afraid of the wallpaper after a decade of living with it, I still held a little hostility toward the wall.

But being a teen, my ideas for the room may have actually scared my parents. I wanted to paint everything black. I had white shag carpet and white little girl furniture and white lace curtains and a matching comforter. I thought black walls would look good with all the white, sort of a counter balance effect. Of course no parent was going to go for black walls, especially in the early 80's when they were worried that the music I listened to might make me suicidal or a mass murderer. So we compromised. We wallpapered the bottom half of the room in pink and baby blue stripes with little hearts and painted the top half, you guessed it, white. Ok, not much of a compromise. I did get red curtains and a red velvet comforter so I did get to let a little bit of rebel shine through but I still hated the room. I was just not a pink and baby blue heart and ruffle sort of girl.

My point is that when you're decorating a teen's room remember that it's their room. I realize that it's your house and I'm sure I would also veto the black walls but this is a room you want your teen comfortable in. You want them to feel like they have a place that is theirs and that they enjoy being in rather than trying to escape. And most important, you want your teen to feel understood and respected. Letting them have control over their little corner of the home goes a long way toward making them feel like you respect their decisions. And by working together on the room you're creating a bond and hopefully some good memories.

Now, if there had been as many design shows and magazines available when I was younger then I might not have jumped into the black. I may have wanted red walls. Which may sound equally horrible, but one accent wall can really be attractive. And this is what decorating with a teen is all about, compromise. They want black, how about gray, how about doing several different shades of gray in overlapping boxes (see photo). Then how about some wrought iron accessories. But let your child choose what pieces they like and let them help as much as possible.

Now that we've covered color schemes and the general theme of your teen's room let's take just a moment to talk about their mess. When your teen was younger he or she had a ton of toys but you most likely encouraged them to spread out and play all over the house. As teens they're still collecting toys and clothes and books and video games...need I go on? But you probably don't encourage them to spread out all over the house and they most likely don't want to. So give them storage!

Teens need a lot of storage space and let's face it, until they get it, their rooms are going to be messy. They just don't have room for all of their stuff.

Working with your teen to design a room that's comfortable for them can either be a dreaded task that no one is happy with or it can become a bonding moment that will give you and your child a happy memory that will last a lifetime.

For more information on Teen and Child Interior Decorating please see Teen Decorating Ideas, Tips on Teen Decorating or Teen Bedroom Decorating Ideas.


The copyright of the article Teen Decorating in Interior Decorating is owned by Kristin Abraham. Permission to republish Teen Decorating in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.




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Comments
Dec 7, 2008 5:15 PM
Guest :
THIS RARELY HELPED ME
Jan 4, 2009 10:36 AM
Guest :
I was looking for ideas. Since I am a teen. This didn't help me at all.
Jan 10, 2009 12:14 PM
Guest :
thanks for telling parents to listen to their kids ideas, but your not GIVING the kids any ideas... this didn;t help at all.
Jan 10, 2009 12:15 PM
Guest :
thanks for telling parents to listen to their kids ideas, but your not GIVING the kids any ideas... this didn;t help at all.
Jan 10, 2009 6:34 PM
Guest :
Yeahh.
Seriously, this didn't help me at all.
And I am 16 years old.
My grandmother has one red accented wall.
So why would I want one too, just like old people.
I'd rather have the lame baby blue and pinkl.
=/
Jan 11, 2009 11:51 AM
Guest :
i kind of knw what you are tryin to say but its not helpin to redecorate it's just telling an old story
Jan 18, 2009 7:50 AM
Guest :
it was a waste of my time reading this
Jan 18, 2009 3:46 PM
Guest :
I'm a teen looking for ideas to redo my room. This was just telling parents to let their kids come up with their own ideas for their room. It didn't really help
Jan 19, 2009 9:38 AM
Guest :
uhm, I'm 16, this made me laugh, esp at the part: 'But being a teen, my ideas for the room may have actually scared my parents. I wanted to paint everything black...Of course no parent was going to go for black walls,....they were worried that the music I listened to might make me suicidal or a mass murderer.' thats is me and my parents to a tee.
Your not giving many ideas for us teens. your helping the adults understand their children, which is good, but maybe you shouldn't name it, 'Teen Decorating
How to Help a Teenager Decorate Their Bedroom.
' and then the description, 'Some tips for helping you and your teen decorate their bedroom in a style they'll love.'

Thanks anyway.
Jan 28, 2009 10:24 AM
Guest :
this didnt help me what-so-ever.
i was looking for ideas, and this didnt give me any.
Thanks for the waste of time.
Mar 7, 2009 1:47 AM
Guest :
I agree with everything everyone else said. How am I supposed to decorate my room when all the websites are for parents???? IT'S NOT THEIR ROOM!!!!!
Mar 30, 2009 1:23 PM
Guest :
This was a waste of my time. not good ideas. bland. thanks a lot. u just wasted a total of 10 minutes of my time
Apr 5, 2009 9:51 AM
Guest :
nice try but yea i'm only 14 and i thought this was a waste! but i mean you did try the story is so me tho... i mean my parents don't give me time to change my room so i try with just normal paint like polka dots and it looked like shit! sometimes parents should just give us money and let us do what we want!!!
Apr 12, 2009 1:00 PM
Guest :
wow i agree but im not being bitchy like every1 else.
May 9, 2009 2:24 PM
Guest :
this SUCKED!
Jun 12, 2009 4:27 PM
Guest :
I cant paint my walls because i live in a apartment i wish this was more helpful, please post ideas? thanks.
Jun 13, 2009 5:51 AM
Kristin Abraham :
To add color when you can't paint the walls - try these articles

http://interiordecorating.suite101.com/article.cfm/add_color_without_pain t

http://interiordecorating.suite101.com/article.cfm/painting_alternatives

http://interiordecorating.suite101.com/article.cfm/first_apartment_diy_d ecorating_projects

http://interiordecorating.suite101.com/article.cfm/first_apartment_decor ating

BUT my favorite tip is to buy a large canvas or a collection of canvasses and paint them and then hang them on the wall. You can paint them a single color or paint different canvasses varying shades or spend the time to create your own artwork.

Kristin
Jun 17, 2009 9:50 PM
Guest :
i as a teen also enjoy black.. my parents however are not so into it. so i am repainting my furniture black and doing a black ceiling, with gray walls and red and black circles.. not polka dots cuz thats not me... i dont really get the point of this article but thats how i compromised with my parents
Jun 17, 2009 9:51 PM
Guest :
i as a teen also enjoy black.. my parents however are not so into it. so i am repainting my furniture black and doing a black ceiling, with gray walls and red and black circles.. not polka dots cuz thats not me... i dont really get the point of this article but thats how i compromised with my parents
Jun 26, 2009 5:26 AM
Guest :
this artical is ok but its long and has no ideas so i think that it didnt help me at all it was a thumbs down
Jul 1, 2009 10:24 PM
Guest :
If you all thought is was a waste of time, why are you wasting even more of your precious time commenting about it? Stop whining and start searching for other pages.
Jul 7, 2009 9:15 AM
Guest :
I am a parent and this article helped me. It helped me realize that I need to allow my teenager to express her style. She wants bright bold colors in her room (and black) with a contemporary decor- not my style, but it is her style. I need to try to put myself in her shoes and allow her to be herself! Thank you for your input (and your thought perspective from when you were a teen!). Sometimes it is difficult for parents to think in the teenager mindset.
Jul 22, 2009 10:30 AM
Guest :
I love black and i understand that my parents need to let me go on and do my own thing (with guidelines) but this doesnt help the fact that i need help!!
Aug 6, 2009 12:43 PM
Guest :
this is only a story from childhood. i need tips. everyone these days are busy so actually name it right so people dont waste time.
Aug 22, 2009 1:32 AM
Guest :
that did so-oo NOT help, god thumbs down 4 sure
25 Comments