Decorating Teen Rooms on the Cheap!
by Kathy Wilson,
The Budget Decorator
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Decorating a Teen's Room
Teen rooms are different from kids' rooms in that they should be treated more like an adult space, but with a fun flair. Involve your teen and come up with a theme that helps to express who they are. (Not what you want for them!) Be sure to give the theme a name, even if it's something like "Modern Plush in Blue" or "Country Princess."
Let your teen choose their colors, but give them some guidance. Buy a decorating magazine and have them choose a color theme out of the pages, or surf decorating sites on the Internet. That way, they feel they have chosen themselves, but you are assured that you two have chosen a proven color scheme.
Now, use these quick ideas for transforming your teen's room, on the cheap!
- Paint. Perhaps a teen's room is the most important room you could consider painting. Teens are very sensitive to color, and they are much more free with their sense of adventure. Use a bolder color on the wall behind the bed, and you have instant drama and a great focal point! (Teens love instant gratification, and the paint will be one of their favorite parts of the decorating project!) The cost of the paint will be around $12.
- Bedding. The bed is usually the focal point of the room and a favorite hangout spot for teens to read, do their fingernails, and talk on the phone, so it definitely deserves some attention. An easy way to update bedding on a budget is to create covers for the old comforters. You can do this quite easily with two flat sheets the same bedding size as the comforter. Flat sheets are cheap. You can pick up twin size at your local discount store for less than $5! Sew the sheets wrong side together on three side leaving one short side open. Turn right side out, the add Velcro, ribbons, or snaps to the inside of the short end. Insert the old comforter and close. Easy, quick, and cheap! Throw pillows can easily be made out of flat sheets as well. Try using bright, funky colors on the bedding to make a real statement. The cost of four twin sheets for the comforter cover and pillows will be around $20.
- Windows. Light control and privacy can best be met in a teen's rooms with vinyl mini-blinds. They are cheap and easily replaced. If an extra boost of color or softness is desired, add simple curtain panels over the blinds. Keep it simple here. Fussiness is rarely a quality teens are looking for in their rooms. Remember those cheap sheets? These are great for sewing curtains because of their large size. The will be no need to piece panels of fabric together. You also don't need to worry about quality of fabric as much as color. After all, the blinds are really providing the light control. The cost of sheets or blinds will be less than $10.
- Accessories. Punch up a teen's room with some funky details to add drama and style. Pick up some cool (and maybe a little tacky) fringe or beading from the clearance table at the craft store, and glue around the bottom edge of the lampshade, the hems of the curtains, and even onto shelf edging. Save all those free CDs from AOL and the like, and then turn them over to the clean side and glue to the frame of a mirror or cover a closet door. Glue together in an overlapping fashion to make faux frames for all your kid's inevitable posters. Pick up wooden letters from the craft store in their initials. Or create a significant word or phrase. Paint them one of the brighter accent colors of the room and hang over the bed, window, or doorway. Use old sports equipment picked up at a yard sale as curtain rods, hat racks, or magazine holders. Even hung on the wall as an art grouping, sports memorabilia can be meaningful for a sport's buff. All this can be done for less than $15.
- Finally, personality. Inject your child's own special personality into his special place. Hang those ribbons and certificates, frame a few personal photos of family vacations, or find a shelf for those special stuffed animals they aren't quite ready to part with just yet. Use this opportunity to recognize your child's individual gifts, and celebrate them. This doesn't cost a thing. As the commercial goes, memories are priceless.
Kathy Wilson is an author, national columnist, and editor of The Budget Decorator. For hundreds of free ideas and to sign up for her free online newsletter, please visit her at TheBudgetDecorator.com.
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