My Friends 
Design Blogs
- Always Mod
- Apartment Therapy
- Bloesem
- Bossy Color
- Damned Good Design
- Decor8
- Design Milk
- Design*Sponge
- Finkbuilt
- growers and nomads
- Housewears
- Hue
- Le Petit Cabinet de Curiosités
- Mocoloco
- Pan-Dan
- Patricia Gray
- Pigtown Design
- Print & Pattern
- Remodelista
- sfgirlbybay
- Sippican Cottage
- SoHaute
- Sweet Paul
- Tchochkes
- The Kitchen Designer
- The Style Files
Destinations
Detroit
Laughter
Archives 
- March 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
3 Golden Rules for Decorating Bedrooms for Teens & Tweens
I’m on vacation here at Sunset Beach, NC. Yay! But I’m still thinking about bedrooms – especially bedrooms for teens and tweens. I’ve written about the subject before and thought this would be a good opportunity to focus on my interior design rules for teen bedrooms.
Rule #1: Your color scheme and sense of style should end at a teenager’s bedroom door.
Teenagers are busy finding themselves – a very important thing that is too often overlooked. They often express their ever-changing sense of who they are through decoration. One day, they’re in love with the Jonas Brothers and their images cover the walls. Just as you’re learning the difference between Kevin and Joe, your daughter is rolling your eyes at you. The Jonas Brothers are so last week! Taylor Swift has taken over.
The image, above, is a good example. It looks terrific. But what will you do when your daughter decided she hates lilac next year?
If you’re a house-proud parent (and who isn’t), the best thing to do is sit on your hands, grin and bear it. Let your teens’ imaginations and identity searching run wild in the bedroom decor and, most likely, they won’t be running wild in the street. (At least I hope not!)
Rule #2: Set some ground rules and create a budget together.
When I was a teen I repainted my bedroom five times. To keep yourself from going mental and broke, set some ground rules before the arguing starts. Are black walls out or in? Can they paint the furniture? Try to think of things they can’t do, but also things they can. Write up a list together. If there’s something that’s not on the list, have them ask before they paint.
It’s a good idea, depending on the age of your teen, to give them a budget and let them do the shopping. A lesson in budgeting and planning for future change is always in style. Goodwill, Craig’s List and Freecycle are great places to find furniture and accessories at rock bottom prices. Challenge your teens to think outside the Pottery Barn box.
Rule#3: Place color on things that can be changed out easily.
Painting the walls a new color is really inexpensive – as long as he’s doing the work himself. However, new furniture every other week is probably out. Remind your kids that they might not want blood red walls next year (you know they’ll roll their eyes at your total stupidity and develop amnesia next year).
Put the color and the trends on the walls and the accessories. They’re less expensive to change.
Jennifer’s Tips
- Let your teen decorate their own environment
- Set ground rules
- Create a budget – add a little extra for each year
- Use walls and accessories for trends
- Shop thrift shops for cool stuff and things that can be painted.
- If you think your teen as gone a too wild, just close the door when company comes snooping.
Need some more ideas? Here are some of my previous posts on the topic.
images: PBTeen, Momoy, Top Home Pic
Rule #3 Exp
This or That: Cribs
Mother’s Day is this Sunday. Which crib best reflects your baby’s (or future baby’s) personality?
The customizable crib on the left is the AJ Crib by ducduc (about $1,400 at Dimples Baby). Seth sleeps here. He’s been redeeming Diet Coke cans to buy you a Chevy Volt. The car hasn’t been released, so he still has time to save.
The Natart Paris Crib ($709 from The Pepper Kids) has French flair. Little Fifi has been selling handmade onesies on eBay since birth to buy you a vintage Citroen ID19.
Which baby is yours?
Pippi Stool
This gets my vote as the cutest child’s stool ever. Context’s Pippi stool retails for $75 and you can buy it here. Or…
you can buy it from my friend, Joe over at Mezzanine. I was admiring some of Context’s other furniture at his shop last weekend. They remind me of jigsaw puzzles.
Wall Candy: Tasty Savings
Allison, from Wall Candy, got in touch with me today to let me know that she’s offering all Design Hole readers a discount for 20% off all merchandise. Just enter the code, BLOGSUPPORT20 at checkout.
These stickers are a great way to decorate a room quickly – especially a teenager’s room, where one’s style vision can change weekly. These Paul Frank stickers are a particular favorite of mine.
Wall Candy stickers are super easy to apply. You peel off the back and slap it on, if you don’t like what you did, you take it off and do it again. They don’t damage your paint or any surface and you can keep throwing them up and taking them down.
Groovy.
Janus et Cie: Agatha
This is just about the cutest set of children’s table and chairs. Janus et Cie created this series of Agatha Side Chairs as part of their wide range of outdoor and contract furniture.
Kids deserve a little fun, don’t they? Whether you’re designing for a school, a day care, or a health care facility, a child’s life is improved when someone makes the extra effort for them. No one appreciates something that’s special like a child.
Unfortunately, they’re not sold in retail stores -but only to the trade. Hey, you can always shoot me an email for prices, etc.,on this line.
My point is to get those creative ideas flowing. Skip the Disney characters and create your own vision.
Chair of the Day: Viva
Speaking of Thanksgiving (see earlier post), when the whole family gets together you need a place to park the kids. Something like Viva, designed by Tine Mouritsen, could be just the thing.
This looks like fun. I like the philosophy that children should have basic things to play with. Like tunnels, blocks, and other such nondescript things. Children get a chance to actually use their imaginations to turn those blocks and a tunnel with a door into a submarine, or a time tunnel.
It also looks like a great place to take an after-Thanksgiving dinner nap.
Amenity for the Nursery
These are just about the cutest things I’ve seen for a baby’s room. I’m not a fan of licensed cartoon character theme rooms. Decorating with pillows and blankets like these are a great way to make a room unique as well as stylish.
These are from the Wetlands Collection from Amenity. Cute! You’ll find them over at Design Public.
I found these at
Dwell Home On Sale
Fortunately, my Internet issues were rapidly resolved and I’m back. I know I’m repeating myself (see post from yesterday), but I’m in love with Undrgrnd. Every day a new home decor sale item(s) up for grabs! Today, they’re featuring a bunch of things from Dwell Studio.
This includes pillows and coverlets for grown-up beds, as well as bedding for the little ones. This set is selling for $192.50 – 50% off.
Will someone please tell me why this concept of one thing per day is so appealing? Is it just me? It’s like anticipating a blind date. “Will he be cute or a drip?” If you really like this concept (and also like geek-related items) check out Woot.
Dorm Room Idea: Near Eastern Studies
I have fond memories of decorating my dorms rooms through my four years spent at Goucher College. I had my own room, so no pesky roommates interfering with my vision. The years go by too quickly because my nephew is off to Virginia Tech in a few weeks. He won’t let me near his dorm room. (Can’t figure out why. I thought he’d love the purple unicorn bedspread I sent over). So, I thought I’d use my dorm room design strategies here instead.
I’m starting with a Near Eastern scheme because all things Indian and Turkish are very much on my mind lately.
But first, let’s start with a nice background to inspire us. I’m loving this wallcovering from Graham & Brown. Frames ($40 per double roll) lets you release your inner Creative. Fill the frames with photos from India, Morocco, and Turkey, Include some of your friends and your own travels. Write your hopes and dreams, or get really creative and draw your own pictures.
Yes, I know most dorms won’t allow wall covering on the walls. BUT, you could attach strips from dowels hung from the ceiling. Weight the bottoms with another dowel. You can take your panels with you when you move rooms next year.
Most dorm rooms have a tile floor that’s easy to clean. But I rug is so much better for social occasions. I chose this fabulous Souk Chic area rug from FLOR. It comes in three colorways – this is my favorite. It’s $149 for a six-tile rug.
You’ll need some lighting to. I’d like to suggest the Volant table lamp ($94) (pictured above) from Lighting Universe.
For curtains I chose colorful and exotic panels made from Saris (above). They sell for $100 at Indian Selections. This site has a lot of sari curtains to choose from – some for only $50 a set.
Finally, you’re going to need some toss pillows for your study nights at the Casbah. I found these Thomas Paul wonders ($49 – $98 each) at 2Modern.
Do you have a dorm room dream of your own? Share it with us. Or, give me a head start and I’ll come up with a few ideas.
Mary-Kate’s New Room
Mary-Kate is the 9 year-old daughter of a Sarah, a good friend of mine. This sophisticated fourth-grader was ready for a change to her personal space. She’s a girl after my own heart because she has always understood the importance of decorating a room that’s uniquely one’s own. By that I mean, no theme rooms covered in Disney characters.
Mary-Kate’s Room “Before”
Her before look was terrific – a Lilly Pulitzer style that was bright and cheerful. But Mary-Kate’s mom sells marked-down Lilly at an online shop. So she sees it everyday and got bored; she wanted something that set her apart. And let’s face it, when it comes to kids defining who they are it’s (a) very important to them, and (b) changes often, and (c) is best defined by the space they inhabit.
This means that parents should be prepared for change within reasonable limits. Start with basic furniture that can carry off different looks. Look for bargains and shop carefully for things you know won’t be around forever. Finally, take a tip from Mary-Kate’s Mom. Once your child has really outgrown something, try selling it on Craig’s List. (I’ve had success with this, too).
Mary-Kate’s room: “after”
Mary-Kate designed the room’s basic look by herself. “I wanted a more modern look,” she said. “So I picked out black and green for the colors.” She chose a bright green paint for the walls – Chopped Chive, from Ace Hardware.
Sarah sold her old furniture on Craig’s list and bought a more contemporary daybed from West Elm. It’s covered in a polka dot duvet cover from PB Teen. The toss pillows, floor lamp and art hanging to the right of the bed are all from Target. The area rug is from Lowe’s – what a fantastic find. Sarah is a woman who knows where to find a bargain. She amazes me.
Sarah’s best trick is the art hanging to the left of the bed. She took a white frame she already had and used gift wrap for the artwork. (Sarah, you need to start your own blog. Call it Design on a Penny!)
The Parson’s desk is another find from West Elm. White is a good choice for a girl growing into her teenage years. It’s a good basic that will take her through high school. The shelves and desk chair are from IKEA.
Now for the best part – the window treatment. Sarah has a fantastic seamstress who made up this Roman shade with Mary-Kate’s monogram in the valance. I think that’s such a great idea. Matching pillows tie the look together. The fabric and ribbon are JoAnn Fabrics. They were very inexpensive and you don’t need a lot of yardage with this type of shade. I love that monogram.
Mary-Kate, you did a great job on your first decorating job. I love the color choices and the way all the patterns work together. I can’t wait to see your next project.
Design Dilemma: Bedroom for a pre-teen
Today’s design dilemma involves redecorating a room for Becky, a 10-year old girl moving out of childhood and towards her teen years. She needs a look at matches her personality. Becky likes music and sports and is a great student. Her mom, Sandra, says, “I want her to have a bedroom that has her things. She is both a little girl and a “hip chick.”
Design concerns
Sandra told me that a big problem with the room is the lack of light. Becky’s room lost a window after some remodeling and the room is dark.
“I can’t stand the minty teal color,” says Sandra. “Becky’s first choice of color would be hot pink! I’ve had her bed in every possible spot and we re-arrange constantly. I can’t wait to get rid of the rug.”
Starting with a focal point
Becky loves Lilly Pulitzer. Fortunately, Lilly patterns are available in fabric by the yard. This was my starting point. The room needed a focal point. The bed is the obvious solution, but it was stuck in the corner. So I moved it in front of the window and added a Lilly Fabric curtain to frame both the window and the bed, thus creating a central focus to the room.
Color and Light
Currently, the room has no depth because the walls and carpet are the same hue with the shade (or value). It makes the room look flat, and darker than it really is. Contrast and a lighter tint of paint will make the most of the daylight. Another problem is the plantation shutter. It looks great, but cuts the daylight in half.
The solution is to paint the walls a light hue to reflect as much light as possible. I chose Benjamin Moore’s I Love You Pink. Paint the ceiling the same color. The trim could be painted green to match the fabric, or a darker pink, such as Benjamin Moore’s Hot Lips. Beware! My number one rule is to choose the paint last. Sandra will need to adjust the exact color after she chooses fabrics and sheets.
Even though there’s a ceiling fixture, Sandra says we still need more lighting. I placed table lamps by the bed and on the dresser. I removed the shutter and added a fabric roller shade for sleeping and privacy.
But we need some light and drama. A small chandelier is just the thing. I’ve hung it over the desk/dressing table. It’s the perfect thing for applying makeup.
Eliminating clutter
Becky’s room is a clutter factory – a typical teen problem. This room needs more storage with furnishings that work together. Currently, the separate pieces give the room a chopped-up look. I pulled it all together by adding two tall shelving units on either side of the desk. It frames the desk, with the chandelier, and the adjustable shelves take the clutter off the floor. These can work throughout Becky’s school years as her style changes. I removed the toy chest. She’s too old for that. I love the pink furry chair. It has a lot of personality. Next, I added a new bedside table that’s not skirted. Again, this diminishes the cluttered look.
Pulling the look together
I started with the Lilly Pulitzer fabric. Two choices are shown here, but there are lots of options. To pull the entire look together we need patterns that work with the Lilly and add texture and fun. I chose pink dots and stripes for the bed and a zebra-stripe rug for the floor.
Final thoughts
Sandra is a woman who loves to decorate. And she likes things to go together. So do I! A home looks best when the rooms work together. However, an exception sometimes needs to be made when it comes to teens. They’re rooms are their own planets – completely separate from the rest of the universe. They need that space to help them discover who they are. Sandra sounds like a mom who understands the concept of creating a beautiful room that still reflects her daughter’s personality.
For more thoughts on this subject, see my post on teen rooms. And don’t forget to weigh in with your thoughts and ideas!
Resources: Lilly Pulitzer fabric, PB Teen
Cube 6 by Naho Matsuno
This was an imaginative design from Japanese designer, Naho Matsuno.
Cube 6 is a puzzle of stools that fit together to form a cube. An aptly named product.
Matsuno said her inspiration came from the need to design furniture for schools where space is limited.
Here she is demonstrating her design for us. She showed her work at the Satellite pavilion.
The cube is made of maple. the craftsmanship was perfect. Very nicely done.