How to involve your teen in redecorating their room
It seems like just yesterday you were decorating the nursery. Now your child is nearly grown and has outgrown the childhood bedroom. It’s time for redecorating. With some creativity and collaboration, this can be a fun and rewarding event for both of you. But before you start throwing things away and your teen begins taping up the posters, have a conversation or two to find a shared vision for the space. Your teen will have strong feelings about the room, but since it’s your home and expense, you still get a say. With good communication, though, you can both feel confident about the results.
First off, share the budget. If your teen knows upfront how much is appropriate to spend on the project, there will be fewer arguments later. This is a great opportunity to teach planning and budgeting, and your teen will be motivated to make the most of every dollar. Discuss the color palate and theme, too. Be open to your teen’s creative ideas while remaining firm on your own vetoes. Suggest colors or shades that complement your home’s existing color scheme and themes that will age well over the next decade of use. Guide your teen through visualizing how these decisions might feel over the coming years.
Now you are ready to make plans for the childhood toys, pictures, and mementos. Decide how much the two of you are willing to donate to charities and how the rest will be stored. Begin the process of making way for the new by first clearing out the old. Don’t forget to evaluate any new furniture needs. Make sure the mattress is long enough for the growing young person and has been recently replaced. Ascertain if more storage furniture will be needed or if space can be more wisely used. Be sure to budget these needs first before other decorations.
At last, it’s time for a big change! Determine the color scheme the room will use and help your teen repaint the walls accordingly. If your teen is torn about the color choice, don’t rush it – paint a large swatch of two different walls in two sample colors (available from your hardware store’s paint department). After living with the paint for a couple of weeks, the choice will become clear. Don’t forget a new area rug. Changing your rug or layering a new decorative floor covering makes a big statement and adds a layer of comfort and character to the room. Those two changes – new paint and new rug – will instantly make the room feel more grown up.
Finally, add a few tasteful decorations. Teens like to purchase and display a lot of knick-knacks, and the room will quickly feel cluttered. To help counter that, encourage your teen to wait after purchasing each new item. Enjoy this special moment, redecorating the teen room with your growing young person. It’s a special time and rite of passage. How did it go in your house? Share your story and pictures with us!
It seems like just yesterday you were decorating the nursery. Now your child is nearly grown and has outgrown the childhood bedroom. It’s time for redecorating. With some creativity and collaboration, this can be a fun and rewarding event for both of you. But before you start throwing things away and your teen begins taping up the posters, have a conversation or two to find a shared vision for the space. Your teen will have strong feelings about the room, but since it’s your home and expense, you still get a say. With good communication, though, you can both feel confident about the results.
First off, share the budget. If your teen knows upfront how much is appropriate to spend on the project, there will be fewer arguments later. This is a great opportunity to teach planning and budgeting, and your teen will be motivated to make the most of every dollar. Discuss the color palate and theme, too. Be open to your teen’s creative ideas while remaining firm on your own vetoes. Suggest colors or shades that complement your home’s existing color scheme and themes that will age well over the next decade of use. Guide your teen through visualizing how these decisions might feel over the coming years.
Now you are ready to make plans for the childhood toys, pictures, and mementos. Decide how much the two of you are willing to donate to charities and how the rest will be stored. Begin the process of making way for the new by first clearing out the old. Don’t forget to evaluate any new furniture needs. Make sure the mattress is long enough for the growing young person and has been recently replaced. Ascertain if more storage furniture will be needed or if space can be more wisely used. Be sure to budget these needs first before other decorations.
At last, it’s time for a big change! Determine the color scheme the room will use and help your teen repaint the walls accordingly. If your teen is torn about the color choice, don’t rush it – paint a large swatch of two different walls in two sample colors (available from your hardware store’s paint department). After living with the paint for a couple of weeks, the choice will become clear. Don’t forget a new area rug. Changing your rug or layering a new decorative floor covering makes a big statement and adds a layer of comfort and character to the room. Those two changes – new paint and new rug – will instantly make the room feel more grown up.
Finally, add a few tasteful decorations. Teens like to purchase and display a lot of knick-knacks, and the room will quickly feel cluttered. To help counter that, encourage your teen to wait after purchasing each new item. Enjoy this special moment, redecorating the teen room with your growing young person. It’s a special time and rite of passage. How did it go in your house? Share your story and pictures with us!
