Decorating Ideas for Your Teen's Bedroom

So your kid has grown out of her childhood bedroom. She's sick of seeing pink hippos and purple monkeys on her wallpaper. It's time to wave good-bye to the frilly pink décor and redecorate your teen's bedroom. Before you and your teen start searching for new furniture and other décor items figure out what she wants. Is she looking for a whole new look or does she want only a few changes? Decorating her room can be a fun way for her to express herself and her interests; you can use her hobbies or personal style as a start for figuring out a fun theme for her room. Additionally, think about what colors your teen wants to use in her room. Once you've got an idea of the room's palette, you can best decide on new furniture and other decorations.

For major furniture items, such as your child's bed, desk, bookshelves, and wardrobe, buy on quality, not price. You can save money later on inexpensive bedding and other décor items (this will come in handy later, when your teen gets bored with her current bedding and wants something new). Pottery Barn offers some very pretty (but pricey) furniture items especially for teens at pbteen.com. Crate and Barrel has a funky and slightly less expensive line that you can look at on the website, cb2.com. Ikea and Target both offer very inexpensive and stylish furniture options, but quality isn't as nice.

Now that you and your teen have decided on the large items, you can now look to the more enjoyable part: decorating! A fresh coat of paint in a new color is a great and inexpensive way to change the look of your teen's room. Remember that paint looks much darker and more vivid on her wall than on a small paint sample. Designers suggest that you purchase a color two to three shades lighter than your favorite paint chip color. Or, you can buy small containers of a few shades and then paint a medium patch on a wall and see what you and your teen like best.

When deciding on bedding and other decorative items for your teen's room, remember that you have a plethora of options. This is your teen's opportunity to express her style and personality. You can purchase all kinds of fun items like novelty lamps, beanbag chairs, decorative storage, kitschy desk supplies, and picture frames.

For classic-looking bedding and other traditional décor you can go to Bed, Bath, and Beyond. If your teen likes pretty and funky décor, check out Delias.com. Delia's has bedding, décor, and window treatments in pretty colors and kitschy patterns (think funky Victorian and Baroque, as well is brightly-colored florals). Pottery Barn Teen has some gorgeous bedding options as well as wall decorations, storage items, room dividers, and other pretty décor options, but as I mentioned before, it's expensive. Target offers all kinds of fun stuff as well, but is a much cheaper option for teen room décor. Isaac Mizrahi has created a few bed sets in bright pinks, and you can find every kind of beanbag you can possibly think of. Wakeupfrankie.com has wild and funky patterns with themes such as Bollywood, Cherrylicious, Geisha Girl, and Goth Glam. For a more urban and vintage look, you can look at Urban Outfitters for its wild bedding, pillows, side tables and wall décor.

You also have all kinds of options for wall decorations. Art.com offers every kind of poster imaginable, and if you want your teen's posters to last a little longer, you can also have them framed through this website. Hang personal photos in funky frames for a personalized look that captures your teen's special memories. A new and fun wall décor option is wall decals. Wall decals, adhesive vinyl wall decorations, can be stuck onto your teen's wall, and are easily removable. You can find them in all kinds of styles and images at Urban Outfitters, modernwallgraphics.com, and allposters.com.

In then end, make sure that you and your teen have fun decorating her room! Give her a little freedom as she decides on the theme, colors, and other décor. Happy decorating!