Maybe you have a teen grandchild who comes to stay with you regularly. Perhaps a new marriage has brought a teen stepchild into your home. Maybe you even have your own teenager who has been living in the same room since she was a baby. In any case, you are faced with having to redecorate a room for a teen. You know it's not going to be easy. Fear not. This decorating project does not need to turn into World War III, no matter how independent your teen is.
1
Set a budget for your decorating project before you begin. By having a firm budget, you are less likely to overspend or disappoint your teenager later down the line.
2
Ask your teenager how she wants to decorate her room. Teenagers are learning independence and can be very territorial. Surprising a teenager with a redecorated room is not a good idea, no matter how well you think you know her.
3
Go to a bookstore or library with your teenager and look through the design magazines together so that the two of you can get ideas about what you like. Tell your teenager what the budget is and listen to her opinions. Show her pictures that appeal to you.
4
Compromise with your teenager's aesthetic. If she wants to paint her walls black, and you were imagining peach, meet halfway and go with a shade of blue. Explain your reasons for not wanting to go with her decisions, though. For example, tell her that black walls are very difficult to cover up if she wants to repaint sometime in the future.
5
Involve your teenager in the actual decorating. Have her paint the room with you. It will reduce your workload, potentially save you money on hired help and make her feel like she has control over her own living space.
6
Go shopping for all of the furniture and decorations for your teen's room together. This could save you the trouble of having to return things she hates. If she knows the budget ahead of time, it will also help her learn how to shop to get the most for her money.
7
Allow your teen to hang up her own pictures. Your teen is probably not interested in having a bedroom that looks like it came out of "Better Homes and Gardens." Things like posters and photographs are probably the most important elements of decor in your teenager's mind. You can set rules, such as no pornographic or drug-related imagery, and still allow your teen to have control over her space.
