My oldest daughter is turning 13 years old in a couple of weeks. Guess what she wants for her birthday? A more grown-up bedroom. What? She says she's tired of "childish" colors. And she's just not feeling the "vintage" look anymore. Sigh.
My Daughter's Room Before Makeover
Ok. I'm tired of it anyway. And, of course, she's asking me to decorate for her, so you know I can't refuse! For a whole room redesign, there is nothing better than creating an Inspiration Board to help visualize a whole new look for the space. Here's the one I put together for her:
Design Inspiration Board for 13-year-old Girl
Benjamin Moore's Gray Owl will be painted on all the walls but one, as well as on the ceiling. The window wall, all the trim, and the entry door will be Benjamin Moore's Hawthorne Yellow. Yes, you heard me. I'm doing an accent walI, haha! Here's my reasoning for it: this room is dark, with the only natural light coming from that small window at the end of the tunnel of a room. The yellow on both that wall and trim will brighten up the room better than any other color there is. It will actually magnify whatever feeble light comes through that window. I once painted an office with bright yellow trim, and the windows positively glowed during the daylight hours!
Shannon Moore design via Houzz.com
I just ordered the modern light fixture from Lamps Plus on sale for $69 – sweet!!! The bedding and lamp shade are from Target, and I am looking for aqua accessories to pull it all together. The hot pink beds are going Benjamin Moore's White Dove, and I'm painting her green lamp either White Dove or Hawthorne Yellow. My daughter was having a hard time envisioning the design, but she got so psyched when she saw the Design Board! Painting started today, and it should be pulled together by her birthday. What do you think?
Love it, gray owl is a lovely color and paired with the yellow it will look fabulous! There is a similar light fixture at Lowes for $39 in case someone wants that light only a bit cheaper. Can't wait to see it all come together!
Thanks for the tip about the light fixture – I obviously didn’t see that one!
That's so fun! We did the same thing for our daughter's 16th birthday and it was something I think she'll always remember. We kept her out of there in the couple of weeks leading up to the big reveal, which was a bit of a pain (for her and for her little sister, who she slept with), but it was worth it when she walked in and saw the huge change. We let her have her friends over for a sleepover that night and they escorted her up to her room and told her when to open her eyes. It was also good for us to have a definite deadline. It kept us hopping–although we were hanging pictures literally as the doorbell was ringing announcing the arrival of the first guests!
I was wondering how people make those cool design boards? Is there a website? A program?
I love the ideas you've put together. It looks young, but not little girl young. It looks like a teen's bedroom. Can't wait to see it done!
Thanks, Eileen! That’s a great idea – to do a “big reveal” on her birthday with her friends. There are lots of programs for designers to create design boards – they vary in complexity and cost, of course. I think Pinterest boards are a great way to gather your ideas in one place, to see it all together. And it’s free and easy for anyone to do.
Love this!!! Can not wait to see the room!! I really enjoy seeing what you pull together from your posts!! You are great:)
Kristie, is anyone else having trouble ordering the video? Is there an email or phone? Time's running out, and I am a 'techno-saur'. Help!
Jeannette,
Send me an email with the problem you are having: kristie@thedecorologist.com
Hi, Kristie! World Market has an ongoing line of velvet pillows and they update the color each season. Here is the link, but I have to say the colors are very different in person from my computer monitor. I bought a set (small squares, large squares – Euro sham sized – and lumbar rolls) of the Canal Blue last year and it's much more of a pale, muted blue, almost gray in some lights. The Beryl Green they have in the stores now reads much more aqua in person and looks to me like what you want for your daughter's room. The Tornado is much more purple than gray in person so I'm waiting for them to come out with a true gray, preferably charcoal or slate. http://www.worldmarket.com/category/home-decorating/pillows-throws/throw-pillows.do?c=5.100380.100457&price=%3C+10.00&pp=48&sortby=ourPicksAscend&cx=0
And, I can't resist telling you they have a Downton Abbey pillow 😉 http://www.worldmarket.com/product/victorian+photo+lumbar+throw+pillow.do?sortby=ourPicksAscend
Thanks for the info, Kate! I’ll check them out 🙂
Dying to know…What will happen to the bath tub??
Michelle,
That bathtub was original to the upstairs, and we certainly won’t be parting with it! It will continue to be her “reading tub” but it’ll get a fresh coat of paint.
I just redid an upstairs bedroom in Gray Owl (my favorite) with yellow and aqua accents – its beautiful and so restful! She is going to love it!!
Looks like a great update for a teen! If you do the big reveal please take a video! 🙂
I'm so excited for my room to be done!!! Thanks mom!
– audrey 😀
Such pretty colors together- love it! Although it will be extra stress for you, it would be great to have it finished for her birthday. What a great gift Mom (and Dad too)! Nice job as usual Kristie!
I think it's going to be beautiful! Hope she knows how lucky she is to have a mom like you, and the bonus is that you are a designer! 🙂 By the way, my sister and I had beds just like these. In fact, I took mine and stripped off the "antiquing paint" and stained it for my son when he went to a big boy bed.
SOOO sophisticated!! And how honoring that your teenage daughter actually lets you pick the colors,etc. Will you be painting the trim on the window yellow as well? This change really will help her feel as though she's passed over into a young lady! It's a bonding moment for the two of you.ENJOY!
Can't wait to see the reveal!
What a lucky girl! Can't wait to see the finished result. I love the plan. I too am curious about the tub. I had a few of these in my antique house and they weigh a ton.
Such a cool bedroom for your girl. I'm loving the yellow. That says a lot that she wants you to help decorate it. You look way too young to have a teen! 🙂
Thank you, Lisa! I’m 43 1/2 🙂
That ceiling should of been painted the same color as the walls to begin with.