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We are discussing how to evolve décor as a person moves from child to teenager to college student to adult. In this article, we will explore decorating a teen’s room.
Decisions and Indecision
So your son or daughter has grown out of their room. Everyone knows that adolescence is a very transitional time and can therefore make it hard to decide anything too permanent. Not to worry. There are lots of ways to tackle decorating for the ever-changing teenager. The most important part is to involve them as much as they want or are willing to be involved. We’ll explore a few ideas here.
Color
If the room is a neutral color or they like the color, then you have a great starting point. Think and talk about colors that they find soothing or that help them focus or that give them energy, depending on their needs. If you are in total disagreement about the color the room should be, try to compromise by painting one wall the color that they like as an accent wall, or suggest that you could get curtains or bedding in the color. Another way to infuse color is with Hip Wallpaper. You can even use wallpaper to line the inside of a closet to give them a reason to be able to see the back wall! After you choose a color, choose one or two accent colors that compliment it. Flickr is an online photo website that has a search tool. If you type in the color, it will bring up any photos that have that color in their description. The internet is a great source for color combinations. You can also look to fabric for inspiration. Check out what bedding has your color in it and see what other colors are in the design. You can also use nature as inspiration. It always gets color combinations right. Flowers and birds are great color inspirations. Of course, your teen may also want to look at clothing, magazines, or their favorite websites for inspiration. After you have the colors, you can incorporate them in more ways than just paint. Check out these Murals and Vinyl Wall Decals for Teens. Pillows are also a great way to add pops of color to any room. You’re on your way to a great room for your teen!
Theme
Choosing a theme can be more about the design than about one particular interest; although, you may have a teen that is very interested in one thing such as a sport, music, or a certain collection. These interests can help you make the room more personal. As discussed in the Child’s Room article, sports fans can go all out and decorate according to the theme of their sport. Consider painting stripes in their team colors and/or adding a Sudden Shadow Removable Image of their favorite sport. If they play the sport, be sure to include a place for photos, medals and trophies. You can use the corner of the room to create a tiered trophy stand with multiple shelves, or add a
For the musician or music fan, choose album art as wall décor and either frame the art or use these Frame Stickers to make it easy to change and move around the room. No holes in the walls! If they love to rock, check out some of our Rock Star decals for inspiration. For the composer and musician, try out Sheet Music Interactive Decal and let them express themselves through music and try out different scores.
Sometimes a favorite collection can inspire a theme, Use the opportunity to display the collection and integrate it into the room. If your teen has a collection they love, then this will give them an opportunity to enjoy it. Consider creating a shelf for the collection or if it is large, you can extend the shelf around the perimeter of the room about one foot from the ceiling. Base your measurements on the height of the tallest piece in the collection. Paint the shelf to match your color theme. See if you can enhance their collection by searching for décor that fits the Theme of their collection online.
Teenagers have lots of varied interests, and these are just a few. Check out our Teens / College Spaces for more inspiration and ideas.
Staying Flexible
Remember that during this transition a teen’s interests and likes and dislikes may change, often. Use these tips as a jumping off point, but stay in touch with their desires. By using Removable Décor, you give them the opportunity to change their mind without a complete overhaul.
Next time, we’ll talk about decorating a college student’s dorm or apartment.

In this series we will discuss how to evolve décor as a person moves from child to teenager to college student to on their own. First, let’s begin with decorating for a child’s room.
Decisions, decisions
There are many things to consider when choosing the décor for your child’s room. If they are old enough, they will most certainly enjoy making some choices of their own. Including them in the decision making process will give them a sense of responsibility and will give them a room that they love. Start with a color or a theme.
Color
Do they have a favorite color? Is there a shade of that color that would work well in the room and the house? Often times, children are drawn to and familiar with bright, bold colors. This can work if you want to go with it. You could do a simple room based on primary colors, and even use black and white to really create contrast. If you’re not crazy about their favorite color, you don’t have to paint the entire room that color, but try to incorporate it in accents like pillows or curtains or bedding that are easy to change later. Choose a complimentary color for the main color of the room. This could be a lighter version of their favorite color or something that compliments the color (i.e. If they love purple, light green is a nice contrast. If blue, try a lighter shade or use a neutral tan as the base.) If you are not allowed to paint the walls, you can incorporate color on the walls with Removable Vinyl Stickers or with Reusable Wall Murals or with artwork by your own children. We have some great new ways to display your child’s art. Check out these Corners Wall Sticker Art Displays. Be sure to ask your child to help you choose which art they would like to display. Since it is removable, they can have their own gallery or rotating art!
Theme
What are the child’s interests? Do they like sports or fairy tales, trucks or animals? There are so many themes that you can use to decorate your children’s room.
For the sports fan, consider incorporating wall art and furniture to create the whole experience for your fan. Incorporate their favorite team into the color scheme by using the team colors in paint, in artwork or in the bedding and curtains.
For the walls, we have lots of sports themed art. From sports such as baseball, football, basketball and soccer to skateboarding, gymnastics and dance, we have something to incorporate your fans sport into their room. Check out our Sports Themed items. We have great Sky Box Stadium Murals that can bring their favorite ballpark to their room. You could also use our mural painting kit to create a stadium of their own. Check out our blog about a Baseball Theme Room Plan.
If they are into fairy tales, think about the colors in their favorite book. Most fairy tales are pastels. Some of them take place in the forest. You could create an enchanted forest by combining elements such as trees, animals, and a view of the castle. Add to the feeling of the outdoors by painting the ceiling blue or using our Cloudwash Painting Kit. Use sheer curtains to add a light, airy quality, or section off part of the room with the castle wall by using red drapes for an impromptu stage. Curtains are also a great way to hide extra storage or create a hiding nook.
For a kid who loves trucks, consider making roadways on the floor and the walls. You can buy a floor mat or rug with streets or you can use Flor tiles in different colors to create paths. For the walls, create roadways with black or chalkboard paint and use bright yellow acrylic paint and a small brush to create the lane dividers. Position the roads lower so that your child can reach them to pretend to drive along. Use the On the Move Mural Wall Kit if you need a guide, or add transportation to the wall with vinyl stickers. Remember that all surfaces can become play surfaces, and use the paint or stickers on tables, desks and toy chests!
Animals are always a great theme. Check out our Jungle Room blog to create a room that brings the wild to your child. If it’s barnyard that they enjoy, try out our Farm Fresh or Old MacDonald Mural Kits. To incorporate a single animal, think about the animal’s habitat. Look online with your child to learn more about the animal and where it lives. If the animal lives under the sea, create a waterline border around the room. If it lives in the meadow, decorate with wild flowers and breezy linens.
Continuing the theme
Remember that you don’t have to do everything at once. Use the theme to build upon an idea and keep you eyes open for sale items or new ideas that fit into you theme or color scheme. We’ve just touched on a few themes here. To check out all of the different ideas go to Shop By Themes.
Next time, we’ll talk about decorating a teenager’s room.

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