Inexpensive Bedroom Transformation: From Kid Room to Teen Room

My daughter's room had been pretty much the same since she was young, white walls and beige carpet. She had the same furniture in her room for some time. The tops of the dressers and desk were a blonde wash, and the body was a light green wash. The knobs were those wooden knobs, that for some reason, they can’t seem to ever put the proper screws with, so they fall off every time you pull the drawer open. Eventually they just got thrown into the drawer.

So I decided to do some improvements to the bedrooms. We discussed what my daughter wanted for the look of her room, though I was on a tight budget. I was scared at first but agreed to black walls and white trim. She gave me a couple of clues of what to try to express in the room and said she did not want a bed in there, but the rest was up to me. I would do it all while she was visiting relatives out of town. I didn’t have a completed plan, I just let ideas come as I worked on it (under time constraints).

The furniture was still in good condition and the style wasn’t bad. Why fork out for all new? I kept that in mind while I began the shell.

The first thing that was done was flooring. Hickory look laminate flooring that I was lucky enough to find for I believe ninety nine cents a square foot a while back at Menards. It really appears to be real wood floors with the multiple colors like hickory has.

On the walls, I patched any nicks, tape/nail marks, noticeable wavy areas with drywall cement. I tried out for the first time the Sheetrock brand “dust control” mud and wow, it really cuts down on where the dust flies, it kind of just falls below where you’re sanding, and I have done a lot of drywall sanding. Not as much as a pro but, have been involved in quite a few rehabs.

So once the walls looked satisfactory I primed walls, trim, baseboard and door. I painted the trim, baseboard and door white first. Then I painted the walls an off black in satin. Oh, the fun part, painting where the two colors had to meet.

I added a black metal hanging light fixture and delicate frosted white glass wall sconces with a black flower vine accent. I replaced her heat vent cover with a satin nickel vent cover.

Going back to the furniture, I decided to paint the body of the furniture black, the same color as the walls. I wanted to keep the room as black and white as possible until the final touches. I Left the blonde wash color on the tops alone as it almost looks like a very light wood. I put larger silver knobs on the drawers. I found these at a second hand shop for fifty cents each. I had to soak them in vinegear and brush the rust off with a toothbrush. This completely transformed this furniture! One less thing I needed to buy.

She said she did not want a bed, but mothers really have trouble with that sort of thing. It is just part of the maternal instinct to provide a place that you feel is comfortable for your child to sleep. So I decided on a futon. I was really having trouble finding something in my price range with the modern style I was looking for. Oh, and washable. I am just getting tired of fabric items in my home. So I may be the last one to know, but I was unaware that Walmart had other furniture selections online outside of what they had in the store, quite a bit in fact. I found the exact futon I visualized in my head for $249. So I added a white faux leather futon. It is the click-clack style. You can put half of the backrest down separately or both for a pretty comfortable bed and fitted sheets fit over it quite well.

Now it was really coming along. Since I had gotten the white futon, I couldn’t picture anything but a white shag area rug to finish it off. I did not see any even near my price range (maybe a 2X3). Just when I had given up and bought a regular light gray area rug, I had to make one more stop on the way back at Home Depot for some hinges, and there it was! They had just put out a island display of area rugs, and yes, they were shag rugs. There was a white one. I paid only $77 for a super thick 5X 7 shag rug.

I was pretty much done. I added some décor that I picked up at yard sales and bought a couple of plants and throw pillows, some bamboo sticks in a vase. I bought some cheap accent lamps from $10 to $20. I used her low chest of drawers for a TV stand. I purchased a rolling cart with ten slim drawers for $29 from Sams Club to put next to her desk to organize all her small items.

You really don’t need to spend a lot of money to give your child’s room a fresh new look. It is a real boost for your teen that has had the same looking room for a while. My daughter loved it!