This post: 25 Fun (and Mostly Easy) Weekend Projects to Transform Your Teen’s Bedroom / Cover image: The Organized Dream
Co-written by: Marybeth Bock & Nancy Reynolds
Is your teen’s bedroom in desperate need of a makeover? Does it still have teddy bear wallpaper on the walls or childish colors on the walls? Is it totally disorganized with piles of stuff they should have gotten rid of years ago? Well… maybe it’s time to transform the space your teen spends a big chunk of their time in… their bedroom.
The good news is, there are so many amazing weekend projects to transform your teen’s bedroom. Some might cost a bit more than others, but all are totally doable and not too crazy difficult!
We rounded up a bunch of great ideas that are fun and (mostly) easy enough to pull off in a weekend! And, a bunch of them are actually pretty cheap! So grab your teen and check out these fun ideas for inspo! Here are 25 fun (and mostly easy) weekend projects to transform your teen’s bedroom!
Here are 25 Fun Weekend Projects to Transform Your Teen’s Bedroom
#1 Twinkle Light Bed Canopy
It’s amazing what you can do with a few strands of twinkle lights and sheer fabric. This chic bedroom will be the envy of all your teen’s friends... and, it’s easy enough to pull together in a weekend (or even a few hours)! The sheer fabric can be found at any fabric store – just measure the length of fabric you’ll need (taking into consideration the slight swag at the top) and drape twinkle lights over the top. Hang the fabric using towel bars! It’s that easy!
Image: Pinterest
#2 DIY Industrial Desk with Floating Shelves
Is your teen disorganized? Do they need a place to study, to spread out and put their laptop or computer, and display all their trophies and mementos? This DIY industrial desk with floating shelves isn’t difficult to create and will give your teen the space he/she needs to get organized once and for all! Plus, it looks really cool! For the full how-to, visit: Jessie Thomas Designs
#3 Turn a Closet into a Cozy Reading Nook
If your teen has a small closet in their room that’s full of junk or items that can be better organized someplace else, clear it out and create a welcoming reading nook. Depending on how crafty you want to get, you can do things like paint the inside of the space, add shelves and/or a wooden bench, cozy cushions, blankets, pillows, and warm lighting and drapes. You’ll find some great ideas here to get you started!
Image: Less Than Perfect Life of Bliss
#4 Create an Indoor Oasis with Plants
Plants not only create an inviting space that brings light and energy to a room but living plants can also improve your teen’s health. Many houseplants improve indoor air quality by converting carbon dioxide into fresh oxygen and they can remove harmful toxins from the air. (Just don’t let teens overwater them which can encourage mold growth!) Plants look great in pots that hang from the ceiling or that cascade down from shelves.
Image: EPlanters.com
#5 Step Up Their Room’s Look with a Ladder or Two
With just a little inspiration, an old wooden or metal ladder can be repurposed to become a unique addition to your teen’s bedroom. Placing longboards over the steps of a ladder instantly creates shelves that can hold books, frames, plants, shoes, and decorations. You can also hang a ladder horizontally from the ceiling, using metal chains or thick ropes. Add some hooks to hang plants, hats, and/or light fixtures. If your teen wants to make it their own, let them paint or decorate all or some of the ladder with tape, yarn, or stickers.
Image: Pinterest
#6 Get Artistic and Paint the Walls
One simple way to change the look of a bedroom is to paint it a new color, add a mural, or find a fun pattern to paint an accent wall that coordinates with the existing room color. You’d be amazed how easy it is to create a geometric patterned accent wall with tape or use an everyday household item like a cardboard toilet paper roll to make flower patterns on the wall like the image shown here!
Image: Jay Lee Painting Via Youtube
#7 Switch Out the Bedding
Simply by changing the bedding in your teen’s room, you can create a whole new vibe. Look for clearance bedding sales in stores and on sites like Target, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, and Overstock. Add a few inexpensive decorative pillows and accessories and it’s easy to transform the entire look of your teen’s bedroom in a weekend!
Image: Pinterest
#8 Give Life to Old Furniture
Perhaps your teen’s bedroom has “little-kid” or hand-me-down furniture in colors that are far too childish or dated. Instead of spending money to replace those pieces, transform them with milk paint. I’m a bit obsessed with this paint because it’s water-based, soaks into wood unlike regular paint that forms a coat on the surface, and a little goes an exceptionally long way. It also doesn’t require sanding your furniture which literally saves you hours. I’m currently on my third furniture paint project! For helpful milk paint tips, check out this video. Check out the how-to on this dresser HERE!
Image: 2beesinapod.com
#9 Go Bold and Build a Loft
One of the best (and coolest) ways to create more space in a small bedroom is to loft the bed which opens up all the space beneath the bed for a study area, dresser, chair or “just chill” area. You can find plenty of DIY video tutorials that will guide you with what materials you’ll need to purchase and what tools you’ll need to construct a loft. This incredible video details step-by-step instructions on how to build a “study & sleep” loft from common dimensional lumber sizes for only about $200.
Image: Janine/Apartment Therapy
#10 Add a Chalkboard Wall to the Room
Got an artistic teen who is always drawing or doodling? Or do you have a detailed list maker with scraps of paper all over the place? Then a chalkboard wall might be the perfect transformation for their room. You can go big and paint an entire wall, just a section, or “frame in” a large area with some wood molding or shiplap. If you don’t have the time or energy to prep, prime, and paint a wall, another option is buying chalkboard wallpaper that’s easily removable, like this one from Etsy. And an important pro tip: dustless chalk is best for bedrooms!
Image: Pinterest
#11 Make a Statement Wall with a Tapestry or Sheet
This quick, easy and inexpensive way to spruce up a bedroom won’t take a whole weekend… in fact, it won’t take more than an hour! Dig through the clearance bins at home stores to find treasures that can cover most of a wall – like a patterned or solid flat sheet, tapestry, or even thin rugs that can all be hung to create unique looks on bedroom walls. Find easy tutorials on YouTube for how to display and attach any kind of fabric to a wall or ceiling. Use the tapestry or wall hanging as inspiration to paint the walls and add bedding and pillows that pull the look together.
Image: Pinterest
#12 Create a Retro/Eclectic Ambiance with Wall Decor
Thrift stores and garage sales are the perfect spots to start building a collection of “art” to cover a teen’s bedroom wall. Make fun and colorful displays from items like old album covers, book pages, mirrors, paintings, posters, magazine ads, and baskets.
Image: Pinterest
#13 Create a Super Cool DIY Headboard
Headboards aren’t necessary, but they sure add a ton of personality to a bedroom. The best part is headboards can be made from almost anything and are a very cheap way to add color and texture to your teen’s room. Look for things like room dividers, bookcases, wooden pallets, curtains, an old door turned sideways, shutters, and even pieces of cardboard cut into fun shapes and covered with fabric. You’ll definitely be inspired by “40 Dreamy DIY Headboards.”
Image: Pinterest
#14 Do a Closet Do-Over
It’s kind of amazing (not in a good way!) how quickly a teenager’s closet can go from tidy to a tidal wave destruction-level mess. But it’s also amazing (in a good way!) how much de-cluttering and organizing you can accomplish in one weekend if you set aside the time and have a goal. Make “keep, donate, and sell” piles and purge away! Buy hanging shoe organizers, bins and decorative boxes so everything has a place. You can even add a shelving unit or dresser in the closet if space allows.
#15 Create a Cool Vanity Area
Do you have a girly girl? Is she always primping with makeup, fingernail polish, hair clips, and perfume? Why not get rid of the clutter on her dresser or bathroom counter and create her very own vanity area. Simple shelving units on either side of a fun light-up mirror along with an inexpensive table (think Wal-mart or Ikea) and a comfy chair will give your girl a perfect place to organize all her beauty products and primp in style!
Image: Pinterest
#16 Try Adding Fun Vinyl Wall Decals
No matter what your teen is into, you can search online for vinyl wall art that matches their style and the vibe they’re trying to create in their room. For the most part, it’s an inexpensive (depending on the decal), creative, quick way to update a bedroom in no time! And, the best part is, when they’re tired of the decal, it’s easily removed. If you love what you see here, check it out on Wall Alternatives.
#17 Add a Gaming Area
If you have a teen who loves gaming, why not create a nook in their bedroom that’s specifically geared for chilling out and gaming with friends. Simple shelving, a few cool accessories, a functional desk, and an ergonomic chair will create the perfect space for your teen to escape from the world (if just for a little while) and step into their own world.
Image: Pinterest
#18 Wallpaper One or Two Walls
If you’re not into painting, wallpaper has made a big comeback in the interior design world. To transform one or multiple walls of a bedroom, you can choose from traditional “paste the wall” wallpaper or “peel and stick” wallpaper or murals. Peel and stick is the perfect choice for a teen whose tastes may change frequently. Companies like Wallsauce.com can also create a mural for you from your own photos, in any size you want.
#19 Add Shelving
Putting more shelving up in a bedroom is one of the best ways to create more space and to display things like collections, trophies, and other personal items. Of course, you can always buy pre-made shelves, but you can also make your own from items found at thrift shops or at home improvement stores. Check out this article that includes tutorials for all the “25 Incredibly Unique Shelving Ideas” Want to know how to install shelves like this? Check out the how-to HERE!
Image: She’s Crafty
#20 Add a Hanging Chair
Maybe your teen has already begged you for a boho swing chair for their room and you’ve put them off, thinking that installing one would be a lot of work. Well, you might be surprised at how easy it can be. You can find many of these styles of swing or hammock chairs for under $100 on Amazon, and some come with a hardware kit included. (You may still have to buy straps or rope as well, but they are inexpensive.) With basic tools like a stud-finder and a drill, your teen can have a cute hanging chair in their room in no time and a cool new place to chill out.
Image: Pinterest
#21 Use Old Barn Wood to Create a Dynamic Wall
Paint an accent wall in your teen’s bedroom and add a variety of old barn wood planks to dress out the wall and create a dynamic focal point. This idea can easily be adapted to a girl’s room (think light gray walls with whitewashed or shades of gray planks). Love the idea? Check out the how-to HERE!
Image: Hey Fitzy
#22 Set Up a Coffee or Tea Station
It takes up barely any space to create a coffee (or tea) station in your teen’s bedroom. You could use a bar cart, a tiered hobby cart, a large tray on top of a nightstand or a freestanding bookcase. Shop thrift stores to find interesting mugs, teacups, and little pots for sugar, spoons, or stirrers. A glass jar with nibbles like granola bars or breakfast biscuits makes for a darling and delicious display for the teen who needs a little caffeine to get moving in the morning.
Image: Pinterest
#23 Add a Seating Area (if Space Allows)
Your teen’s bedroom isn’t simply where they sleep. It’s where they hang out, chill out with friends, study, do homework, and escape from the world. That’s why it’s so important to make their bedroom not only a functional space but also a haven they can be proud of. If space allows, create a separate space – complete with couch or chair(s), a table and a rug that divides the room and creates a sitting area. Keep your eye for deals on furniture or add a slipcover to an existing couch or chair.
Image: Pinterest
#24 Get Creative with Lighting
One of the easiest (and most economical) weekend projects to transform your teen’s bedroom is by incorporating string lights in their decor! Multiple light strands can cover a wall or a ceiling; can highlight shelves, windows, and doorways; can be added to fabric to make beautiful bed canopies; and can be used to clip lightweight items to, such as pictures and artificial flowers and greenery. There are some really fun ideas on this blog post from Hairs Out of Place.
Image: Decoholic
#25 Spice Things Up with a Room Divider
Any sized bedroom can take on a fresh look with a room divider. Also known as room partitions, a room divider can turn a single-room space into a dual space by providing separation and privacy. You can create a DIY room divider with many things: bookshelves, old shutters, jute ropes, lath board, old records strung with fishing line, hanging woven mats, or ceiling-mounted curtains. A company called Everblock even makes modular interlocking blocks that look like huge Legos that can be used for fun room dividers. The possibilities are endless!
Decluttering, designing, and decorating with your teens can be a wonderful way to spend some quality time together this winter. Have a little fun! There are literally hundreds of fabulous weekend projects to transform your teen’s bedroom!
About Marybeth Bock:
Marybeth Bock, MPH, is Mom to two young adults and one delightful hound dog. She has logged time as a military spouse, childbirth educator, college instructor and freelance writer. She lives in Arizona and thoroughly enjoys research and writing – as long as iced coffee is involved. Her work can be found on numerous websites and in two books. Follow her on Facebook and Instagram.
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