Tween Girl Bedroom Ideas

Grown-Up Glam

To make what was a juvenile, childish girl's room more appropriate for a growing tween, its walls were painted a deep shade of violet, album cover-inspired art was hung to create a focal point, vintage lighting was installed on the ceilings and the walls, and women's fashion fabrics were used in upholstered accents.

Before

Prior to this tween girl's bedroom redesign, the walls were covered in bright lilac paint, which gave it more of a little girl's identity. In order to make it cool enough for a tween yet classic enough for parents, the space would be painted a dark shade of violet, the dated wall-to-wall carpet would be replaced with gray-toned vinyl plank flooring and the childish furniture would be swapped out for colorful vintage pieces.

Color, Emphasized

Thanks to a bold color scheme of violet, black, white and gold, this designer-caliber tween girl's room is as appealing to the tween herself as it is to her young parents. From the royal palette to the vintage pieces and fashion-inspired fabrics, everything in the room can transition well as the tween girl becomes a full-fledged teenager. To invest wisely with tween room updates, emphasize color and pattern instead of themes.

Inspiring Art

Art is often overlooked in children's and tween's rooms; however, it can completely change the space and serve as a source of inspiration for the rest of the decor. This room was designed for a tween who was named after legendary bluegrass singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams. Commissioning an artist to draw an original portrait of the singer and having it professionally framed not only added a feeling of individuality to the room, it served as the inspiration for the room's violet, black, white and gold palette.

Frame Job

Although professional framing comes with added expense, it's an excellent way to help a youth-oriented space feel less juvenile and more grown-up. Instead of tacking the original paper directly to the wall, it was instead placed inside a floating-style frame with coordinating mat. When framing pieces for tween's rooms, always consider durability and safety. Instead of gallery glass, this piece is protected with acrylic, which is kid-friendly and shatterproof.

Vintage Fixtures

Lighting offers an opportunity to add personality while also introducing different styles and design eras. When it comes to tween girl's rooms, vintage light fixtures are almost always a sure-fire hit. As retro styles become increasingly popular for tween and teen girls, it's smart to consider searching local flea markets and thrift stores for fixtures from the 1960s and 1970s. This brass and smoked Lucite chandelier is from the mid-1970s and is considered a modern classic. Should the tween girl grow tired of it, the fixture can be used in another area of the house or, since vintage pieces hold their value, it can be sold online through a vintage consignment mega-site.

Sconce Revival

As tween girls become full-fledged teenagers, it's likely they'll be using their bedrooms for overnight fun with friends. Add drama and ambiance for nighttime use with vintage wall sconces. Often priced much lower than chandeliers, sconces are installed directly to walls and may need to be rewired prior to installation. To ensure safety, most interior designers recommend dropping off vintage sconces at local lamp repair shops where fixtures can be brought up to code for as little as $25.

Practical Planks

Although carpet is usually the most popular flooring choice for bedrooms, it's hard to keep clean in high-traffic rooms. Rather than going through the motions of having carpet professionally cleaned yearly, it may be a better investment to simply replace wall-to-wall carpet with resilient vinyl plank flooring. Averaging less than $1.50 per square foot, vinyl plank is easy to install by cutting to size with a utility knife, then staggering each plank to create a pattern. As opposed to carpet, which stains easily, vinyl can simply be wiped clean with a sponge.

Textured Rug

Choosing the right rug for a tween space can be tough since their tastes change so frequently. While light-colored solid rugs are prone to showing spills, stains or dirt, textured solids are great for hiding imperfections. This black, white and gray wool rug helps tie the black and white accents of the color scheme together while also offering a soft underfoot surface.

Big Patterns

Windows in tween rooms are a great opportunity to experiment with design elements which may be considered too bold or risky for common areas of a home such as living rooms or entryways. Consider large-scale patterns in neutral colors such as black, white and gray. Should a tween girl grow tired of her wall color and decide to change the paint, the window coverings will most likely work well with the updated palette.

Softer Hardware

Jewel tones are excellent choices for tween decor since they evoke femininity as well as a sense of glamour. Consider adding touches of gold in an up-to-date manner with satin brass hardware. Much more subdued than polished brass, the satin finish is soft and refined, and works especially well with colors such as purple, green, red and turquoise.

Whimsical Furniture

Flea market furniture is a great fit for a tween girl's room due to its affordability and timeless appeal. This Victorian dresser was picked up for $50, updated with two coats of glossy plum paint, then given a touch of whimsy with satin brass house numbers used as drawer pulls.

Flea Market Finds

Flea market lamps are one of the most affordable ways to add one-of-a-kind lighting to a tween girl's room. Although found with a beige shade for $25, this brass lamp was updated with a black paper shade picked up at a big-box retailer for less than $15.

Sneaky Storage

When searching flea markets for dressers, keep in mind that nine-drawer and 12-drawer configurations offer enough concealed storage not only for holding clothes, but also for keeping things like books and diaries neatly organized yet out of sight. As tween girls start to yearn for privacy, it's wise to supply them with storage for things they don't want out on display.

Metallic Accents

Playing with metallics can add a jewelry-like feeling to a girl's room. When choosing accessories, opt for a mix of different metallic finishes such as gold, silver and mercury glass.

Modernized Floral

Bedding can make or break a space, especially in a tween girl's room where anything too cute can be too juvenile and anything too highbrow can be too adult. Instead of traditional florals, add an updated touch to a tween girl's bedscape with overscale botanical prints.

Artful Layering

When decorating a tween girl's room, don't be afraid to pack it with pattern. Introduce different prints by layering patterns similar in color yet different in scale. An excellent rule of thumb is to stick with one large-, one medium- and one small-scale pattern. This will ensure the layered look appears balanced rather than busy.

Bed Curtains

Give your tween girl an extra layer of privacy with bed drapery. In addition to using the drapery as an opportunity to play with pattern and color, it's also a great way to allow any sleepover guests to sleep in once the sun starts beaming in through the window.

On Track

In order for bed drapery to hang properly, it's best to install it on ceiling-mounted hardware. These black-and-white zigzag drapery panels coordinate perfectly with a wraparound track and drapery rings in a satin black finish.

Fashion Fabrics

Tween girls are known for taking a major interest in fashion. Play up the runway by using fashion fabrics for her room's upholstery. While this pair of Louis armchairs is upholstered in violet velvet, it's made fresh with pillows sewn from women's dress fabric in a flame-stitch pattern.

Coffee Table

Multipurposing will help a tween get much more use out of her room. To create a tween-height gathering area, consider using a coffee table in the center of the bedroom. Once guests come over, the low stature of the coffee table makes it the perfect spot to pull up a pillow and snack while playing games or reading books.

Subtle Safety

As tweens start to have more and more guests over, keep safety in mind, but apply it in a stylish way. Adding tread tape to bunk-bed steps will keep busy kids from slipping.