| Tucked away behind pine trees and bushes and | | | | learn more about. I had them write all these things |
| shrubs on a cul-de-sac in suburbia of Chicago is my | | | | down. This is the list of ideas they came up with: |
| home. The lawns are scalloped and there is a prestige | | | | Dolphins, Birds, Abstract, Flowers, Sports, Space, |
| walkway to my front door of my two stories colonial. | | | | Fashion, Animals, Music, Numbers, Moon and Sky. I |
| From the outside you would never suspect the turmoil | | | | recommended that they choose one idea from the list |
| inside. You see I work full time and also take work | | | | and making this interest the centerpiece of their room. |
| home with me so there never seems to be enough | | | | We first looked at lots of pictures from books and |
| time in the day to accomplish a thing. I also have two | | | | magazines and spent hours on line at different |
| teenagers so enough said. With my nerves on end | | | | decorating web sites. We also watched a couple of |
| recently I had made up my mind not to enter either of | | | | home decorating shows on television and went to a |
| their rooms. I had thought to myself they are old | | | | design center and talked with others to get some |
| enough to be responsible and take care of their own | | | | ideas. The first thing to realize is not to rush. Take your |
| surroundings. Until this time the cleaning and tidying up | | | | time since this will be the room that you chill and hang |
| had fallen on my shoulders. This big idea of mine that | | | | out in. |
| they would want to help out had accrued to me about | | | | My daughter decided on fashion as her bedroom |
| a month before. | | | | theme while my son choice was sports in particular |
| Saturday morning arrived and there were activities I | | | | football with the main theme being the Bears. We then |
| needed to get my kids to. They both were still asleep | | | | gathered in our car and took a drive to the paint store. |
| so I first entered my son's room. I should say just | | | | We browsed through many selections of different |
| barley entered. His bedroom door would only open an | | | | colored paint chips until the ones caught their eyes and |
| inch. I tried to push my way through as I toppled to the | | | | attention. My daughter picked candy apple green while |
| floor. There were clothes, books, dirty dishes amongst | | | | my son stuck with the Bears colors of navy and |
| other things all over the room that I could not even tell | | | | orange. All of these being popular colors according to |
| what they were. I woke him up and could feel my | | | | the many hours of research we had tackled. |
| blood boiling. Next I went to wake up my daughter and | | | | For one of their walls for each of their rooms we |
| deep inside me I new I would find her room in | | | | bought a paint that had a faux texture designed that |
| shambles as well. Needless to say they both did not | | | | seemed to shimmer and shine. They decided they |
| go to their scheduled activities that day. | | | | would keep this wall bare so they could keep adding |
| They both worked for hours on their rooms but when | | | | additional items such as posters from a movie or |
| they were finished they came to me and proclaimed | | | | concert that had seen. In this way they always had |
| that their rooms left much to be desired. Both rooms | | | | space so they had room to grow and develop. |
| had been designed by me when they were younger | | | | My son had found on line a beautiful hand woven wall |
| and they did not feel it expressed who they were. | | | | tapestry of Soldier Field where the Bears make their |
| They went on to tell me that their needs and stuff | | | | home and play their games when in Chicago. He made |
| they had acquired over the years had far out grown | | | | this the focal point of the room and placed framed |
| their rooms. It lacked organization and a place that | | | | artwork of Bears Players all around it. He also hung |
| represented who they were. I listened to them and | | | | pennants and his prime passion of an autograph jersey |
| together we all came up with creative ideas. | | | | that his favorite player had signed. He is also handy |
| This article hopefully will help other families go in the | | | | with wood and built shelves along one entire wall. Then |
| right direction. It should give you the tools and ideas to | | | | with wall paper borders of pictures of footballs went |
| help make your lives a little more organized and | | | | along the edges of the shelves. He was able to use |
| serene. I will begin by laying out the road map that my | | | | these selves to display his trophies and had space left |
| own family took to reach the goals we set for | | | | over for his entertainment system. |
| ourselves. | | | | Meanwhile fashion was the main theme for my |
| The most important thing when decorating a teens | | | | daughter's room. She had also spent hours on line in |
| bedroom walls is to allow the teens input so that the | | | | search of her perfect design. Like most girls she loves |
| room is a reflection of who they are. Teens live | | | | to go shopping and purchase as many shoes and |
| stressful lives just like the rest of us so they need a | | | | purses imaginable. So I was not at all surprised when I |
| place to retreat and feel comfortable in. They are still | | | | saw her selection for the focal point for her room. It |
| searching for who they are and designing their own | | | | was wall art made up of whimsical purses. It was |
| bedroom walls provides them an outlet to express | | | | defiantly cool, hip and certainly prissy. The purses |
| themselves creatively. | | | | came designed with stripes and swirls of polka dots |
| Teen wall décor decisions will vary depending | | | | and matched her candy apple green walls. They had |
| on the teen in question. There are a number of | | | | white ribbon and are embellished by a metal snap |
| different ideas for you to explore which will hopefully | | | | closure and silver balled feet. This design is definitely |
| produce for your teen a room they can enjoy and a | | | | unique and personal. |
| look that the parent approves of. Be sure to take in | | | | There are three inch letters attached and painted with |
| the size of the room, your budget and the practicality | | | | matching silver. She named her space by hanging |
| of the style. You also need to consider what end of | | | | each letter of her name over her bed. On the wall |
| the teenage scale your child is on. Teens taste and | | | | opposite the windows she purchased a silver |
| sense of self will change considerably between | | | | frameless mirror that made the room look double in |
| thirteen and eighteen. So be sure to tread lightly with | | | | size. It also came with a pegboard message center |
| fads and trends that are likely to go out of style. After | | | | and held colorful bins for plenty of storage. We then |
| all you do not want to take on this task again next | | | | commissioned a local art teacher from a public school |
| year. | | | | located near our house to hand paint a mural on the |
| What we did is we all sat down together with pens | | | | wall opposite the display of purses. My daughter is |
| and paper. I then asked this question. What are you | | | | artistically inclined and drew a sketch of abstract |
| crazy about and what really gets you excited? I then | | | | designs that the artist successfully copied on to her |
| proceeded to ask them about their hobbies, sports, | | | | wall. It truly accomplished the customized look she was |
| and a location they love to visit or a topic they want to | | | | going for. |