Before and After: The Ultimate Teen Bedroom Makeover

The teenage years are so important to practicing creativity, independence, and self development. So, when my 15 year-old sister, Daisy, requested a bedroom makeover I jumped on board and went all out! Out of all the rooms in the house, this one has the biggest transformation so far. Read along as I uncover ideas for transforming a small room with a big impact! See below for before, during, and after pictures along with shopping links to get the look!

Checkout the video below for the entire transformation, start to finish! Give it a like if you're feeling generous 🙂

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THE BEFORE:

This bedroom is very small and can only accommodate a twin bed. The existing furniture is okay, but it's too dark and too short. It's time for an upgrade. The window is tiny but, window replacement is not an option for this project so we must find a way to make it feel bigger. Also, those string lights need to go (and she's fine with it)!

Room Design Criteria: Un-decorated!

There is no theme here. Part of the process of sourcing design inspo in this project comes from practicality. Here are some style+ functional requests for the room makeover:

No visual clutter
Calm and neutral tones
Make the room feel bigger
Minimal color, neutral pink accent
Space to store and easily acces shoes and accesories

There is no theme here. Part of the process of sourcing design inspo in this project comes from practicality. Daisy admits she can get pretty messy sometimes. For that reason she requested an 'undecorated' room. Meaning, she is seeking minimal styling, simplicity, and allow for her to add to the room with time.

THE DURING:

Probably the most impactful change for the room is paint. Cool Gray by Valspar instantly made the room feel brighter, and even bigger. Paint can be such a low cost tool for transforming any space. Use it. Love it!

Generic white, yes. Maximizing visual size of the room, yes. Only two coats was needed here!

The HEMNES collection from Ikea seem to be the right fit for the room. Not too dark, not too light. There are warm, yet cool, undertones that can work well with many color palettes. Plus, it's very affordable considering it's made of solid pine wood!

THE AFTER:

For the wall art I am upcycling an old frame painted white. I decided to make a new matte board using poster board. It’s a bit whiter, which helps. I also printed this photo from my Fort Casey Bunker series, probably one of my favorite photos I’ve taken. Only a dollar to print at FedEx!

I am reusing some of the existing bedding and layering accent pillows and a warm throw. This is where the pink accent comes in, but that’s it!

The mirror that went viral! This upcycled mirror was painted black. My video went viral on TikTok (@casa_refined).

I am keeping the dresser area simple. She does not want clutter. A simple modern mirror, and these awesome vases I thrift flipped! The brass bowl is perfect for tossing in hair ties, or other quick-grab accessories.