DIY Teenage Rooms

Empty the room to start from scratch. Plan your wall colors, furniture colors and accents. Lay down a plastic tarp in the room before you start working.

Paint the walls. A dramatic color will alter the feel of the room significantly, but it can also make a room seem smaller. Start with a primer in a similar hue as your paint. Roll a coat of primer on the walls with a paint roller, using long overlapping strokes. Once the primer is dry, paint at least two coats of paint.

Create a cork board wall for hanging photos, posters and artwork. Cut rolled nonadhesive sheet cork to size; you can add strips of cork or cork shapes or cover the entire wall like wallpaper. Place the sheet cork in place, and attach it to the wall with small upholstery nails to allow for easy removal later. For a more permanent cork wall, apply adhesive to the back of the sheeting before nailing it to the wall.

Repaint the desk, chair, dresser and bookcase in colors that coordinate with the walls. Strip the original paint, if necessary. Sand the entire surface, apply primer, then spray or apply paint. You can keep the furniture in solid colors, paint the trim in a contrasting color or decorate it freehand or with stencils.

Make your own curtains to accessorize the room. Choose one pattern, or mix and match. To sew curtains, cut the fabric into a panel that's about 12 inches wider and higher than the window. Cut it in half vertically, then hem each panel around all four sides. To hang, attach clip curtain rings along the top edge of each panel, about 4 inches apart.

Sew throw pillows to match the curtains. Cut two identical pieces of fabric, and pin them together with the print on the inside. Sew around the edges, leaving 3 inches open. Turn the pillow right-side out through the hole, fill with batting, and then sew the hole shut by hand.

Arrange the room once all the paint is dry. Add special lighting such as mini-lights, colored lights or novelty lamps to set the atmosphere, but purchase a bright table lamp for the teen to do homework.