Decorating an 11-year-old girl's bedroom presents some special challenges. She's really too old for ruffles and teddy bears, but not quite ready for a more grown-up design; and over the next few years, her needs, and her tastes, will change – a lot. How do you create a decor she'll love right now, and will continue to grow with her?
Contributing design editor Sarah Richardson's stylish bedroom makeover relies on a few well-planned elements: classic furnishings and built-ins that will take her young client right through to college and beyond; a coordinated mix of fabrics from Robert Allen's new At Home Collection, and a wealth of storage ideas to make tidying and organizing a breeze. Then, it's all wrapped up in a pretty periwinkle and white colour scheme.
Though the little girl had originally asked for lilac, Richardson, a designer and host of HGTV's Room Service, was afraid she might tire of it as she grew older.
So they chose periwinkle, a soft blue with some purple in it. The choice of blue, one of the designer's favourite colourways, is particularly well suited to a tween's room, in Richardson's opinion; while classic enough to suit the young woman this client will be someday, it's not too sophisticated for her now. “Besides, I love blue for bedrooms; it's so calm and restful.”
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In a tween's room, the key is to combine classic fixed elements, such as white bed linens and painted furnishings, with details that can be updated as young tastes mature. The pillow shams, tailored bedskirt, and slipcovered headboard are all easy to replace in coming years. The bedside table, a hand-me-down from the girl's grandmother, was professionally lacquered for a durable finish.
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