17 Cute & Affordable DIY Teen Bedroom Ideas

Are you struggling with how to “upgrade” your child’s bedroom to match their teenage status? It can be tricky – they aren’t an adult (they’ll always be your baby, after all, right?!), but they certainly aren’t a child anymore either. Learn 17 cute & affordable DIY teen bedroom ideas.

They need a bedroom that suits their changing style and their age, but often they (or you) don’t know where to start. How do you find that delicate balance?

Sometimes, they know exactly what they want and can give you some SOLID ideas… other times, not so much.

Not to fear – we’ve compiled a list of some the most creatively cute DIY teen bedroom ideas out there to give you some inspiration. And thankfully, they’re quite affordable too!

So, start by having your child clean out the items that no longer appeal to them (maybe they have outgrown their stuffed animals and coloring books…or maybe not!) and have a heart-to-heart with them about what they like.

They’ll have this room for a while, so really take the time to dig in and find out not only what they NEED (desk, workspace, seating for friends, etc.) but also what they love – think in terms of favorite colors (blue, green, pink, gray) and styles (modern, classic, country, minimalist, etc).

Then, peruse the ideas below for some inspiration!

#1: Corner Desk

Image via Shanty 2 Chic

Pretty much every teen can use a desk – a desk gives them a place to do their homework, collect important papers and exercise organization skills. Desks come in all shapes and sizes, so think about the space you have available.

A corner desk is a great option for smaller spaces OR large spaces. You can incorporate shelves above to hold important books, papers or supplies. Learn how here.

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#2: Custom Lamp

Image from Instructables

Is your teen a bit too old for action figures, but still kinda likes ‘em? (Don’t tell, Mom!) Give him or her a unique way to hold onto those without it being too childish.

Simply glue a few figurines or objects that they’re not quite ready to let go of to an existing lamp (thin bases work best), remove the shade, and spray paint in a color that matches the room. This can help the transition into a young adult room without them feeling overwhelmed.

Don’t limit this idea to just figurines – any small toys that your child has been attached to can be used. Read the tutorial here.

#3: Personalized Wall Letter

Image via Catch My Party

This is a great way to add a touch of personalization to your teen’s room. This idea can work for teenage girls or guys. Simply buy a wooden letter online or from your craft store and wrap one of several ways:

Use yarn or twine in a color that matches the room, fabric that adds a pop of color, wrapping paper, or even spray paint.

You can embellish with some of their favorite things too – love flowers, basketball, or race cars? Glue one, paint one, or find a small sticker or “trinket” sized version to put in the corner. Get more details here.

#4: Mural Wall

Image via Emily Clark

Let your teen really design their space with a mural wall! If they are artsy, consider letting them design and even paint it on the wall themselves.

You can allow them to paint an entire wall, just a section of a wall, or parts of several walls. If you’re really adventurous, paint ALL the walls! Think their favorite cityscape (Paris, New York City, Dallas) or nature scene (ocean, forest, beach).

If you don’t want to make all the walls the same but want to transform the entire room, make a day of it and paint an entire wall, then consider painting the other walls in the room a complimentary color.

Lots of paints come with a primer already mixed into the paint, which makes it easy to paint over. If you have some challenging glossy paint that you need to paint over, be sure to check out this post.

If you’re concerned about the long-term commitment of painting directly on the wall, you can purchase removable wall decals. The sky is the limit on this as far as options, colors, etc. – could be a black and white theme, one with LOTS of color, words vs. pictures, really elaborate vs. really complicated, etc. Get inspired here.

#5: Unique Lighting

Image via Shelterness

Give your teen a lighting upgrade that matches their personality. You can string Christmas lights around the door frames and ceilings, along their headboard, drape it around a full-length mirror, or even up and down one of their walls.

You can leave the lights as-is, cut out unique shapes and poke the light through, or use small clothespins and attach pictures to hang from them. You can choose all white lights, or just about any color combination you can think of.

You can also look into “outdoor” or holiday/theme lighting, which can come in ALL kinds of colors and shapes – ever seen jalapeno pepper shaped lights for Cinco de Mayo anyone? Or shamrocks for St. Patricks Day?

#6: Personalized Headboard

Image from MAJ3sHouse

Got a plain headboard? Paint it with chalkboard paint and let your teen make it their own. Chalkboard paint comes in a variety of colors (as does chalk) so if they aren’t into just black and white, choose colors that suit them.

They can use the space to write funny notes, draw creative pictures, perhaps write reminders for school mornings (hint, hint)! Check out MAJ3sHouse for details.

#7: Beauty Station

Image via Polka Dot Chair

If you have a teen girl who spends a lot of time getting ready and uses a variety of tools, give her a space to keep them organized that lets her move around her room with ease.

Grab a rolling cart and spray paint it in her favorite color, then label each bin…..it’s the perfect accessory for a girl’s bedroom! Consider adding hooks on the sides for some of the larger tools (like hair dryers, curling or flat irons, etc.).

#8: Bring the Outdoors In

Image from DIY Fun Ideas

Does your teen love the outdoors? Choose a color scheme that will make them feel like they are outdoors, then bring the outdoors right inside!

You can frame small tree branches or put some in a vase for a rustic look, or use larger pieces of a tree (perhaps even a trunk) for a stool, coat rack, or even as unique wall art. Find details over here.

#9: Cool Seating

Image from Ebay

Give your teen a super cool place to sit (or maybe a couple of them, for friends to sit also). A waffle chair is a great investment – they are surprisingly comfortable, can come with pillows and pockets to hold their favorite book or magazine.

They can also be easily and quickly folded up and stored under the bed, in a closet, or somewhere out of the way (so they’re even a great option for those with smaller rooms).

#10: Customized Mirror

Image via Sweet and Sour Kids

Let your teen go to town creating his or her very own customized mirror. Got a girl who loves spending time in front of the mirror? Make a “mirror mirror.”

Got a guy who loves building stuff? Purchase some inexpensive screws and bolts, find some scrap wood, and glue it right on.

You can use a frameless mirror and build these items as your frame, or use a mirror that already has a frame and just glue your items on. Depending on what look you want to go for, you can save some money by buying plastic or super cheap versions of whatever you need (like bottles of nail polish if she loves to paint her nails) and spray paint them. Find more at Sweet and Sour Kids.

#11: Wall Art

Image from Girls Life

Help your teen create one-of-a-kind wall art by incorporating their favorite things. Do they love music? Instead of just putting a poster in a frame, why not let them create a piece that incorporates actual CD’s?

Or if they’re into creating art themselves, let them get after it with paper (which can be found in a multitude of sizes, colors, finishes, etc) – they can cut out shapes and attach to strings, then hang from the ceiling or on the walls.  Check out here for more.

#12: Display Cases (or Jewelry Holders)

Image via DIY Projects

Shadow boxes are a great way to let your teen hold onto those small things that are near and dear to them (like movie tickets, notes from a crush, any of those little things they can’t bear to get rid of). But they can be expensive, and honestly perhaps a bit boring.

Think of other creative ideas to let them display and hang onto those things – how about a silverware tray? You can find these made from different materials like plastic (the cheaper plastic ones could be spray painted to match the room décor), wire mesh, or wood.

Simply turn it on its side, screw into the wall (or use those removable wall hooks if you don’t want to damage the wall) and start displaying! This is a great way to hold and display jewelry too.  Tutorial at DIY Projects.

#13: Photo Collage Wall

Image via Small Friendly

Let your teen customize an entire wall (or section of a wall if there is furniture on it) with photos. There are multiple apps these days will allow you to send pictures to a printer right from your phone.

Print out their favorite ones and arrange on the wall – they can even put a cork board or dry erase board in the middle.

#14: Unique Shelving

Image via Bees Knees Bungalow

Does your teen love all things vintage? Or skateboards? Or books? All of those things (and more) can be incorporated into shelving right in their room.

An old suitcase can add charm to a vintage room, a skateboard can add style to a skater room, and metal bookends can be affixed to the wall and books themselves can become a shelf in a bookworm’s room. Discover how at Bees Knees Bungalow.

#15: Comfy Rug

Image from Sew Can She

Give your teen a cozy, colorful, unique rug for their bedroom floor. You can make one yourself, shop and purchase the right one, or use one you have and rework it to match their room.

There are a lot of options available for how to upcycle a rug you may already have. For example, you can dye one, you can add backing to an existing blanket or towel and turn it into a rug, or you can transform one with the right fabric scraps. Full details here.

#16: Peg Boards

Image via BHG

Peg boards are not just for garages or craft rooms! Put a pegboard on your teen’s wall and let them organize anything they’d like – magazines or books, desk supplies, hats, sunglasses, scarves.

Their board can be painted to match their color scheme, and even embellished to make it look less boring and more colorful.

#17: Laundry Baskets

Image via Ana White

If there’s one thing EVERY teen needs, it’s a laundry basket! Whether you put this in their room, their closet or bathroom, or even in the family laundry room, make sure you have a space for them to dump dirty clothes.

Otherwise, socks tend to disappear (their matches never to be found) and the clothes they “need” are never around when they need them. If you have a kiddo in sports, or perhaps one that works at an after school job that results in “less than fresh” clothing, you could even make a special basket just for those items.

Either way, make sure your teen has a place to keep his or her clothes organized and you’ll both avoid some headaches. Learn how to make a laundry basket dresser with Ana White.

The teenage years are hard enough on everyone involved, don’t you agree? Your teen needs a space that is the perfect representation of who they are. Even though that changes on (most likely) a daily basis right now, there are many creative ways to come up with a room that is perfect for them and will suit their tastes for a long while to come.

Redesigning their room can be a great opportunity for you to work on a project and spend some quality time together, and for you to keep in touch with who they are. Designing, and then executing the changes to their room, can present some of those rare opportunities for both of you to open up, connect and solidify your relationship.

We hope you have been inspired to work with your teen to create the room of their dreams! Which of these DIY bedroom ideas is your favorite? Let us know and share your favorite below!

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