Sweet Yet Sophisticated: Tween Girls

There’s a time in every girl’s life when they no longer want dolls and tea parties, but they aren’t quite ready for Facebook and Itunes.  It’s the tween phase where they start to develop their own sense of style.  I searched for some great inspiration shots of some sweet yet sophisticated rooms that your tween will love now and when she’s a teen.  I also included some tips for parents to help make the process fun and stress free…

1.  Include her in all the decisions. You’ve long the lost the privilege that you had when doing her toddler room.  Now she wants a say in color scheme and decor.  Ask her what color palette excites her and then bring her some paint and carpet sample choices.

2.  Mix it up.  Tweens are all about variety, so don’t create a uniform storyline.  Have a mix of modern and traditional, chic and sweet, old and new.

3.  Incorporate her sense of who she is. Now that your daughter is gaining a sense of herself, let her show it off.  Show her that you understand who she is and that you appreciate it.  For example if she’s crazy about horses find a unique way to work them into her room without making her feel like she’s living in a stable.  Maybe some old antique equestrian posters framed above her bureau or a special throw pillow as an accent for her bed.

4.  Let the shopping be a bonding experience. Now that your tween is probably more into her friends and less into cuddling with mom, let the room redecorating be a chance to bond.  Take time to talk about how she wants the room to look and feel and then have fun planning your missions to meet her design goals.

5.  Don’t forget the sentiment.  She may not be Picasso, but I am sure that every young lady has some artistic or creative abilities.  Encourage her to really make the room hers by lending some of her own creativity to the space.  Whether its her own small painting, even poetry you have framed, or a collage of pictures she’s assembled, try to instill in her to that to make a room feel special it needs to feel uniquely hers.

Amanda Nisbet designed this bedroom for her teenage daughter and describes it as “hip and young, with splashes of modern art.” Featured in the March 2008 issue of House Beautiful.

In this little girl’s room by Ken Fulk Design, white faux patent leather headboards were custom-made. The black-and-white bedding completes the look of the bed. Featured in the July 2006 issue of House Beautiful.

Traditional Home from Sibling Revelry.

Featured in Better Homes and Gardens