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Wait Until You See This Teen Boy Bedroom Makeover

An outgrown childhood bedroom gets an update fit for a growing teenage boy. Wait until you see this modern industrial farmhouse teen boy bedroom makeover. A space to last right through the college years.

The time had come.

Sooner than I wanted it to, unfortunately.

But my middle son, Gavin finally outgrew his childhood bedroom.

Insert mom sad face!

Seriously though, now that he’s over 6 feet tall it was time to move him out of his twin-sized bed and into something a bit bigger.

Since I had to buy him a new bed, I jumped at the chance to update his room décor!

He probably wouldn’t have cared if his room remained exactly the same but as for me…I really love redecorating my kids’ bedrooms.

And this kid was long overdue!

Teen Boy Bedroom Design Plan

design plan of teen boy bedroom makeover

So a while back…

Well, actually quite a while back…I came up with a design plan for Gavin’s bedroom makeover.

And most of this makeover was completed waaay back then.

There were a just a few little things that I didn’t quite get finished yet.

But yay for me because I just got those last finishing touches complete…finally!

I’m super happy to check another project off our to-do list.

Doesn’t it feel so good when you get something 100% complete!?

Before we dive into the details of this makeover lets take a look back at where we started…

before picture of bedroom with bright red painted stripe on wall

Oh boy…I told you the room was in desperate need of a makeover.

When Gavin was little his favorite color was red.

And being the amazing mom that I am (haha) I let my kids make some of the design choices in their bedrooms…I mean, after all, it’s their space.

But when he requested a red room, I had to come up with a compromise fast!

I decided to painted the walls grey and add a red stripe to the design, rather than an entirely red room.

What Color Paint is Best for a Boys Room?

teen boy bedroom makeover view of bed and desk beside it

Changing the wall color was the first step in updating this little boy bedroom to a teenage space.

The top half of the room was already painted Wickham Gray by Benjamin Moore.

Since I really liked that color, I painted the entire room that shade of gray.

It felt so much better in there immediatley…no more tri-colored walls.

Yay!

Painting the walls one color unified the space and made it feel more cohesive.

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What Type of Window Treatments Should You Use?

double windows with faux wood blinds in bedroom

We left the faux white wood blinds as the only window coverings in the room.

Unfortunately, Gavin has allergies, and having curtains just adds another place for dust to collect.

His upholstered bed, bedding, and wall to wall carpeting hold enough dust on their own…no need to add more textiles to his room!

I realize this may not look the best but it’s the better option for his bedroom.

How to Update Bedroom Lighting

bed with artwork on wall over headboard and industrial ceiling light fixture

I found an industrial farmhouse style fixture with 5 lights that looks great in his room.

That old red light fixture didn’t really provide much light in the room, so we opted to replace it instead of repurposing it.

The new light is so much brighter than the old light fixture.

We added a dimmer to the new industrial-style light, so now he can lower the brightness when needed.

How to Give a Bedroom a Makeover Using Existing Furniture

teen boy bedroom desk and dresser area

We kept Gavin’s dresser and desk since they were in good shape.

But more importantly, they’re both small pieces, so they fit perfectly in his tiny room.

Plus, reusing what we already had saved us lots of money.

It’s a win- win!

A large closet in the room holds the majority of his clothing, so having a smaller dresser isn’t an issue.

And he’s the type of guy who doesn’t have an extensive wardrobe.

He’s more of the t-shirt and sweats every day kind of kid.

We did move the desk next to the bed which now allows Gavin to use the shelf space as a side/night table.

Now, his books, tissues, and phone that he uses as his alarm clock are all within reach.

How to Fit a Queen Bed in a Small Bedroom?

upholstered queen size bed in front of windows

Despite the small size of the room (only about 10 1/2 x 11 1/2 feet), we were able to fit a new queen-sized upholstered bed in the space for my growing boy!

By keeping the other furniture furniture pieces small it allowed us to fit a larger bed.

Also, placing all the furniture against the walls and even under the windows provides more floor space for the queen bed frame.

Of course, a new bed size meant he needed new bedding.

I found simple bedding without too many layers or lots of extra throw blankets and pillows.

Simple is the best option for those pesky allergies.

close up of sheets and bedding

We were excited when Linens and Hutch wanted to send us sheet sets for us to review.

The offer so many beautiful designs.

I chose these gray pinstripe sheets for Gavin’s new bed.

And for a kid who doesn’t get super excited about things…he proclaimed that they were the softest sheets ever!

A simple duvet cover in white and gray block stripes from Ikea is great for a teenager.

It’s so easy to wash!

And a cozy throw blanket at the end of the bed is perfect for chilly nights.

How to Decorate a Teen Boy’s Bedroom

view of lamp, faux plant and speaker on top of dresser

Both real and faux plants bring some color and life to the monochromatic vibe in this teen boy bedroom makeover.

Let’s see how long he actually leaves the plants in his room. LOL

Since there isn’t much space in the bedroom, we used the wall space to add some personality.

queen sized bed with 2 framed prints above. plant in galvanized bucket at foot of bed

Decorative framed prints from an Etsy seller hang over the bed.

The wall art is both functional and personal.

I wrote a separate blog post all about decorating walls in teen boy bedrooms…check it out here.

view of bedroom closet doors with row of hooks on wall next to it

A row of wall hooks tucked behind the door is a perfect spot to hang hats, coats, or backpacks to keep them off the floor in this tiny room.

view of desk with cork board hung above

A combination chalk/cork board hangs above the desk and is helpful for organizing.

The chrome lamp and desk accessories also help Gavin stay organized and hopefully get all that high school homework done!

close up of desk accessories

And you know a room makeover wouldn’t be complete around here without a gallery wall!

How many is too many gallery walls in one home?

Asking for a friend! LOL

Do you remember I added one in Emma’s bedroom makeover?

And one in the family room.

Another going up our staircase.

And finally our huge farmhouse gallery wall.

But back to Gavin’s teen boy bedroom!

His fun but simple gallery wall includes barnwood frame filled family photos, a letter board with a quote from one of his favorite tv shows, that super cool galvanized letter G, and a decorative wood arrow.

view of bedroom looking over corner of bed to desk and dresser area

I’m so happy to finally finish Gavin’s bedroom makeover.

And it was a win for mom because my son loves his new space!

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Pinterest graphic Before and After Teen Boy Bedroom Makeover