Teen Bedroom Remodel: Design Process at Work

I took on a tough decorating job recently. Very tough customer. 13 year old girl. Mine.

Key words were: "I like purple, and some zebra...... not lots of zebra. And not boring! And not too dark! No flowers!"

I tried getting a handle on her, showing her a Domino-like look, going for that minimalist, zenlike look, in plum not purple...

Nope! Too Boring!

Hmmm, how about this purple and zebra?

Ugh, thats ugly, mom....

Personally, I love these, but no....

(Photo on the left is from this site, photo on the right courtesy of this site, check em out, they are both cool...)

So one day I'm looking through HomeGoods (or was it TJMaxx??)and I see this:

Its like a decorative bowl made out of colorful newspapers. I'm thinking: hmmm, its "green", handmade, colorful....youthful but not juvenile. Def not boring. She can put stuff in it, so useful too. She's got lots of stuff....

It becomes somewhat inspiring. But I really want to incorporate my Ikea panels I got last year and have had sitting in a box...they are black and white. Can it work?

To experiment, I paint an old ornate gold frame Purple (RustoLeum's "Grape" spray paint), adding some leftover black and white fabric from my living room chair redo and get this:

(Those are the Ikea panels next to it, btw)
I show this to her....she likes.....

She likes.... well, then, we are on our way! Here are the so-far inspiration objects:

And these are the dressers we will paint black :

with a mod-podge top of purple/white scrapbook paper:

with THESE handles:

I just hope it won't look like a rainbow and a zebra threw up in there.....

We'll keep you posted..... any ideas/help appreciated!

Ann

Left to buy/do:

Purple or Turquiose bedspread (or duvet)

Cute black chandy- (make? thrift store find?Ikea?have crystals from yard sale)

Paint sun mirror silver (have in garage)

paint nightstands black (ready to do-- just cmon and start already!!)

make or buy a bench/storage locker thingy for the foot of the bed(thrift store?)

add storage to the closet(home depot)