5 essentials for your tween's bedroom

Brought to you by Target Australia

So, here's what I'm finding. My baby girl, isn't much of a baby anymore. At the age of nearly 8, Eme has well and truly outgrown the pastel shades of her nursery, and now it appears, she wants to move on from her little girl room as well. Long gone are the Dora the Explorer doona cover, and copious amounts of stuffed animals. Caught between being a little girl, and a teenager, Emeline is entering a new phase of life, known as... the "tween". Eme and I spent some "mother/daughter" time shopping together at Target during the stocktake sales, and picked up a few things to give her room a mini makeover. Here's a few tips for creating a bedroom for your tween!

1. Choose a more mature colour scheme
Eme's favourite colour at the moment is purple. It would be very easy to go crazy with purple in her room, however there's no guarantee it will still be her favourite colour in a year's time. So, when shopping for new quilt cover, we were looking for one with touches of purple...just enough to keep her happy. Eme and I agreed upon Target's Zahara quilt cover set. The pattern was still really girlie, however the pattern itself, and black backgroud are more mature. I can see that this will be a quilt cover that will grow with her. By adding black to your child's bedroom, you will automatically create a more mature colour palette.

2. Bring on the bling!
All girls, no matter their age, love a bit of bling in their life! Eme's bedroom is quite small, and features a fan in the centre of the ceiling, so a chandelier was out of the question. The next best solution was a pretty lamp with dangling bling detail! We selected Target's Orana table lamp in white, to add a little elegance to her room. The organza ribbon covered shade emits loads of soft light...perfect for a bedroom.

3. Personalise her space
Let's face it...girls love stamping their name on their space. I spied the Birds 5 clip photo holder in Target's home decor section, and I instantly envisaged it being used for some bunting!

This project couldn't be any easier! Simply select some paint chips from your local hardware store, then cut out letters and shapes that suit your child's name and personality. Eme and I chose colours that coordinated with her new Target bedding, and the letters and hearts were cut out freehand.  It doesn't matter that they're not perfect...they're meant to be a little fun! This is a feature that can be swapped around as her mood suits, and I dare say images of Reece Mastin will be hanging from there soon! lol.  Luckily for us, the little birds slid perfectly around the mirror of Eme's dresser without the need to fix it there permanently.

4. Add some comfort
When you're adding decorative elements to a room, consider how your child will be using the space. Throw pillows are not just for decoration in a tween's room. Cushions will end up on the floor, used for lounging upon while listening to music, playing games, or for sitting on and talking to friends. Eme and I added two new Target cushions to her bed...a soft, fluffy purple cushion, and fun, neon, "Follow Your Dreams" cushion from the Combi Girl collection. A third Target cushion (the teal Jemima cushion), was repurposed from another area in our house...you might remember it from our outdoor entertaining space! Eme's purple unicorn pillow pet also made the cut. It's important to let your child retain their treasured possessions as well.

5. Embrace technology
Last, but certainly not least, include a small system for your child to play music. Eme spends a lot of time listening to music, and dancing around her room. Target's iCoustic 4 in 1 accessory kit pumps out great sound, and has the added benefit of charging the iPod as it plays...no more device chargers all over the house! This system was on sale at Target for $10...such a bargain!!

Eme also selected this pretty, coral coloured mini birdcage tealight candle holder from Target, to decorate her new space as well, proudly telling me that it's the same colour featured on her new quilt cover! Ahhhh, just like mumma...so proud.  All of the items shown above, were purchased for Eme's room for under $100.

It was well worth shopping the Target stocktake sales...not only did we pick up some great bargains, but spent some quality mummy/daughter time together. Eme and I had a lot of fun picking out the pieces to decorate her room. By addressing the areas I've highlighted above, and involving your tween in the shopping and decorating process, you will create a space they will love for many years to come.

Note:

• The portrait of Emeline was painted by the super talented Jamie Dougherty.
• The paint colour used in Eme's room is "Open Air" by Taubmans.