At last — the reveal of our teen son’s completely redecorated bedroom. We pulled off a surprise week-long makeover in just eight days while he was away, and now the room is finally ready. If you want the full backstory, look up the project’s introduction with video, Day One, and Days 2, 3 & More posts to see how we planned and executed this budget-friendly transformation.
Video note: We recorded our son’s reaction and a walkthrough of the finished room. The video shows the big reveal, close-ups of the details, and our thoughts about the process.
Teen Bedroom Makeover Reveal Photos and Details
Hallway View
This photo shows the view from the doorway — night-and-day compared with how the room looked before. We positioned the new, larger bed against the wall, which our son preferred, and moved the dresser to the foot of the bed to fit the new layout. Small hardware choices made a big difference: a simple, inexpensive curtain rod brightened the window, and a sprayed light fixture ties into the overall look. Those small changes help the same curtains feel brand new and more cohesive with the room.
New Bed
Here you can see the window wall before and after. The custom bed that Brian built became the centerpiece of the makeover. We kept costs low by reusing some materials while buying only what was necessary:
- Pine for the side rails, special large bolts for assembly/disassembly, and decorative post caps: $51.96. (Other wood and paint came from previous projects.)
- Found a double mattress and box spring on Craigslist: $20. Total for the bed frame plus mattress/box spring: $71.96.
- Mattress pad, sheets (including a cover for the box spring), and a comforter: $72.23. Final total for the entire bed with linens: $144.19.
Buying all the linens at once was new for me and a bit pricier than expected, but it still felt like good value for a complete, fresh look. I searched for pre-packaged sets but most designs didn’t fit the style we wanted, so picking pieces individually worked best.
The Nightstand
The previous skirted table just didn’t suit a teen boy — it lacked a drawer and collected dust. We found a simple nightstand that met our needs and fit the room’s new style for $79.99. I had hoped to thrift something and give it a makeover, but local thrift stores either had damaged pieces or prices that didn’t match our budget in the timeframe we had. With the time pressure, buying new made the most sense.
To finish the nightstand area, I updated a basic clay pot and a plastic waste basket with oil-rubbed bronze spray paint to coordinate with the lamp transformation I’d done earlier. Small finishes like these help the bedside look intentional and pulled together.
The Closet
Yes — this is a very typical teen closet. For the makeover we extended the new flooring into the closet and painted it to match the room. We kept many of his existing items, reused vintage gym baskets he already owned, and donated a lot of excess clothing and stuff. The result is a much neater, more functional closet. How long it stays organized remains to be seen, but it’s a solid start.
The Bookshelf
The bookshelf Brian built years ago and the bulletin board I made had simply been buried under clutter. We moved them to the closet wall to make room for the bigger bed, and the shelves now fit the space much better. I also like how the creamy white wood contrasts with the room’s light khaki walls — it brightens the space and displays his things more attractively.
The Dresser
This dresser has been with us for years. It started as a roadside find that I textured with tissue paper and glue, then painted and glazed to disguise damage. Over time the texture wore in places, the drawers weren’t perfect, and the textured top made dusting harder. We considered replacing it but didn’t find an affordable, well-sized alternative, so I refreshed the paint and touched up the damaged spots. It cleaned up nicely for now, and we’ll keep searching for a better long-term piece when time and budget allow.
The Brown Paper Floor
To stay on budget, I replaced the old carpet with a torn brown kraft-paper decoupage technique, sealed with multiple coats of polyurethane. I used this method successfully in our previous home and it delivers the look of wood floors for a fraction of the cost. Early on I worried because the paper developed wrinkles, but they relaxed and smoothed out before we finished the room. My son says the floor is one of his favorite features — he thinks it looks cool, and I agree.
We finished the floor with a large 5×8 rug found as a remnant for $39.99, which was a great deal compared with the usual prices for that size.
Final numbers: the total cost for the room makeover came to $394.73. I had hoped to come in closer to $300, but some items — like the nightstand, materials for the floor, and polyurethane — were more than expected. Still, under $400 for a full bedroom refresh, new bed, linens, and updated flooring is a win. Replacing carpet or installing real wood would have cost much more.
– Jami