A Tween Room With Personality
Sports, books, glamour and a dramatic floral wall came together in this bedroom refresh designed to mark the move from childhood to the tween years.
There is something special about the transition from elementary to middle school. It feels like the beginning of a new chapter—and for this project, I wanted the bedroom to reflect that.
My young client had a wonderfully specific mix of interests: she loved sports, books and a little glamour. Rather than starting over, the goal was to work with the key furniture she already had and transform the room through color, pattern, storage and a few carefully chosen additions.
The result felt completely different—and, most importantly, completely her.
The Starting Point
The existing furniture gave me a good foundation, so there was no reason to replace everything.
Instead, I created a palette of black and white, purple and gold—graphic enough to feel more grown-up, with just enough color and metallic detail to keep it fun.
This wasn't about creating a precious little girl's room. I wanted something bolder that could take her into the next stage.
The Moodboard
The Wall That Changed Everything
The room is spacious with beautiful vaulted ceilings, and I knew immediately that the wall behind the bed could handle something dramatic.
I found enormous peony decals from Urbanwalls, and they became the defining element of the room.
The oversized black-and-white flowers completely changed the scale of the space. Against the purple and gold accents, they gave the room exactly the mix I was after—dramatic, feminine and a little glamorous without feeling childish.
This is where I'd place your before-and-after photographs side by side. They're much more powerful here than simply having a generic “before” image somewhere in the post.
Pictures of the bed area before
Picture of bed area after…..
A Place for Her Books
Books were important to her, but the room didn't have a bookcase.
I added a bookshelf with gold detailing, which gave us the practical storage we needed while tying into the more glamorous elements of the room. Baskets and bins added additional storage without making everything feel overly organized or adult.
The gold details throughout the room were small, but they made a difference. They elevated the black, white and purple palette and gave the room a little sparkle.
Dresser Area
Gold Bookcase for Books & Storage
The Piece She Loved Most
The swing chair was probably the biggest hit.
It gave her somewhere to curl up with a book and created a little destination within the bedroom that wasn't the bed or a desk. It quickly became her favorite reading spot.
And I think that's one of the most satisfying things about designing for children: sometimes the piece that completes the design is also the one that completely changes how they use their room.
A cozy nook for reading
What I Love About This Project
This wasn't a complete renovation. We kept what worked and changed what didn't.
A dramatic wall treatment, a stronger color palette, better storage, a reading spot and a few glamorous details were enough to give the room an entirely new identity.
But my favorite part was that the design came directly from her personality.
Sports. Books. Glamour.
They don't necessarily sound like an obvious decorating combination—and that's precisely what made the room interesting.
MBellished Design Notes
Work with what's already good. A refresh doesn't require replacing everything.
Use scale to your advantage. Those soaring ceilings could handle enormous flowers that might overwhelm a smaller room.
Design around personality, not a theme. Her interests gave the room character without turning it into a “sports room” or a “book room.”
Give children somewhere to retreat. The swing chair wasn't just decorative—it became her place to read.
A little glamour goes a long way. Gold accents were enough to elevate the entire palette.
The MBellished Edit
Oversized Floral Wall Decals
The design decision that transformed the room.
Swing Chair
Her favorite spot in the finished space.
Gold-Detail Bookcase
Storage that became part of the design.
Baskets & Storage
Practical pieces that still worked with the palette.
Gold Accessories
Small details that brought in the glamour.