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Tween/Tween Bathroom Redo – 5 Ways to Create a Space YOUR Teen Will Love!

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before and after teen bathroom at tatertots and jello

When we moved into our home, there was no bathroom in our basement. A couple of years later we thought it might be a good idea to put a bathroom on that floor. And as our kids have grown, our oldest daughter has taken residence in the basement. As a 17-year-old it gives her a little more independence to play her music and have her own space. This September, our 14-year-old started high school and she begged us to move down to the basement with her BFF sister. It touches my heart how much the two girls have grown to love each other.

painting-the-bathroom-cabinet[1]

And the bathroom down there was SO dark! For some reason when we refinished it 10 years ago I thought it would be awesome to use a sandstone MAROON paint. What??? And there is no window, no natural light. So it really was so dark and so hard to see anything.

I started redoing the bathroom about 18 months ago, and then I got distracted with the #1905Cottage remodel, which has been SO fun! But now that the cottage is almost done, I am refocused on getting our main house up to date. With two teenage girls down there, we really needed to update the bathroom! This is an inexpensive way to update a room. We kept all of the basics intact – the ceramic tile floors, the vanity cabinet, the countertops, even the faucet!!

Here are 5 ways to create a organized space for YOUR tween/teens!! 

hang up the towels

towel rack at tatertots and jello

Step 1: Easy Towels. The first thing to know about teens is they are busy/lazy. They want the easiest way to have access to their things. So instead of hanging a towel rod or cabinet, just hang up some hooks and let them hang their towels up. It looks great and it’s no-fuss!! I also put a basket on the floor next to the toilet with extra toilet paper rolls. No excuses not to change the rolls.

makeup station bathrrom redo

Step 2: Makeup Station. I bought a ceramic tray and put a vase with makeup brushes that my daughter Hannah created with rice – she’s so smart!! Then I paired it with an inexpensive vanity mirror for makeup application.

makeup station in tween bathroom redo

And I found a really cute yellow and wood stool that the girls can use to sit on when they do their makeup.

 

step 3 - keep things accessible

Step 3: Keep Things Accessible. With teens and their busy schedules, I think it’s a great idea to keep things they use frequently close at hand. I took a triple ceramic plant holder and used it for some items that my girls use — razors, makeup remover pads and nail polish. It looks great and is very functional. I hung really modern shelves from the paneling and that is where I am storing these fun items and greenery to add a little color and softness to the room. And they can each store their makeup and toiletries in designated drawers.

teen tween bedroom at tatertots and jello

Step 4:  Better Light. It makes no sense to create a makeup station without good light.  Both of my teens are girls and looking good is SUPER IMPORTANT. Before, the bathroom was so dark that doing makeup was difficult. The lights weren’t bright enough and the maroon (what was I thinking?) paint seemed to absorb what little light there was. We installed a new light fixture, and installed paneling which we hung horizontally for more visual interest. It gives the look of planked walls without the time or expense of planking. We did have to put in some inexpensive molding around the edges of the paneling to add a finished look (and we caulked the edges too). And then we painted it white to give the room more light.

 

teentween bathroom redo at taterots and jello

Step 5: Painted Cabinets. The last thing we did was paint the cabinets in the bathroom to tie the colors together — the girls like everything to match (and so do I). When we finished the room 10 years ago we bought a cheap vanity. I think it was pine or maple. To make the room POP I wanted to paint the vanity in my favorite paint color – Gloss Gray Spray Paint from Rustoleum. And since the vanity was in the room, I knew that I couldn’t spray paint it. So I took my spray paint into Lowes and the super nice paint desk girl color matched it in gloss interior Valspar — a more paintable version. I love that color! I painted the whole thing with a smooth roller and it looks amazing!! TIP — if you are going to repaint wood, sand it with your mouse sander, then prime it and then paint it with your top coat. I did 3 coats of top coat. You will also want to use a small angled brush to get the corners.

I also added some pretty knobs to add a feminine, final touch.

I added a few accessories. And I am so thrilled with the way the room turned out. My girls love it and that really is the most important thing to me. 

PS — It’s also awesome to add a little motivational art too! I found this art from Cavalcade, an awesome local designer.

Thanks Lowe’s for the gift cards to transform this room into something my family loves!! 

Do YOU have a bathroom story? Let me know in the comments!!

I would love to hear about it!!

You can follow along with Lowe’s on Facebook for more great ideas and sign up for their FREE Creative Ideas Magazine with TONS of great DIY  ideas and instructions!!

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Have a CREATIVE Day! 

xoxo

jen signature

Thanks to Lowe’s for the gift cards for materials for this project. See my disclosures.

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Comments

  1. lindsay says

    Hey! LOVE the paneling! Would love more details so I know where to locate it in Lowes. It’s not beadboard, is it? Do you recall the name? How do you get it to stick to the wall? Super silly questions I’m sure!!! : / Love how it brightens up the room! Would we need to paint it or does it come white? Can molding do you use to give the finished look? Thanks!!!!

  2. Lauren says

    I love how your bathroom remodel came out! I recently updated my tweens’ bathroom by switching out the animal decals and adding newfashion-related decor, and by updating their rug and shower curtain. I would like to follow your lead and add some more storage for their beauty supplies, too!

  4. joann says

    This looks terrific!
    I have a teenage boy that has moved downstairs with his own bathroom. It’s critical to make things easy for them. I didn’t have to worry about the makeup storage, but all of the hair products!

  5. Debra says

    In the second picture it looks like a creepy, scary person in reflection on shower door.. I see it’s the printable but it looks very Octoberish.

  8. TidyMom says

    I love this Jen. Allison (17) has the basement bathroom to herself as well, and you’ve given me a few ideas to spruce it up for her!

  9. Laughing Abi says

    Jen,
    LOVE the simplicity of this room. And the yellow stool? Where did you find it?!

    Dying to tackle some indoor projects but must finish my back porch reno marathon before the snow blows. Pinning this post so I can remember your ideas this winter. Thanks for sharing.

  10. Tara says

    Do you put anything on the cabinets as a top coat….I haven’t found cabinets to wear well.

    • Jen says

      Hi Tara!

      I haven’t put anything on as a top coat. I am sure you could put a couple coats of polyurethane on cabinets. I’m going to see how it wears. If it isn’t wearing well, I will lightly sand it and put a couple coats of poly on.

      xoxo

  13. Linda says

    Thanks so much for sharing this makeover. My 2children share a bathroom with the exact layout of yours. I love the light fixture over the mirror. Can you share where you purchased it?

    ~Linda

    • Jen says

      Hi Shelley!

      The paneling is from Lowes. You can find it with the other sheeting and paneling near the lumber. It is already primed so very easy to paint.

      xoxo

  15. Leigh Anne@YourHomebasedMom says

    I came home from class tonight to find that my husband had decided to repaint the cabinets in our master bath!! Surprise, surprise! He used a foam roller and it doesn’t leave a smooth surface like spray does – what type of foam roller did you use to get the smoothest finish. Love the bathroom!

    • Jen says

      Hi Leigh!

      I use a smooth foam paint roller, once the paint rolls on it should smooth out into a very fine finish. You need to put the paint on fairly thick and then it should smooth down one it’s applies.

      I am excited to see your bathroom!

      xxoxo

  22. Laura B. says

    So question on painting over the sandstone walls. We just moved into a house that has the same maroon sandstone in the master bath (feels like sandpaper, right?).
    How do you paint over that to lose the sandpaper-ness? Killz? Or is that why you went with the planking??
    Thanks in advance! Your bathroom is super cute!!

    • Jen says

      Hi Laura!

      That was part of the reason we put in the planking. I sanded down the other two walls with my mouse sander. It was dusty but it only took a couple of hours. My master bathroom is also painted with the sandstone paint. And that room is much larger than this one, so I am psyching myself up to tackle that room next. Good luck with your room! I would love to see it when you are done!!

      xoox

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