The last time we decorated my teenage daughter's bedroom was when she was three years old – she is now 14 and it is in desperate need of a refresh. We were planning on moving house up until earlier this year and so had been putting off many decorating jobs. However, we have now decided to stay put and extend meaning many very overdue tasks are back on the to-do list – including putting some stylish teenage bedroom ideas into action.
The bedroom was mainly painted white, although the wall featuring the original chimney breast had been painted a duck egg blue at some stage. What all the walls had in common though was the fact that they were covered in scrapes, fingerprints, smears of make-up and various lotions and potions and an array of ugly scuffs.
Decisions on the overall decor scheme of the room were made much easier thanks to my daughter's extensive Pinterest boards – and she had her heart set on an inky grey for the chimney breast, complete with classic panelling. Here's how we set about turning the idea into reality, step-by-step.
1. Choosing paint colours
This was a tricky task – we knew we wanted the chimney breast to become a bit of a feature wall, and my daughter was keen on something really bold and dramatic. We tried out all kinds of deep shades, from forest greens to stormy navy, but in the end settled on Railings by Farrow & Ball, a hue billed as being 'a softer alternative to black' and perfect for 'enveloping spaces'. If you are after grey bedroom ideas I'd definitely consider using this shade.
Finding a colour for the rest of the walls that would act as a warm, neutral backdrop for the dramatic dark shade was tricky – my daughter was adamant that it shouldn't be too white, have no cream or yellow to it and wasn't in any way grey... Not easy.
After much back and forthing with paint samples, we settled on Piano White from the Dulux Heritage range. It is really clean and, while there is a slight yellow undertone, in this particular room, it just comes across as nice and warm.
2. Preparing the walls for painting
As I said, the walls in this room were in a bit of a dire state and by the time we got around to painting them, they were also covered in a patchwork of various paint colours where we had sampled a little too enthusiastically meaning we had to use some techniques for painting over dark colours before getting started.
Luckily, the wall we were focusing on turning into a feature needed less in the way of prep than the others, largely due to the fact that the blue black colour would cover all manner of defects – we had opted for the 'Dead Flat' finish which is incredibly durable and hardwearing and is ideal for use on uneven walls.
A quick dust down and clean off with sugar soap, as well as a hoover of the picture rail, skirting and fireplace left the wall ready to paint.
Shop wall prep essentials
I find these come in handy for so many DIY jobs and they work particularly well when dusting and wiping down walls ready for painting as they leave no bits of fluff or dust behind. They are also washable making them an economic choice.
Perfect for removing dirt, grease and grime from all kinds of surfaces, including walls and tiles, before painting, this sugar soap is easy to use thanks to the handy spray bottle – simply apply and then wipe away.
While the chimney breast wasn't too damaged, the other walls in the room definitely were. This wall filler is ready to use and gives a nice smooth finish. It goes on purple and dries white so you know when it is ready to paint.
3. Painting the wall
Our chosen paint went on like a dream – the coverage was so good that we really only needed one coat, although we did two. This is one of the benefits of buying premium paint. I since tried to scrimp on the paint for our front door and really noticed the difference in texture and coverage.
Because the colour is so dark it was really important that we masked off the areas where we didn't want it – skirting boards, picture rail and, of course, the fireplace. I find Frogtape to be one of the best ways of doing this.
Perfect for preventing paint bleed and keeping cutting-in lines nice and crisp. This particular Frogtape is ideal for delicate surfaces too. We were painting onto lining paper so this really helped.
4. Getting ready to fit the panelling
This was a first for me. We did use a few wall panelling ideas in the living room where we installed tongue and groove boards to clad one wall, but in terms of grid-style kits, I had no experience.
Our particular panelling kit was by Richard Burbidge from B&Q and came in the form of 12 pre-cut lightweight pieces of wood, each measuring 12 x 32 x 420mm. The corners of each were mitred to fit together easily and all the installation instructions were easy to find on Richard Burbidge's website.
Before getting started we assembled all the kit we would need although, in all honesty, the tool list wasn't too extensive. All that was needed was a spirit level and a suitable adhesive. We used No More Nails. You can also further secure each piece with a nail gun if you want.
Wall panelling fitting kit
Containing 12 pieces to make three panels, each pre-cut to 420mm x 420mm, the fact that the corners are are angled is such a help – plus they fitted together perfectly. They are lightweight too meaning fixing them to the wall is super simple.
Even with a spirit level it was tricky to get our panels to look straight as the fireplace is off-centre and the picture rail was a little off too. However, this nifty spirit level makes things easier with its clear vials and lightweight construction.
Perfect for all kinds of DIY tasks, even heavy duty jobs, this adhesive can be used on wood, brick, plaster and even metal. Bear in mind you will need the gun to take the cartridge, but once you have it application is mess-free and easy.
5. Measuring and fixing
I had originally planned on using the kit to create some bedroom wall panelling ideas revolving around three square grids set next to each other centrally over the chimney breast, but when I measured again, I realised this wouldn't work with the dimensions of the chimney breast – oops. Instead, we decided to to set two squares next to another with another below.
Once we had marked the position of the panels on the wall, we applied the adhesive to the back of the panels and stuck them into place, using a spirit level to ensure they were nice and straight – not easy given the unevenness of the walls in this house. We then repeated the process for the remaining panels.
When in place we checked the corners for gaps, although there were not really any to speak of. If you do find gaps, these can be filled with filler before sanding smooth.
6. Painting and finishing the panelling
Next it was time to paint the panelling in the same shade as the wall. There is no need for priming which makes this a really quick job.
Again, we used two coats, applied using a brush, but probably could have got away with one just as with the wall.
With the panels in place it was time to stand back and admire – as well as to hang some nice twinkly fairy lights to bring the whole thing to life.
FAQs
How much does wall panelling cost?
The cost of wall panelling varies depending on how much you are buying and whether or not you are buying it in off-the-shelf kit form, as we did, or having something custom made.
Our kit cost £25. Other than that there were no additional costs as we had the adhesive and paint already.
Struggling to decide what shade to paint your own bedroom? Take a look at our guide to the best bedroom colours for all kinds of styles to ensure you get this all-important decision spot on.
