Becoming an empty nester can feel a bit sad and disorienting at first, but those feelings do begin to fade with time. Once you begin to recover, the reality is that having your child move out of the house and spread their wings in the real world means that you’ve got a lot more time on your hands — and likely an extra bedroom, to boot.
While some parents choose to turn their child’s former bedroom into a shrine that documents every step of their growing-up days (perfect for walks down memory lane when the adult child visits with a new significant other in tow), we suggest making better use of that space by turning it into a guest room. Redoing a bedroom isn’t hard, and it will provide a comfortable place for anyone who visits — your adult child included. Here are a few things to remember when transforming your adult child’s room from a teenage wonderland into a space that is nice for visitors.
Box up the Kid Stuff
As hard as it will be, when you’re redoing a bedroom and turning it from your child’s personal space into a guest bedroom, you’ve got to commit. This means boxing up posters, trophies, treasured teddy bears, and other items that belong to your child. Your guests will be much more comfortable if they don’t have Mr. Snugglesworth gazing down at them as they try to get a good night’s sleep. As for your child, if they want to immerse themselves in nostalgia when they visit, they can head to the attic or basement where you have these items stashed.
Start Fresh With a Brand-New Paint Color
You’ll find that one of the biggest transformations you can make when redoing a bedroom is updating the paint color. Your child’s room may have been neon green or decked out in blackboard paint, allowing them to chalk the walls to express their artistic side. It may even have been a more conservative, subtler color. No matter what, changing the paint color will help you cross the threshold from “This is Evan’s room” to “This is our new guest room.”
Choosing a new paint color for a bedroom is a big step, but never fear! Keep in mind that it’s best to choose a soothing, relaxing tone for a bedroom space. Use SureSwatch to help you choose the ideal color. Don’t forget that each SureSwatch also includes a tool to help you choose the right primer and get the ideal amount of coverage without using excess coats of paint.
When Redoing a Bedroom, Little Touches Make a Huge Difference
Kid paraphernalia boxed up? Check. Walls painted a gorgeous color? Check. What’s next?
Consider what touches would make you feel comfortable if you were staying at a friend or family member’s home. This includes high-quality bedding and super-nice pillows. Add a few accents such as a chair to relax in and interesting books for guests to flip through before bed. Don’t forget to include a basket for guest towels. If the bedroom is attached to a bathroom, you might even equip the bath with tiny single-use bottles of shampoo and body wash — a touch that shows you truly care!
While redoing a bedroom to turn it from your child’s personal space into a place for all your guests to enjoy may feel strange at first, you’ll find you get more use out of the room when you update it this way. Although your child may be weirded out by the change at first, they’ll become comfortable with the idea over time … especially when they bring that first significant other home to meet you and don’t have to explain the poster of their former favorite pop star tacked to the ceiling above the bed!
Redoing a bedroom? Check out our painting tips for ideas and inspiration!
Find SureSwatch at Home Depot, and Ace Hardware.
