How do I personalize my room with furniture I don't like?

I'm a 17 year old kid, and I have too much furniture! I can't change my furniture because I'll be going off to college fall of 2008 but I want a somewhat modern room - what can I do to "temporarily" modernize it for a low cost and make it look like a 17 year old lives here? I've got a tall dark wood dresser, 2 dark wood night stands, a long dark wood dress, big dark wood mirror and a queen size dark wood bed -- it doesn't look like a kid should be living here -- what can I do to make it "cool" at a low cost? Posters didn't help :/

How do I personalize my room with furniture I don't like?
If you wouldn't get into too much trouble with your parents, you might consider painting it. It sounds like you have adult and married furniture??? Not sure if even painting it would help. It's all about the style of the furniture as well. If it's big and bulky, with carved posts, then painting it won't help. If it is kinda like mission furniture with straight lines and sharp corners, then paint would work. Then find some cool knobs to replace the old ones with. Cruise some yard sales for cool stuff you can modify and fit in.





Go to BHG.com and look at the ideas they have for decorating. They had a cool idea for a really cheap piece of art that would look very modern and it's easy. If I remember correctly it went like this:





Find a large canvas either one you buy, maybe an existing picture you don't like, maybe make a square/rectangle frame from scrap wood and stretch fabric over it and staple to the back side. (if you use the fabric idea you will need to do the art part before you attach to the frame I think)





Get left over paint (if you paint your furniture, there you go) or get acrylic paint from Walmart in the craft section in bottles...they run about 50 cents. or try your local home improvement store like Lowes or Home Depot and find some OOOPSS paint. That's paint that has been mixed incorrectly or someone returned. They price it real low to get rid of it.





The get three or four different size cans. Have your mom save the cans that the veggies and soups and stuff come in. Clean them up.





Put your different paints in paper plates. Then dip your can rim side into the paint. maybe dab a bit on a towel so not too much excess. Then radomly stamp circles on your canvas. do a few different colors if you like and a few different sizes.





Hang it with no frame for a more modern look. Or maybe make a frame from molding. Paint it white or a complimentary color.





If you find some OOOPSS paint you like in a few coordinating colors, then you might just get enough for the furniture and the walls.





If you are a girl, (which I didn't notice) Then paint the furniture white, put a pastel cornflower blue on the walls or a purple or even a bright green. Find some coordinating colors for your Modern art.





Accesorize with colored vase from Walmart (check out the craft section or the area where they keep the fake flowers). Throw in some glass beads and a candle or fake flower.





Clear way the clutter. Modern is minimal. Take down curtains and use just blinds.





If your a guy, paint the furniture black. Get silver or chrome paint for your lamp. Get a cheap chrome cieling fan. Slap some barely grey off-white paint on the walls. Put up dark grey blinds (or paint them if you have some in place). Find a neon clock in red or blue. Maybe throw in a lava lamp. Clear the clutter.
Reply:First you probably don't need that much furniture. Sell your mirror (uggh). You should only need your bed - something to keep your clothes in / storage and a one bed-side table. Less furniture will modernise your room. Go to the hardware store with your money from selling the things you don't need and but a long mirror to mount on the back of your door.


If your furniture is in ok condition good.


If not, buy a tin of paint in a good basic color like white or deep dark blue. Paint carefully everything.


Get Mom to make, or buy from discount store dark blue tab top curtains.


Go for the deep blue and white - it will freshen up your room. If you want to add accessories why not pick something you like - your favorite sports team - movie - hot car - boat and buy a big poster. Glue it to a stretched canvas (you can buy them from discount stores or art / fabric stores). Paint the sides deep blue to match your furniture. Hang it on the wall behind your bed.


Add pillows and cushions on your bed in matching dark blues, whites and a color that appears on the poster (maybe a hot red or yellow).


Keep your room tidy. Maybe get some storage tubs in wicker to keep junk in under your bed.


Get some old car / bike parts and wire heaps of them all over on a stretched canvas (paint the background dark blue first) - bolts - nuts - bike wheel spokes etc. Hang on the wall.


You can get really cool alarm clocks and wall clocks shaped like basketballs or car wheels - depending on your style to put on the wall.


So your room can look like a kids room - but not a "Little" kids room.


Add a stack of magazines / books / playstation games relating to your favorite thing (matching the room - hot cars, boats, sport) in a wicker basket or on top of your side table.


Hope this inspires you somewhat?
Reply:Put up some posters on the wall .Go go used srore or other low cost store and get a couple mod lamps or mood lamps. Put some pillows . large ones around on your bed.Make a book case on top of your dark dresser. { book ends I mean] Put up some pictures in medal frames on your nite stands, If you can Paint one wall a bright color and add some modern mirrors.. Hope all works out for you....
Reply:funky mirror a bright paint color......contrast.....like if ur saying that everything is of a dark wood then a nice blue on the wall would look nice.... also u can throw in some white to add a bit more color......a nice rug....some nice window treaments....