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Madeleine's Surprise Make Over

Imagine going away to camp and leaving your cute -- but dated -- room behind, and coming back to a sophisticated cool-as-heck new room? That's what happened to 14-year-old Madeleine when her mother redid her room as a birthday/going-to-high-school surprise. View more photos after the jump...

 
 

We’re suckers for white rooms and Madeleine's is certainly a prime example of why: clean, so modern and with just enough punches of color. Madeleine's mom, AB, writes on her Web site, "…I decided she needed an all new big girl room design for her new big girl life. She went to a 3-week camp in mid-July, at which point Vince and I began working furiously to paint, refinish the floors, and redecorate her room. The whole thing was a big surprise, so I spent the last 3 weeks being alternately excited about the whole thing, and nervous that she would hate it. She didn't. A lot."

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Before the Makeover

We have always been a great fan of IKEA’s Lack shelves and the way they are used here shows how versatile and classic they are. We love the look of the layered rugs, which add great texture to the room. Other favorites include the Marimekko Bonbon Pillow from Crate and Barrel. Throw in some great finishing touches like fresh flowers, a Mason jar, a homemade sock monkey and you've got yourself a great room.

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To read more about the makeover, visit Hashai.

Comments (22)

Wow, it looks great! Lucky girl with a stylish (and thoughtful!) mom. I hope she loved it! But what I want to know is, where did you get that bed?

posted by hyzen on August 4th 2009 at 1:27pm
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Ok, looking at your post again, it looks like the bed is from Ikea--who knew? Very nice!

posted by hyzen on August 4th 2009 at 1:30pm
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Great room! I want to go jump on that bed myself!!!

I LOVE reading posts about teen/tween posts on ohdeedoh - its good to see stuff thats not just nurseries. Keep 'em coming ohdeedoh!

posted by suewanda on August 4th 2009 at 2:52pm
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this is a beautiful, elegant room for a young lady. Love Madds and happy birthday

posted by Anusha73 on August 4th 2009 at 3:02pm
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I am not a fan of black and red together, but this room is so well done, I may have to change my mind! So great and perfect for a teen.

posted by mrslaurenleigh on August 4th 2009 at 5:54pm
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Awesome room! But... what about the experience of picking out things to put in your own space for yourself? On second thought, I would love this type of surprise right now.

posted by slobound on August 4th 2009 at 8:17pm
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Funny. This EXACT thing happened to me when I was a kid.
When I went away to camp I had a room with Raggedy Ann and Andy wallpaper. When I got back two weeks later, the walls were painted white and black, and I had new custom made bookshelves to replace the boards and bricks I had before. It was amazing.

posted by falconette on August 4th 2009 at 8:36pm
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The bed is ikea. They did it in brown, then yellow (which I have) and this year it's white.

The whole bed scape is amazing. Love all the pillows, she has good taste. What an amazingly large room! I'm jealous.

posted by st@cy on August 4th 2009 at 8:38pm
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i love it! i only wish my room was that big... and that my mother was that creative.

posted by jasminerose on August 4th 2009 at 8:40pm
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Lucky girl with very creative mom! Love everything in the room!

posted by ivpb74 on August 5th 2009 at 12:07am
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Wow - what a cool mom! When I was 10, I started saving money to buy some simple pieces of furniture from Workbench (remember that place?) because I hated my parent's taste in furniture so much. By the time I got to high school I had a desk, bookshelf, bureau, a very cool floor lamp and swing back chair. And I made my own tab curtains out of sheets. The rest of the house - that was their problem.

posted by home body on August 5th 2009 at 10:25am
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It's a great thought, but if my parents had done that to me, I would have been upset at the invasion of my privacy. Not that there was anything terribly secret in there that my parents shouldn't have seen, but it was the principle of the thing. I would have needed notice before any renovation.

posted by Pencils on August 5th 2009 at 11:19am
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as great as the room is I am with pencils. my mom redid my room when I was away the summer before starting high school. she was really proud of it and it looked nice, but I was upset that she had done something so major with MY space without me.

I felt like I had to be really appreciative because she had worked so hard, but what I was really thinking the entire time was that she invaded my space and I had wanted to do it myself.

...Which just goes to show how self-centered we used to be! I think I might try to copy those shades. And I wish that bed were still available in dk brown.

posted by BlueLM on August 6th 2009 at 7:49am
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a little harsh. BlueLM.

I just meant that home design is a personal thing, for us now that we are adults, and for teenage girls as well.

I didn't like my mom redoing my room when I was a teenager, because it was my room--my personal space, my journal on the bookshelf, my secret hiding places for all those things that I didn't want my mother to find.

additionally, my mom and I have different taste, as a teenager I was just starting to explore my taste. the room she did was nice, but not what I would have chosen.

the experience would have been more fun for me, and a better bonding experience for both of us, if we had been able to do it together.

this room is absolutely beautiful, and I hope that madeleine loves it.

Simply stunning and such a fab surprise! in these times and any times a complete joy and luxury! to be super thankfull for. I love the black Chandelier and wonder where that came from?

Sock monkeys rule!!!
Katy
http://fengshuibyfishgirl.com

posted by FengShuiByFishgirl on August 9th 2009 at 5:18pm
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I have to disagree with Pencils. Looking at the before pics..she really didn't change the overall style of the room. She just replaced sloppy pieces with more polished ones (the bed, window treatments, lighting, bedding...those are big ticket items that a 14-year-old wouldn't usually have a say in anyway).

This girl is still totally free to customize her space and make it her own with artwork, her memo board etc.

posted by st@cy on August 9th 2009 at 7:33pm
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That bed is so cool! I like pillows and curtains as well, they match together. Well done!

posted by LinenKids on August 11th 2009 at 1:36am
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Turnabout is fair play---someday Madeleine may surprise mom with what my 25-year-old daughter just did for me. She dog-sat for me while I was out of town recently and deep-cleaned and re-vamped my office and sewing room. She even brought her label-maker with her!

She's currently my favorite child.

posted by mjs7640 on August 18th 2009 at 9:36am
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Wow! I love love love this room. Where did you find the curtains and chandelier?

posted by Born2BeeWild on August 18th 2009 at 1:32pm
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i used that same ikea bed for my guest room. a lot of bang for the buck. i'm always worried to much ikea furniture will make a place look like an ikea ad but you proved me wrong with all the great accessories.