A Graffiti Wall for Your Teens – Decorating a Room for Teenagers

Teens love to write and draw all over everything. Just pick up a notebook, or look around the house. They love to doodle, and they love to see their names in print, especially if the name of the “hot” guy –or girl- at school is next to it. This is the perfect opportunity for you to give your teens a chance to express themselves, and it’s also a chance for you to become known as a cool parent.

The idea may sound a little crazy, but what teen wouldn’t love to have a graffiti wall in his or her bedroom? You’re probably thinking, “No way!” You’re imagining all sorts of damage to your walls, but, what if you could instantly become a cool parent and still protect your home?

Here’s how:

Using a staple gun, cover one wall with poster board. It is best to use two layers, to insure that paints and markers won’t seep through onto the wall. Or, you can line the wall with batting first, and then apply the poster board.

The next step is easy. Allow your teen and his or her friends to write and draw all over the wall. You obviously won’t want them to use spray paint, but it’s a good idea to make that clear before the poster board goes up. You will of course have to set other ground rules. Let kids know in advance that nothing profane or vulgar will be tolerated and that only markers, pens, poster paints, or items you deem suitable can be used to draw on the wall. It’s also a good idea to let them know that the graffiti wall is the only wall they may draw on.

The kids will have fun and your teen’s room will be a happenin’ hang out. When your child outgrows the graffiti wall, she can take it down and cut out special sections to add to a scrapbook.

If you prefer not to cover the entire wall, create a large frame from 2 x 2’s and stretch a new canvas drop cloth over it. Staple one edge of the cloth to the back of the frame, then stretch it as taut as possible and staple the parallel edge. Do the same for the other two sides.

You can either take the frame outside and let the kids go nuts with spray paint or other paints, or you can hang the frame in your teen’s room so it can be a work in progress. Again, make sure the kids know which mediums are acceptable for use inside your home.

When you hang the oversized frame on the wall, make sure it is level. Always attach large pieces of “artwork” to studs. Despite the large size of the frame, it won’t be extremely heavy, since the largest portion of it is made from canvas. Still, you don’t want it to hurt someone, break something, or harm your wall, so be sure to attach it securely.

When the canvas is covered with art, your teen may want to start over. Simply take the canvas down and paint over the existing artwork. Once it’s dry, he can begin expressing himself again.

You will be the coolest parent on the block when your teen unveils his graffiti wall. Just remember that “coolness” wears off quickly, so you should already be thinking up your next adventure in teenage decorating.