11 year old bedroom

[deflatedbirthday]

DSC are returning from holiday with their mum (right now actually - I'm watching their flight take off on an air tracker). Whilst they have been away, I have decorated and refurbished both their rooms.

DSS 7 was easier. He just need ample toy storage. His room is quite small so limited in what I can do.

DSD is 11. She starts high school in September. She's a young 11 with possible ASD (going through the process now). She likes her own space and quiet places to do her drawing etc. She's very arty. Until recently the only place for this was the dining table.

She now has a desk with oodles of storage, new pots of pens etc. We bought her a new bed with storage under so everything from the wardrobe bottom now has a place (board games etc). I've also put Lego in baskets so it's easily accessible. I've given her my ottoman box seat to keep her books in and another seat.

I'm going tomorrow morning before they come round tomorrow night to get her new curtains, a rug, cushions etc. she has new bedding which she chose a while ago.

I'm so excited to show her, her new space!

Is there anything else an 11 year old girl would like in her room? I'm conscious she is growing up now, the desk will be very useful for homework etc.

Hard hat op. You will possibly be lashed for overstepping!!
But good on your for being nice to your dsc!!.
Fairy lights maybe?

That sounds fantastic! Maybe…Give her a budget and take her shopping for some bits herself ? She might like to pick cushions and curtains with you. Save the extras for Xmas presents eg fairy lights, a lamp to read by, etc

@Creepymanonagoatfarm really? I've never thought about it like that! They live in our house a little more than 50% of the time. This is their home. As is their mums. They definitely know their mum is their mum and their dad is their dad, and I'm an added person who loves them very much. DH has obviously been involved and paid towards it all (joint pot) but he leaves the detail to me because I like doing it. He knows it makes me happy to faff about rearranging furniture. He also knows it will make the kids happy.

Ooooh fairy lights! Yea she'd love them!!

How lovely. I hope they are thrilled.

Reading/writing lamp v important to protect eyesight.

But yes leave the extras (fairy lights, posters etc) til Christmas. I am sure they will think of other things!

@HeartofTeFiti I did think to do that but to be honest she wouldn't be interested one bit! She'll love it all being done but absolutely hates shopping.

She's asked me for a very specific lamp and I have said I'll find one for her (it's not readily available anymore!)

Maybe other accessories she could put on her xmas list?
Jewellery box etc.
Particular bedding
Pictures
Trinkets etc

Ah this is lovely, peg board or similar to put all her notes etc on?

@Notonthestairs good point on the lamp front! She spends a lot of time doing intricate bead work so she would need and appreciate good lighting!

Some kind of pinboard or hanging string thing to peg photos, school timetable etc. to?
A light projector thing?

@FiloPasty you've just jogged my mind on something here! She collects key rings. Everywhere she goes she buys a nice one. It would be lovely to have a board (a bit like a key hook board) for her to display them.

A mirror? Little baskets and boxes to put her art things in?

Its not over stepping the mark.
We're the same. Joint money, he doesn't bat an eyelid whats spent whether that's his dd, our kids or my dc.
I do it because i like doing it. Im the one who has time to go to town and buy stuff.
Hed be useless at choosing stuff too, accessories, clothes etc.

Equally im happy for ds dsm to do stuff for him.

@Carrieonmywaywardsun check on the mirror front. I bought her a light up one and a hairdryer to encourage her to start being independent on the getting ready front. It's a work in progress!

Check on the boxes/ basket front for art stuff. I'm actually very jealous of her little desk and might use it myself when she's not here 😂

@Chocolatiestchocolate same here 😊 only I don't have my own children (it's not possible at the moment for medical reasons). The way I see it, the children were with my DH before I came along, I knew he had DC when I chose to be in a relationship with him, I welcomed him and them into my home, we now have a joint family home and have married. They are my family.

@deflatedbirthday you sound lovely.

She is lucky to have you . I had a disastrous relationship with my DSD mainly because her mother had poisoned her against me - its so good for you all that you can do this

Shallow shelves for displaying all the little little things kids tend to collect.

@IfOnlyOurEyesSawSouls thank you. I'm sorry it didn't work out for you. It is a tricky relationship, even when it's working well. I am very conscious not to over step. I think there is probably an equal three way split between their DM, DH and I in terms of their care. And then we each pay towards things we do with them, for example I pay for DSD hobby she does in our time and I volunteer at DSS hobby each week and that's our time together each week.

We have had our moments in the past with their DM when we were all finding our feet. For the most part we run along nicely together. Their DM for example called from their holiday to ask what I would like as a gift. It's taken some time to get to this stage and it's a work in progress.

Sounds lovely. We have no direct contact with dh ex. Because she hates the fact she has to share ' her' daughter. Which didnt stand too well in court. Among various other stuff.

I Remember once. Dsd had an accident as didnt make toilet in time. We changed her obviously and i washed her wet clothes. Her dm hit the roof that it wasnt my place. And i should have binned the clothes instead!
See also brushing dsd hair and i must of been brutal to get a knot out she couldn't inna week! It was literally conditioned and gently brushed

@Chocolatiestchocolate flipping heck that's absolute madness! You sound lovely and caring and I hope her bitterness hasn't affected you too badly. 💐

Fairy lights! Magical at any age anyway, but with suspected ASD can create a lovely calming atmosphere.
maybe a desk organiser of sorts for her art stuff so she can keep it tidy?

OMG!! I collect key chains. May i give some advice? Peg board was my first display for my collection. Then when I decided that was too "teen" I bought some 1by 1 boards and painted each a different colour. Bought a ton of cup hooks and spaced them out along the wood. Mounted each to the wall with a nail on each end. Looked pretty classy

yes to fairy lights, but I would actually go with led light strips. Very trendy.

also extremely ASD friendly. Dd loves her low-light space.

Another vote for fairy lights.

I was going to suggest a mirror, but I see that is covered.

Floor cushions so she can have friends round and sit and do whatever 11 year olds do.

A 'do not disturb' sign?

One word of warning OP if she is ASD she might initially be overwhelmed by the change.

So lovely 😍 what a fabulous surprise.
I framed some pics for my 11 year old arty dd. Some pictures she had painted and some anime that I knew she'd like and some photos with friends.

Well, she's home and she loves it! I'm chuffed to bits 😊

Thank you for some wonderful suggestions. It's a lovely grown up room but still girly. I had a bit of a lump in my throat this morning once it was all finished... high school. She'll be 18 before I blink. I love to see them growing up but I do miss the earlier years too.