A teenage drama queen demands a suite of her own

Something inexplicable happens when a 12-year-old girl turns 13. I’m not talking about the obvious physical changes she endures, like unsightly pimples and awkward body transformations (you know what I’m alluding to here). I’m talking about the need for independence and identity. My newly 13-year-old daughter was insistent (to the point where I was completely annoyed) on not only turning her bedroom into a ‘big girl’ space, but also getting a suite, complete with stylish sofas, funky lamps and a whole lot of pink.

After much thought and a pact that good grades were expected, I decided that a teenage suite might actually be a good way to keep my daughter and her friends out of trouble. After all, it’s their safety that most concerns me, right? Right. So my daughter and I headed to a friend’s house, who is an interior designer; there, we discussed the necessary elements that she wanted in her suite, including my desires for the area (namely budget concerns). From a queen bed fit for a teenage drama queen (and yes, dramatic should be her middle name), to sofas that would seat plenty of her girlfriends, we finally had an idea of what her suite would look like.

First came the paint, which was actually a good bonding experience for the both of us. We set aside a Saturday afternoon, complete with Cherry Cokes and Gobstoppers, and painted away. What better teenage-girl color to splash on the walls than… pink! Once the room reeked of fuchsia, it was time to start shopping for furniture. My daughter was determined to find pastel pink, velvet sofas-one of which would be a loveseat. Now this was tricky.

After what seemed like an eternity (well, a few weeks at least), we finally located the exact pink sofas she so desperately thought she needed (at this age, wants and needs seem to go hand-in-hand). We also bought a sassy queen-size bed with nightstands and dressers to match, a flat-screen television to entertain during those late-night sleepovers, some funky lamps and a shag rug (all pink, of course), and a bunch of fun accessories and knick-knacks. (I also bought her some ‘big girl’ makeup items somewhere along the way.)

Once we were finished, my teenage drama queen’s room looked, well, totally awesome. A few ‘OMGs’ and a hug later (yes, I was cool enough to get a hug!), we plopped on her sofas, turned on the TV and nodded in and out of sleep. Transforming her room into a suite was somewhat arduous, but making a teenager happy? Exhausting!