How to Decorate a Marilyn Monroe Bedroom

Isn't it fascinating how popular Marilyn Monroe has remained even decades after her tragic death? She was the epitome of glitz and glamour and girls today still adore her independence and feistiness.

She was a lot more than just a famous and sexy celebrity. In fact, she was a staunch advocate for civil rights, believing in equality for all the races. During her last interview, she summed up her views succinctly stating "That what the world really needs is a real feeling of kinship. Everybody: stars, laborers, Negroes, Jews, Arabs. We are all brothers."

Is it any wonder that this wonderful woman remains a positive role model and icon for young girls today?

I love to decorate bedrooms using wall stickers and wall decals.

For younger children, the wall stickers are very appropriate since they are extremely colorful and can be removed - which is great when their tastes change!

For older kids, I try to use wall decals. These are intricately detailed and are unbelievably elegant. Look at the silhouettes of Marilyn to the right. They are gorgeous and will project an understated elegance in a young lady's bedroom.

Tips and Tricks.

• If you have never added a wall decal to your home before, don't worry. I added a short video that shows you how to do it.
• Adding the black wall decal to a white will will look nice, but I have found the best success adding it to a more colorful wall. It gives the viewer a more subtle and hidden surprise.
• You can make her image as the centerpiece of the wall, but consider a few more subdued locations in the room. If you are aiming for an understated elegance, then you may find luck by placing it in a reading corner or above a short bookcase.

In one of her last public appearances, Marilyn made an appearance at President John F. Kennedy's birthday celebration at Madison Square Gardens.

Supporting her image as a strong and independent woman, she showed up to the event several hours late. Not to be thrown off, the MC made several comical introductions for her throughout the night, knowing she was not in attendance. When she finally did arrive, he announced the "late Marilyn Monroe."

Most of us have heard her rendition of "Happy Birthday." Just in case you haven't please see the video shown below.

After her performance, JFK joked "I can now retire from politics after having had Happy Birthday sung to me in such a sweet, wholesome way."

What an impact she made that legendary night!

One of the best ways to personalize a space is to add a wall quote. There are thousands of them available and I guarantee you will spend a lot more time trying to choose one than to actually install it. These adhere to the wall just like the wall decals shown above.

Fortunately, Marilyn left us with some wonderful sayings that will look perfect in your young lady's room. Here are a few of my favorite!

1. Women who seek to be equal to men lack ambition.
2. Well behaved women rarely make history.
3. Be your own kind of beautiful.
4. Sometimes things fall apart so that better things can fall together.
5. Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.

There are a lot more available. These inspirational quotes make strong statements and will look wonderful in a bedroom!

Tips and Tricks.

Look for fun places to add these. I love to put them on the transom above the door to the bedroom or along the space above a window.

• Fill the space! A wall quote that is too small for the space will look awkward. Measure the area you wish to decorate and look for a quote of similar size.
• Wall sayings can be a focal point of a large wall. Sometimes less is more. Consider adding a single, large wall quote on a lightly colored wall to make a dramatic and sophisticated impact.
• Mix and match. I love to watch visitors' expressions when they find a wall quote mixed in with other décor on the wall. Don't forget about adding one amongst your pictures of family and friends.

Are these expensive? Absolutely not! Most of these can be purchased for under $20.

If you are struggling with a large wall, then consider grouping a few retro movie posters together. Marilyn was a star in many films and the classic look of these 1950s movie posters will be an extremely nice touch to the room.

You could aim to buy the original movie posters, but those are extremely expensive (if you can even find them). I prefer to add the reproductions. Most of them are less than $5 online and you will literally pay more for shipping than the cost of the actual poster. I wouldn't worry about it as the overall cost of the poster is still very reasonable!

Do yourself a favor and don't pin the poster to the wall with thumbtacks or tape. That looks horrible and will peel off and warp. Yuck!

Instead, invest a couple of dollars in picture frames - not only will the artwork last longer, it will look a lot nicer!

The most important takeaway from her spirited life is to have fun and be yourself! Don't limit your décor choices and look for bright and happy items for the room.

It won't take a lot of money to add a Marilyn theme to your girl's bedroom!