The moment I walked into this home, I knew this shoot for this tween bedroom interior design was going to stay with me. Maybe it was the quiet kind of intention behind every design detail, but more likely, it was the way the rooms felt lived-in, loved, and deeply personal.
As a Houston interior photographer, I get to step inside a lot of beautiful homes, but photographing projects like this tween bedroom interior design that reflects real people in real moments, always hits different. These spaces aren’t just about fresh wallpaper or built-ins (though yes, they’re stunning); they’re about growing up, letting go, holding on, and making space for both memory and possibility.
This session with Katie K Interiors was such a beautiful reminder that interior photography for designers doesn’t always need to focus on the biggest rooms in the home. Sometimes the most compelling design stories are tucked into the places we sleep, read, and begin to become ourselves.
Katie’s project was all about transformation, but in the most grounded, thoughtful way. The two sisters had been sharing a room, and it was time to give them each their own space. The older sister’s room wasn’t a full redesign, but a zhuzh. Katie added a plaid wallpaper that brought maturity and balance to the butterfly wallpaper already in the space by a previous designer. A built-in desk, custom bookshelves, a bench at the end of the bed, a swivel chair, and ottomans that pulled from the wallpaper’s palette—it all came together so cohesively.
The bathroom connected to her room was completely redone, but still echoed the colors and mood of the bedroom. It was the kind of harmony that doesn’t feel matchy matchy—it just feels right.
The younger sister’s room was a full design, and the way it turned out felt like a breath of calm. She leaned toward soft blues, so Katie brought that vision to life with a wallpapered ceiling (such a fun, unexpected move), neutral patterned walls, and scalloped-edge drapes that felt both feminine and timeless. There was a built-in desk and a fabric bench at the foot of the bed, but one of my favorite details was the dresser and nightstand—pieces that had belonged to her client when she was a child, repainted in a glossy, joyful blue.
As a photographer, this is the kind of thoughtful interior design I love to document. It’s layered, emotional, and full of heart.
When people think of interior photography, they often imagine sprawling kitchens or oversized living rooms, but the truth? Photographing intimate rooms like tween bedrooms and bathrooms can be even more powerful.
These are the spaces where real life unfolds. Where kids grow up. Where a well-placed wallpaper or vintage piece tells a story bigger than the room itself.
Capturing tween bedroom interior design allows your audience, whether future clients or just curious scrollers, to see how you honor people’s stories. It communicates that you design for how people feel in a space, not just how it looks.
And interior photography for designers is exactly that: a chance to show how your work isn’t just beautiful, but also deeply considered.
If you’ve got a smaller project like this and you’re wondering if it’s worth photographing—yes, yes, a thousand times yes. And here’s how to prep it in a way that highlights everything you poured into the space:
There’s something powerful about photographing rooms like these. They’re personal. They are filled with intention. And they are designed for this unique in-between moment of growing up.
Katie honored what came before and gave each girl a space that reflected not just who they are, but who they’re becoming. And that’s why thoughtful interior design with storytelling in mind is so meaningful. When we capture those layers through intentional photography, it allows your portfolio to reflect more than just taste—it reflects soul.
Whether you’re zhuzhing a space or building something new from the studs up, I’d love to help tell the story of your work. Interior photography for designers isn’t just about showing pretty rooms—it’s about reflecting the life that will be lived inside them.
Let’s bring your next project into the light. Contact me on my website!
Check out more of my work on Pinterest!
Read more on my blog to help you plan your own interior design photoshoot!
When to Book an Interior Photographer and Tips for Photographing Interiors Until Then
How to Photograph Interior Spaces Across Multiple Locations
The Power of Lighting for Interior Photography: Why Natural Light Isn’t Always Enough
Ellen Renee Photography is a Houston-based interior photography and storytelling studio dedicated to creating collaborative and beautiful experiences through imagery.
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