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Coming up with a design for your teenager’s bedroom must be the equivalent of tight rope walking over a fiery pit. You are either going to be the hero or doomed to an eternity in the ire of their anger. Too dramatic? Maybe, but we are not too far off the possible experience with your adolescent. You need to balance the practical uses of the room, such as sleeping, socialising and studying, with the aesthetics that your young person would appreciate.
We offer tub chairs for modern rooms, which could be an excellent place to begin – offering function and form. This guide hopes to provide you with more tips to create an inspiring space that could challenge even the messiest teenager to some desire for order in their room.
Think about how the room will be used
The first rule of design is to make sure that it is functional. No matter the décor, if the room isn’t fit for purpose, it won’t inspire pride. Therefore, you have to take a long hard look at your teenager (without seeming like you are giving some psychic telling off that could provoke anger). Do they have a hobby that will need space in the room? Are they likely to want to invite over their friends for time in the room? Is comfort crucial? Does your teenager need a cave in which to hide? Are they in need of a study that will help them succeed in their GCSEs and beyond?
Give your teenager a say
If you are a laid-back parent and can cope with your child making all the design choices for the room – then give them a budget and step back. If you are worried you are going to have graffiti walls and blacked-out windows – then you could give your teenagers a chance to offer some suggestions of what they like. Remember the teenage years are when we define our identity. Part of finding this identity is in surrounding ourselves in colour, images and objects that help to define who we are.
When your teenager makes choices, it will likely only ever take a coat of paint to cover it up. Therefore, give them some time to grow up and then agree to changes when their tastes change. A thirteen-year-old idea of taste will be different from your 15-year-old, and then your 17- year-old will have a different opinion again. You are going to have to build in some flexibility for the maturing of their tastes.
Accessories as compromise
You could suggest to your teenager that you take responsibility for creating a relatively neutral space that can be adapted quickly. Then, you could give the young person the chance to buy accessories like lamps, duvet covers, objects to scatter the shelves and window sill, to add that personal touch.
Painting the room in a grey or cream allows you to keep a hold over the craziness and give the teenager a blank space which they can adapt with small objects. For most male teenagers, a decent choice of duvet could do the trick. If you have a female teenager, it could be a little more complicated.
Collections rule
If your teenager is an avid collector, then this gives you all the help you need. Your design choices should be directed by the colours in the collection – or the recurring images. You could also find a way of creating storage to allow them to show off or collate this collection. You are being given a signpost towards what is important to your young person, so you might as well take advantage.
A high sleeper with a relaxed office
The problem with designing the perfect teenage room is the space on offer. It is likely that the room is a single bedroom in the house. Therefore, this is a little room for more than a bed and some clothes storage. One of the best ways to make use of this space is the use of a high sleeper. This is a bed that looks like a bunk bed. However, the lower bunk is a desk and a comfortable chair.
Remember you need to design for the functions your teenager will demand. They will have homework and will need desk space. Rather than worry that they should have a bigger room, they can have a bed and a desk too. The comfortable chair gives some hope for socialising. The best high sleepers have futon style easy chairs that can be pulled out to a second bed for a sleepover. It is all about thinking imaginatively!
Office and marketing manager for Sloane & Sons Stylish Chairs, who sell a range of high-quality tub chairs, accent chairs and more.
