Perhaps the most eclectic room in your home is your child’s bedroom. What began as a nursery soon evolved into a little child’s fun-filled living space. When the toddler outgrew fanciful characters, you changed the décor again, to reflect the youngster’s burgeoning personality and taste. And then comes teenage years. Privacy becomes tantamount to a teenager. They seek the refuge of their bedroom—for chatting with friends, doing homework, surfing the Web, or just pondering life. When you turn the room into a personal statement that reflects the individuality of your teen, you give them a valuable space to explore their world.
The key to successful teenage bedroom design can be summed up in two words: Go bold! There is nothing subtle about the teenage years. They have definitive interests—hobbies, sports, clothes, colors, music, and art. Before you start planning the bedroom design for your teenager, take a deep breath and remind yourself that it’s not YOUR room. This is not where you will live or sleep. Accept that reality. Allow your teenager to be heavily involved in the design. When he or she chooses a color that stimulates your gag reflex, refrain from fast refusal on the grounds it offends your sense of style. In fact, take this opportunity to release your inner child and have fun with your teenager, planning a really cool bedroom.
Here are some tips for pleasing your teenager—at least, when it comes to bedroom design.
A room with a theme is always more pulled together than a random design. Does your teenager have a passion for music or a particular sport? Does she love the ocean? Is he fascinated by science? Decide on an underlying theme that will be the glue for the bedroom décor.
You can do wonderful things with paint—and it’s easy to change. Paint an accent wall in a color that’s different from the others. Paint the ceiling something other than white. Add bold stripes or geometric patters. Let your teen pick favorite colors and then figure out how to best utilize them in the bedroom.
Don’t just hang pictures on the wall. Use wall decals, murals, or stencils to turn those surfaces into canvasses. You can also paint walls with chalkboard, whiteboard, or magnetic paint, converting them into functional space for creative thinking.
You know that your teenager will require technology. Instead of making it an afterthought, do some media planning and create a study or play space that accommodates a computer, gaming station, television, and speakers. You might design some special shelving or cabinets for safe placement and storage.
And speaking of storage, every kid’s room requires plenty of it. When you tell them to “clean up your room”, they don’t take the time to organize, but instead stuff their stuff away. You can make it easier by incorporating colorful cubbies, shelves, and cabinets. Install wire shelving systems that maximize the space. Use underbed storage boxes with drawers.
The creativity doesn’t stop at the ceiling. While your child needs functional lighting, you don’t have to compromise form. Look at pendant lights and chandeliers that reflect the style and theme of the room. Paint table lamps to accent the room’s colors. Add strings of LED lights for mood lighting—hanging on the wall, around windows, or stuffed in clear containers.