Design Dilemma – The
Teenager’s Bedroom
So my kids are growing….fast! Around 5 years ago we moved back into our home after a significant renovation, which resulted in brand new bedrooms for both my children, each personally decorated for them as a surprise.
How time flies, as all of a sudden my nearly 13-year-old son has outgrown the Star Wars characters on his walls and the Star Wars doona cover. Not only that, he’s almost outgrown his single bed. To be clear he still absolutely loves Star Wars, just not in his room J.
My daughter is about to turn 17 and her tastes are maturing
and she’s finding her own, individual style.
Recently she has been asking to redecorate her room to reflect her style
and this has begun with her bedding and some fresh curtains. I’m lucky, as she has a flair for design and
great taste, different to mine, but lovely all the same.
She has a very clear view of what her room might look like
of over the coming months, once we get around to painting it and working on
artwork and soft furnishings. I really
do hope I can convince her to hang on to her bed as replacing it is, in my
opinion, an unnecessary expense.
But what to do for my son.
He’s at that awkward age where starting high school means lots of
adjustment and trying to find your place in the world.
He already has his own dress sense, which is quite unique
amongst his peers and I love this…so what about his room, where he hasn’t
really shown any specific preferences as yet??
Research, research, research - tween & teen boys’ rooms! I have jumped on Houzz and Pinterest and some
store websites to get a feel for the teen age boy bedroom look.
Colour – colour suggestions seem limited for boys, whether
looking at wall colour or soft furnishings.
Mine loves colour now, however my research is suggesting that soon he is
going to only like grey, charcoal and navy.
I’m not sure I’m ready for that.
He needs colour…somewhere. Therefore, I think I will focus on suggesting
a contemporary, adult palette for the paintwork with pops of colour in the soft
furnishings and artwork (the things that can easily be updated over the next
few years as he develops his own style).
Storage – this is a big issue as mine is a collector, be it
books, little ornaments he snaffled from Grandpas, a key collection (yes you
read correctly) or Dr Who figurines. I’m keen to ensure we incorporate plenty
of storage/display options in the design.
Also a bed with storage is a must as this has been a great extra in my
daughter’s room. I have found some
clever options, which might suit his room and need further investigation.
Decoration – I have found so many ideas for artwork, display
shelving, signage, etc therefore it is important to know your child well, which
I do, but I need to factor in the changes that are on the way. What will his tastes be a couple of years
from now and do we choose items for the long term, or aim to suit the now? Easily changeable options, such as frames
where the images can be swapped out once he matures into his next phase might
be the go.
I don’t envisage putting a desk in my son’s room as he is
accustomed to doing his homework out on the dining table and this arrangement keeps
his internet use in public spaces.
As an avid reader I believe he would enjoy something cosy to
snuggle into to read and get lost in his imagination.
As I don’t believe he will have any set ideas just yet for
his room I’m going to collect a variety of ideas for him to have a look at, to
involve him in any decisions we make.
Hopefully this approach will lead selections which will have a longer
life span.
Photo source: Pinterest
