The last time you painted your child’s room was when she was born. As such, the pale pink remnants of her youth are special to you, which is likely why you've put off updating your teenager’s room for so long. If she’s bugging you to give her a more respectable spot to hang with her friends, chances are it’s time for a room redo.
While you take down the lacey curtains and consider hipper paint colors, it’s important your teenager feels they have a voice in creating a room that is all theirs. Getting to design their own room (within boundaries, of course) is often the first step towards feeling a bit more independent for a young teen.
Just because you’re allowing your teenager to help design their room doesn’t mean it isn’t still your house and that you aren’t still in charge; you still get the final say. It’s also important to make clear the requirement that your teen care for the new room and keep it clean. However, giving your teenager a bit of creative license and looking at this task as an opportunity to guide them to make good decisions can make a room update a learning experience for everyone.
Teenagers have different needs in terms of room space than they did as children. A child’s work is playtime, and as such, their rooms often focus around shelves and bins of toys with plenty of open space to inspire free play and creativity. Little attention is given to solid work surfaces, and bedding probably takes up less than a quarter of their room space. Additionally, the decor was probably 100% designed by mom and dad, with very little input from the child as to how the room should look.
However, teenagers need less open space, a solid work surface and quiet area for studying and reading, and the opportunity to express themselves through creatively designing a space that speaks to their own personality. Allowing your teenager to help design their space can help build trust and will show them that you are respectful of them and their spaces.
However, as respectful and open as we want to be with our kids, they still need us to guide them and help them make good decisions. This includes decisions on fashioning a room they’ll be happy with but will also last more than a year (black paint may not be in style next season). If you’re afraid you and your teen will butt heads when it comes to designing their room, we’ve got some great ideas to help you work together and create a great room without tears.
Here are five cool room design ideas for teenagers.
1. Bed Space
It’s smart to start with the one piece of furniture you know will be a constant in any bedroom, and that’s the bed. While options for bedding are many, consider what your teenager actually needs. This is an opportunity for you to allow them to make their own decision about furniture. Even though you might think a beautiful antique double bed looks great in the space and blends with the farmhouse chic charm of the remainder of your home, your teenager may have his heart set on a loft-style bed, with plenty of space underneath for gaming or studying.
Deciding what kind of bed your teenager needs and where it will be placed is the first step in designing their room. Look at the bed as an anchor, and design the remainder of the room around it. This makes getting started on the project a lot easier.
2. Work Space
One of the biggest things to separate a child’s room from a teenager’s is the need for a hard surface desk space. Your teenager needs a dedicated spot where they can do homework, study, or use their devices. As such, you will probably need to invest in some kind of desk or work area. If your teenager has decided on a loft bed, a desk may have come standard underneath. Traditional desks are also a great option, but if you want to get creative, or if space is an issue, look for an adjustable laptop desk. These desks fold away when not in use and can be adjusted to practically any height. This means they can use their desk with a hardback chair, or something like a bean bag chair.
3. Seating
As a small child, your kid probably sat on the floor whilst playing. As such, there was likely little need for her to have anything more than a very small, kiddie-sized chair in her room. Your teenager likely already spends 90% of her time in her room, so ensuring she has comfortable seating is key.
One of the best options for seating in a teenager’s bedroom is a bean bag chair. Bean bag chairs are not only supremely comfortable, but they’re also great at saving space and fitting into niches and corners that will not accommodate other, more traditional pieces of furniture. A great bean bag chair will quickly become a favorite hang out for your teenager whether they are studying, texting, reading, or talking on the phone.
4. Sleepover Ready
If you think back, some of your fondest memories were likely of having your best friend sleepover. Many of our parents practically took on an extra kid in the summer months. A great way to encourage your teenager to have guests and friends over is to provide an easy way for their friends to spend the night.
If you cringe at the thought of a pull-out, trundle style bed, we’re with you. These beds are large, hard to function, and take up a ton of space when in use. A better option is to consider putting that bean bag chair in item number 3 to better use by investing in a convertible bean bag chair that provides additional sleeping quarters.
How many times do you remember sleeping on a “pallet” of blankets and pillows tossed on a floor at a friend’s house? Perhaps instead, you remember awkwardly sharing a tiny bed with your bestie. A convertible bean bag chair eliminates these hassles and makes having a spend the night guest incredibly easy. Inside of every CordaRoy’s convertible bean bag chair, you’ll find an actual mattress. We aren’t talking about some cheaply designed, flat as a pancake style mattress, either. Our mattresses are some of the most comfortable available, filled with furniture grade polyurethane foam cut into randomized pieces to provide a comfortable sleep like you’ve never experienced before.
When it’s time for your teenager to have her bestie spend the night, she can set up her bed on her own. Simply unzip the outer cover of the bean bag chair, pull out the mattress, pillows, and blankets, and voila! A great place for her friend to spend the night without taking up a ton of space or requiring a lot of set up.
5. Perfect Touches
Once the paint is on the walls and the furniture has been set in place, you can look for special touches to make your teenager’s room truly unique. Be it a small projection TV that plays their favorite videos on a wall or an essential oil diffuser that diffuses oils that keep them relaxed, these types of touches add character and give the room personality.
A great idea is to toss a couple of device holders into their space, cleverly positioned around the room to help them use their devices hands-free and keep their devices safe. You can grab a package of PUK multi-functional, multi-device holders and provide plenty of opportunities for your teenager and his friends to use their devices in a manner that is safe and hands-free.
PUK device holders are capable of holding any device, in any case, in any position. In other words, no matter what kind of thick, rubberized case your teen’s device may be living in, the device will fit inside the PUK so he can view it hands-free. The PUK is also non-skid, so you don’t have to worry about it falling and costing you yet another pricey screen repair. Lastly, only the PUK allows you to charge your device while you’re using it. Other device holders are usually made such that it’s impossible to fit your device into the holder and charge it at the same time. The PUK allows you that functionality.
In Summary
Updating your teenager’s bedroom can be a great bonding experience for you and your teenager if you approach it as such. Allowing them just enough freedom of creative expression to design a room they love will help them feel respected and trusted. You can help guide your teenager and give them sound advice about what they need and don’t need in their room, which can be a great learning experience for both of you.
Keeping communication open and suggesting solution-based items that can help build a room they can actually use will help you both develop a room that is well-loved. No matter what kind of space you are working with, items like convertible furniture pieces can be incredibly beneficial in making the most use of your available space.
Sources:
https://www.thehousedesigners.com/articles/creating-a-study-space-your-teen-will-love.asp
https://raisingteenstoday.com/55-clever-ways-to-lure-your-teenager-out-of-their-bedroom/
