Fun and Functional: Tips for Designing Your Teen’s Bedroom

Teenagers are an amazing group of people with big emotions and crazy ideas, so designing a room for them can be quite challenging. You will probably have to go through a lot of negotiations, possibly a few meltdowns and definitely lots of fun.

For teens, their rooms are not only sleeping space, it is where they study, hang out with friends, daydream or their quiet place, away from the world. These are all aspects that you need to consider when deciding on the colour, the teens bed, or storage.

You may not see the inside often, once you are done decorating, but you will know your teen is enjoying their new space. Go through the ideas together and include their opinions because, after all, they are the ones who will spend most of the time there.

To try and keep you sane through the process and maybe even enjoy sharing this experience with your child, we have a few ideas that will help create a fun and functional room.

Start with Its Majesty – The Bed

Chances are your teen will be spending a lot of time in bed, so putting some time into researching the range of beds for teenagers seems more than a good idea. The teen bed will be the dominant feature of the bedroom and the centre around which you can arrange the scheme. The rest of the furniture will follow this as the base, so choose wisely.

The main thing to look for when browsing the beds for teenagers is a design that’s comfortable and spacious, cosy but sturdy. And since they are growing overnight and are no longer small kids, they will need a bigger bed. This is probably the only thing you shouldn’t compromise on. Look for a king single or double bed, depending on the size of the room. They should have high-quality and if possible, ergonomic mattresses to support their developing spines.

An upholstered headboard is an easy way to add colour and texture, as are some more unusual solutions, like a wooden one for example. Or a surfboard customised for the purpose. Just saying!

There will certainly be some traffic in that room, other teenagers coming and going. Investing in quality bed linen, which is comfortable and durable, might save you a lot of trouble. It is again, something that can liven up or scale down the room, so the choice of colours and patterns should complement the surroundings.

Another thing that (mostly) you might find practical is beds that are easy to clean. Go for fabrics that can be cleaned without being destroyed because stains are bound to happen.

A Few Tips on Choosing Colours

There are plenty of directions you can go to when choosing the colour scheme, from bold and bright to soft and soothing. The teenager might have a favourite colour and thinks it’s exactly what they want, but remind them that the colour of their favourite t-shirt might not necessarily work well on the wall.

This is where you can actually try that. Pick a few hues and apply them on a patch of wall, see how they feel. If you think your kid can do it, you may let them do the painting themselves. It will give them a feeling of competence and independence, plus they won’t be mad at you if it doesn’t turn out quite as they envisioned it. There are valuable lessons, even in painting.

Sticking to neutrals, like white, crème, grey, or navy will allow to introduce colourful art, bedding or rugs later. This is also a good backdrop if you want to have a graphic wallpaper on one of the walls or some oversized art décor. It gives an interesting focal point without getting lost in bright colours and makes even the simplest room designs cool and teen-approved.

If, on the other hand, you happen to have a cheerful and always in-the-good-mood teenager, a rarity you must admit, then, by all means, choose something to fit their personality. Bright, happy colours that are instantly invigorating and positive might work for them. Yellow, green, or pink hues can be combined with darker accent pieces, like lights or some pieces of furniture.

Don’t forget the ‘fifth wall’! There will be a lot of staring at the ceiling trying to work out life’s mysteries, so why not have something good to stare at? Some abstract paint, posters, or glow-in-the-dark shapes can be great options.

A Clean and Simple Study Area

Studying takes a huge part of a teenager’s life, so creating a workplace where they will be able to focus on their assignments is essential. A solid desk that can fit a laptop and a few books, with a couple of drawers for school supplies is very important.
And a comfortable chair that won’t give them backache is more than desirable.

Sitting for hours on end, going through tasks and notes can be straining for their young bodies, so make sure you put comfort over looks in this case. You can still find something stylish to fit the rest of the room.

Storage Space That Will be Used

Clothes, books, games, hobbies – all of this has to go somewhere, even if it is only occasionally. Think about the most effective ways you can help them keep their room clutter-free, and dare I say tidy. Add a mix of wardrobes, drawers, boxes and baskets that they can easily organise. Multi-purpose furniture with additional storage space can also be helpful.

If your teen wants to display some of their collections, trophies or pictures, they can have wall shelves that won’t take up too much space.
Having enough space to keep their abundance of things neat and tidy – and out of sight, will save everyone the hassle.

For a Cool Finishing Touch

Don’t forget a couple of more things to complete the room.

•Lighting – Good lighting can improve the space, making it appear larger. An unusually shaped lamp on the studying desk can make a big difference. A LED strip light that can change colours will be a hit.

•Tech necessities – Power points, lots of them! Be sure to have enough for all the gadgets they have, and in strategic places. You don’t want to move furniture around because there is nowhere near to plug in the computer.

•A hang-out spot – Make the bedroom fun and playful with a swinging bubble chair, a bean bag or club chairs that will give your kid and their friends a place to chill out.

The goal is to make the room functional and stylish while encouraging their personality and individuality to shine through. Ask a lot of questions, get them involved and consider their interests. Allow them the freedom to decide on the main points and be the ‘cool parent’ even if you don’t always see eye to eye. This is their room, you still have the rest of the house to decorate as you want. Let them have their easy-going teen space.