Everyone needs a way to express their personality and essential style, a safe haven away from the pressures of the world, whether they be the crush of a weekly deadline or the stress of navigating adolescence. The bedroom is a retreat, somewhere to escape, recharge, hang out and get a hold of our rolling ideas and our kids are not immune to these needs. Designing a space for your teenage boy is challenging; not because they’ve reached their grunting, yes/no stage (it doesn’t help), but our insight as parents is limited by our perceptions and impressions, expectations of what our boy should be versus who he is and the usual jumble of emotions when you realise he’s reached another milestone before you blinked past the last one. Show some initiative, get the ball rolling and include them in the conversation; this isn’t just somewhere to sleep, but they need to hang out here with their friends and be happy to call it sanctuary.
Color Palette
The first thing you need to do when renovating or redesigning a room is select a theme. What does your son like to do? What are his interests? Is he a gamer, does he play sport, does he read or write avidly, is he fascinated by things that move or things that don’t? This process will draw you closer together, as a starting point for a theme is often uncovered once you’ve figured out what his passions are, right now. Challenge your boy to think long term, however, so veer away from soccer ball wallpaper etc – decorate instead with flourishes of detail and accessories, as these can be changed up, hidden or stored as he grows. At the very base, pick a complementary color that resonates with him (yes, even if it’s black) and try to integrate dashes here and there, to maintain longevity and minimize eyeball assault – there’s nothing more confronting than a fire engine red feature wall!
Clean and simple
Simplicity is elegant, easy and age neutral – in other words, perfect for your son’s room! Modern on a budget is achievable, granted your teenager is disinterested in what you do with his room (just do it already – sound familiar?); minimalism is unassuming and yet eye catching, including fuss-free modern furniture with plenty of storage space, as no teenager in his right mind will respect a theme where he has to keep it tidy ALL THE TIME; adapt your design for his commitment to its appeal, if he doesn’t like it, it won’t matter how many punchy red throw pillows your bought to ‘enliven’ the room. This theme is particularly adaptable and customizable, which may stimulate your kid’s tendency to get bored.
Short on space
Growing boys need room to move; they grow and grow, stretch and stretch, their bodies often outstripping their maturity levels and bedroom furniture. Don’t be discouraged by the bunk or loft bed; while we’re not about to suggest buying a racing car bed, complete with steering wheel and gears, this humble space saver is not necessarily childish – there a great many Bunkers designs suited to the busy lives of teenagers, including study options (they’ll love that) and social options, making sudden sleep overs a zinch and the limited space of modern living easy to deal with.
Did you have a bunk bed growing up? What do you think; are bunks suited to the bustling lives of teenagers?
