Issue 3 wInter 2012
decor :: teen bedroom
bedroom ideas for
Teenagers
A room to dream in…to call one’s own…for friends…and for studying.
Becoming a teenager means new challenges, more independence, and
a space that’s private. Elle Suntheim from Elle Interiors lays the foundation
for revamping a child’s room into a teen paradise
50 • at home with hirsch’s
decor :: teen bedroom
Issue 3 wInter 2012
A
s an adult, redecorating your home is
decorative fun scatter
often triggered by a change in your life.
cushions, a boxed night
so it stands to reason a child becoming
frill to cover the mattress
a teenager and starting high school may
base and a matching throw.
feel the need to have a new, revamped
Painted walls are a very
bedroom. it’s also a good time for your teen to
practical choice – they can create
experiment with self expression.
a fresh contemporary feeling and are
Most teens are particularly brand conscious, but most
have no desire for the high end look adults crave. They’re
more likely to go for something fun, funky and free-
probably the least expensive and fastest way to make a
big change to a room.
Take your teen to the paint shop and let them choose
spirited, and even those
teens who do appreciate
the
finer
things
in
life
are likely to want a more
unrestrained version of a
traditional room.
I would advise coming
to
an
agreement
with
a colour, remembering that
I would advise coming to an
agreement with your teen about
the more expensive items – desk,
bed and window treatment – and
buy the best your budget allows
your teen about the more
paint looks a lot darker on
four walls than on a colour
card. It’s best to choose a
colour two or three shades
lighter than your chosen
colour.
Buy the smallest tin you
can of several colours you
expensive items – desk, bed and window treatment – and
have in the running, then get your teen to paint one square
buy the best your budget allows.
metre samples on one wall with each of the colours before
Then get creative and fill in with fun, low cost novelties
deciding which is best.
like a brightly-coloured bean bag, funky lamps or some
I would advise choosing a colour the rest of the family
dramatic bedding that you won’t mind replacing when a
can also tolerate in the house because, after all, colours
“new look” comes in .
affect mood (and teens already have plenty of those)! Go
Alternatively, keep the bedding plain – like a timeless
with their preferences if you can, because you can always
crisp white percale duvet cover – and add colour with some
repaint later or better still, suggest only using colour on
at home with hirsch’s •
51
Issue 3 wInter 2012
decor :: teen bedroom
A teens bedroom
should reflect the
person they’re
becoming
Buy the smallest tin you can of several colours you
have in the running, then get your teen to paint one
square metre samples on one wall with each of the
colours before deciding which is best
one wall and not all.
You may also consider that your teen will want
In general, teens and pre-teens will choose either
extra sleeping and seating space for friends. Set up
a very dramatic room or one that looks as much like
different areas in the room for different functions.
a studio apartment as possible.
She may like a vanity where she could do her hair
If you have any extra money or ingenuity to spend
and make-up. A study corner, an exercise area, or a
on the project, use it to create as much storage
place to hang out with friends – make the room as
space as possible – both open/display and hidden,
cosy as you can and as multi-functional as possible.
and make the storage space easily accessible if you
want them to use it.
If your teen is older, you may want to consider
You can often redecorate a room while still using
the same furniture by painting it either a light colour
or using creative painting techniques.
how you’ll use the room once they’ve left home. The
Or, take an old storage piece that was once
room may become a home office, in which case a
used for toys and books, paint in a complementary
daybed may be a good choice. Or, if it’s to become
colour to the room or add decorative hardware or
a full-time guest room, then a queen or king bed with
accent lighting.
all the trimmings would be appropriate.
52 • at home with hirsch’s
Update the headboard by buying a more grown-