Teenagers Room
We asked Leigh Holt from “Max Your Home” to advise on this problem faced by most parents at some point.
Question: My young son feels that now he’s a teenager his room is too babyish for him, but I don’t want it to look like an adult version in smaller scale. Do you have any ideas to keep us both happy while allowing him to express his personality?
One thing we know about teenagers is that they change. I have a 16-year-old son so I speak from experience. Remember, you aren’t taking over, just using a little reason so you don’t waste your funds on something that is bound to change!
Give him plenty of scope to stamp the room with his own individuality. Let him select anything he likes – as long as it’s not the carpet and the wall colour.
Here is my plan to have a happy teenage boy smiling – or should I say grunting – with pleasure.
- Keep most of the walls one colour. If he wants a specific colour, just do a feature wall – behind the bed is a good one.
- He may want posters of anything from music to football or even girls. They look much better in a frame – and they’re cheap as chips from places like IKEA. You might consider a few corkboards so photos and such can be swapped whenever something new attracts their attention.
- Steer him towards patterned doona covers and let him pick the style. The options are endless and since they’re not too expensive they can be replaced when he changes his look.
- A laundry basket will keep the clothes from covering the entire floor. Good luck.
- A desk is a necessity for study, perhaps a computer, and many teenagers have a TV and even a playstation in their room. This is then the place he can go with his mates, particularly if there isn’t a family room.
- Boys use a lot of electrical equipment so have an anti-surge protector installed either in his room or on the main board.
- A sound system is also be a must, so plan in advance where this will go. A floating shelf on the wall is great for micro systems or all-in-one units.
- Protect the floor with a generous rug and if the carpet is pale, better make it a dark one.
- Large slide-out drawers on wheels that fit under the bed are a good place for shoes, tennis racquets and sports equipment.
- Ready-made curtains add a great finishing touch to the room. Blinds and wide- slat venetians can also be purchased off the shelf. Teenagers always want the room to be dark. Sleeping in till at least 10am seems almost compulsory on days they’re not at school – so keep this in mind when choosing window dressings.
Last tip – and it’s a big one
Ask them not to eat in this room. Pizza is really better in the family room – but be prepared to be ignored!
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