Decorator Design Style

One thing we know about teenagers is that they change. I have a sixteen year old son so I am speaking from experience. This is what you need to consider when designing their room. Of course you explain to them that you are not really taking over, just using the voice of a little bit of reason to not waste your funds on something that will change! Their options are still endless.

Give him the option to select anything that he likes, as long as its not the carpet and the all over wall colour.

Boy’s room’s needs are so different from girls at this age. This is what I would plan to have a happy teenage boy smiling with ….or should I say grunting with satisfaction and pleasure.

Keep the majority of the walls the one colour. If he wants a specific colour, just do one feature wall. Behind the bed is a good feature wall to select.

• He may want posters of his main interest; this may be anything from music to football, to girls. Blue tack can take off the paint, it looks much better if you use a frame to surround the poster or artwork –they cheap as chips especially from larger stores like Ikea. You might even consider a few cork boards to hang on the walls, that way images can be changed whenever the focus changes.  I warn you this will be often.
• Use patterned doona covers of whatever design he chooses. Let him dictate his own style. The options here are endless and are not that expensive to replace when he changes his style and matures a little. He won’t like it if you have selected his style for him so try to help him.
• A laundry basket is a good idea to keep the clothes from covering the entire floor. Good luck
• A desk for study, a computer, and if you really want to spoil him many teenagers have a TV and even a playstation or some type of computer game in their room. This is then the place they can go with their mates. Particularly helpful if you are short of a family room.
• With boys using a lot of electrical stuff make sure you have an anti surge protector installed either in his room from the main point or even better have one installed on the main switchboard.
• A sound system will also be a must inclusion so plan in advance as to where this will live in the room .Use a floating shelf on the wall, great for those micro systems or all in one units
• Protect the floor so if you have a pale carpet; consider a darker rug that ties in with his selections.
• A great storage addition and often a good place for shoes or tennis rackets are the slide out large drawers that are on wheels and fit under beds.(Ikea)
• Some pre made tab curtains add a great finishing touch to the room. Blinds and wide slat venetians also can be easily purchased off the shelf 
• Oh I forgot to mention that they will want the room to be dark. Sleeping in till at least 10am is compulsory on their days not at school so you will need to consider this with you choice of window dressings.

Last Tip
Try and ask that they don’t eat in this room……..Pizza is really better in the family room, but be prepared!