You’re probably thinking, “Bedroom designs for teenagers? Why do I need to know that? I already know what my teen’s bedroom should look like!” You may have very clear ideas about how to decorate your NYC home. You’ve always known you loved mid-century modern furniture, and you’ve got the Eames, Robsjohn-Gibbings, and Stilnovo furniture to prove it. Or maybe you’ve always been a traditionalist, and you couldn’t imagine your home outfitted in anything other than elements from your grandmother’s Biedermeier collection. You probably even designed your baby’s room from pale grey wall color to sheepskin rug. While you may wield a lot of control over your entire house, it’s in your best interests to yield somewhat when it comes to bedroom designs for teenagers.
Let Them Do It on Their Own
Even though they’re probably taller than you and can code rings around your Trac phone, you know you still need to guide your teens through these turbulent, mind-bending years. One way they can be more independent is through having a hand in how their bedrooms are decorated. Let them flex and establish their creative muscles by decorating their own rooms. Not only will you be helping them develop their spatial, organizational, and design skills, you’ll also be helping them create a space they’ll be more apt to want to spend time in. You may not understand why your daughter wants to paint her room black, but keep an open mind.
Where to Buy Their Stuff
Craigslist and Ikea are your besties when it comes to teenage bedroom decor. Ikea offers excellent, affordable, and stylish furniture options that are perfect for a teenager’s ever-changing whims. The Billy bookshelf can store a hundred prized graphic novels or be fitted with a simple wiring kit to create a fantastic sneaker display. Craigslist is a GOLD MINE of options for teenagers. You may look bewildered when your offspring is looking for an authentic street sign, or an old ship’s wheel, or old stage lights, but Craigslist can deliver. All those items that mean nothing to you and everything to them can be found with the kind of relentless, dogged, obsessive determination teenagers are renowned for. Pottery Barn Teen is another great resource for space-saving, beautiful teen furnishings.
Make the Most Use of Their Space
Even if your teen is a singleton, he or she would flourish in a room where every inch of space was maximized. NYC bedrooms tend to be small, so be creative in the way you use every part of the room. Ikea is an absolute goldmine when it comes to furnishings that can maximize even the smallest spaces. Even if you don’t buy from the store, check out the company’s YouTube videos for tips on how to make even the tiniest teen bedroom feel like the coolest room on the planet. Loft beds and bunk beds are excellent ways to increase the amount of space in teens’ bedrooms. A loft bed uses the same footprint to house a bed and a sitting area. These are perfect for small and/or narrow rooms.
Image Source: Flickr/woodleywonderworks
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