My top tips for creating a teenager’s dream bedroom

There comes a time when your kids are all grown up and it’s officially time to upgrade their bedrooms and swap the dinosaur wallpaper for something a little more suitable. Renovating a bedroom can be a bit of a struggle - especially if your teenager’s tastes are a little different to yours - but I’ve got some top tips for creating a teenager’s dream bedroom that won’t cost you a fortune and will keep everyone happy.

Get a grown-up bed

Okay so the bunk bed was handy for sleepovers, but when they start sprouting and their feet get the same size as yours, it’s time to invest in something that will suit them better and last them, hopefully a good few years. They say that because you spend a third of your life in bed that it’s worth investing in, and if there’s room, I highly recommend swapping a single mattress out for a double, or even a king-size, which will give your teenagers more room to starfish, and stay in until 3pm on the weekends.

Love this Scandi style bedroom. Photo by James Lindsay on Unsplash

Personalise their space

This is actually a really lovely way to spend a bit of time together - get your teen to pick some favourite photos and get them printed, either to stick on the wall (make sure you use something like Blu Tack that’s going to come off, so they can keep updating) or to frame. My boys both have memory boxes, with old concert tickets, festival wristbands, boarding passes etc, and you could make a lovely collage with all their favourite stuff. You could also put a huge pinboard on the wall so they can put up their own pics, postcards and photos. These don’t cost much to do, and allow them make their space their own, with all their favourite things around them. I love the way these bulldog clips have been fixed to the wall for displaying things too - such a clever idea.

Fix bulldog clips to the wall for a quirky display option. Photo by Jason Briscoe on Unsplash

Desk Space

Of course, as they get older, the amount of home study that they have to do increases significantly, and it’s so important that they have a quiet, comfy place to study. Adding a desk or study space that they actually like and want to use becomes really important. Make sure the chair is supportive and the desk is the right height. Add a plant or two as well - they’re great for cleaning the air in stuffy bedrooms.

A great desk space is so important

Add more storage

This is such a good excuse to have a really good clear out of all their stuff. Sort clothes, books and shoes, allocate a box for the charity shop and donate toys and clothes they’ve outgrown, and start afresh with some new shelves and some storage baskets. Or, if you’re considering replacing the bed anyway, why not consider an ottoman bed that lifts up so that they can store items underneath? Happy Beds sell a great range of budget-friendly ottoman beds that you can check out here. If you can’t level in a wardrobe (or there’s is a bit small), I quite like the idea of a hanging rail, especially if they love their clothes - it can double as a bit of a display too. Love these touches of colour in this predominantly white room too.

Consider adding a hanging rail.Photo by Yasmine Boheas on Unsplash

Keep it Simple

I’ve definitely learned the hard way, while decorating my own spaces, that times and tastes change. It’s much easier to keep all the main things a relatively neutral colour and add layers of texture and coloured accents that are easy to change, like bold cushions, rugs and bedlinen. We painted one of Charlie’s walls a really vivid purple - he still loves it, but it would be easy enough to just paint over, whereas a whole bedroom is a different matter. If they want leopard print wallpaper, maybe just stick to an accent wall, or negotiate leopard bedlinen and cushions instead.

Add bright accents and keep the rest neutral. Photo by Christopher Jolly on Unsplash

Compromise!

The trick here is for both of you to be more or less happy, rather than one of you getting their own way and the other feeling completely miserable. It’s your home, but it’s their space, so even if it’s not your taste, force yourself to compromise - it’s worth it, I promise!

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