Designing a bedroom for a teenage boy can be a challenge. As your little man reaches teenage years, he’ll no longer want a bedroom decorated with dinosaurs, trucks or Disney characters. The perfect space at this stage of his life is a simple space that reflects his current personality.
As parents we sometimes make the mistake of living vicariously through our children. We want and desire things for them that we would have liked at their age. The same goes when designing and you are decorating their bedrooms. The first rule is: Don’t design a teenager’s room without their participation. In almost all cases a teen will see this as an invasion of their personal boundaries, and your efforts will be met with hostility. It is important that the teen is engaged and actively involved in developing the interior of their bedroom, especially when it comes to colours, materials, furniture, and wall art. The last thing you want is to spend money and energy on a revamp just to get a disapproving grunt, no matter how gorgeous it turns out.
The three simple functions
You are lucky! Teenage boys are actually simple beings (especially in comparison to teenage girls). A teenage boy’s bedroom simply needs to fulfil three functions: sleep, study, and play. The design and decor should therefore be streamlined. In a teenage boy’s bedroom, the goal should be to include just a few key pieces of furniture and minimal decorations that serve both decorative and functional purposes. His room needs to feel understatedly cool, so he will want to spend time in it and to feel confident enough to have friends over.
The functional essentials
1. Storage and organisation
Some parents joke that they are scared to enter their teenage son’s bedroom because of the chaos. This generally is the case, as adolescents’ lives are hectic, and teenage boys especially don’t prioritise keeping things in order or putting things away.
However, psychologists insist that an orderly and aesthetic space is vital for a teenage boy since constant chaos can lead to negative feelings and a sense of insecurity. Therefore, it is important for parents to facilitate an environment that is comfortable and orderly.
To keep any space orderly, well-thought-out and functional storage is key.
Each teenage boy is unique and has his own hobbies and interests. Sports, music, and gaming are all things that make up a teenage boy’s life, not to mention the apparel, such as cool sneakers and caps. A proper storage solution is essential to organising all his stuff.
At Fineline, we design each wardrobe or cupboard to cater to our clients’ unique needs. Not only do we consider the right amount of storage for clothes and shoes but also for any other items that need to be stored away. We can design a compartment in your son’s cupboard to fit his oversized cricket or hockey bag or his musical instrument. Whatever your needs, we at Fineline will design the perfect solution to keep things organised.
Your teenage son is transitioning from a child to a young adult, so his room should reflect a little more sophistication. Finish off his wardrobe with a set of sleek and stylish sliding wardrobe doors. Sliding wardrobe doors take up no floor space when opened and closed, leaving floor space free for more important things. Our sliding wardrobe doors are robust and meet both local and international safety standards. Our rolling mechanisms are top-grade quality, so have no fear; Fineline’s sliding wardrobe doors are built to last, even in a teenage boy’s bedroom.
2. Sleep and comfort
Your teenage son is growing at a tremendous rate physically, mentally and emotionally, so it is important to look after his physical and mental health. Good sleep is paramount to a healthy body and mind. Make sure your son has the right sized bed, and if he is particularly tall, add extra length. A good mattress is essential too.
It is not always possible to provide a teenage boy with a spacious bedroom, but if you do manage to carve out the space, additional seating is a great idea, as it zones your boy’s bedroom for sleeping, studying and playing. Whether it is a beanbag, a small couch or a comfy chair, additional seating gives your son an alternative lounge area for himself and to entertain friends.
3. Study space
Homework, assignments and exams are realities for teens, so having a workspace is crucial for studying without noise and interference from around the house. Make sure the desk is at the right height for him, and consider using an ergonomic desk chair to promote good posture and prevent headaches, backaches, and poor concentration. That said, the study area is a space you can get creative in. Consider adding a pinboard so that he can display mementos and reminders. Hooks are also handy to hang up headphones.
4. Lighting
Never underestimate the effect of good lighting to create a calm and relaxed atmosphere. Bedside lamps create a warm nighttime ambience, and a well-lit study desk is essential. Also consider the natural light in the room as well as the window treatments. Blockout blinds are a great idea for a teenage boy’s bedroom, as they block out all disturbing light at night to ensure good sleep, while during the day, rolled-up blinds don’t obscure the window
Now the fun part – decorating!
As with their moods, a teenager’s tastes, hobbies, and interests can change often. Therefore, it’s advisable to keep your base decor simple so it can adapt to different interests.
1. Colour
Teenage boys often tend to lean more towards the darker, more masculine colours, such as the darker tones of grey, blue and green. These colours are often paired with accent colours like mustard, red, and touches of black to create a balanced look. These shades pair really well with mid-tone wood finishes, which can be brought in with furniture such as the bed frame, bedside table and desk. This combination is masculine, and the wood tones ensure the bedroom doesn’t look too moody.
Did you know that Fineline’s sliding wardrobe doors can become part of your son’s bedroom colour scheme and decor? With so many different materials and colours to choose from, our sliding wardrobe doors can elevate the style of any room. Here is some inspiration:
2. Patterns
Patterns such as plaids, checks, stripes, camo and geometric designs are popular for teenage boy’s bedrooms. These patterns can be brought in with bedding, curtains, rugs and cushions.
3. Textures
Adding textures to a room creates a more dynamic and layered look. For teenage boys, textures such as leather, wood, suede and metal add a masculine style and sophistication. Keep the softer textures for the sleeping and hangout zones, while the hard textures can be brought in with lights and extra storage.
4. A personal touch
Once you’ve created the base decor, your teen can incorporate his unique touch to showcase his personality. Here are some ideas on how to do this:
Sports equipment as design elements
If your teenage son loves sports, it can be used in an effective way to decorate his room. You can easily decorate a wall with skateboard designs, basketballs and hoops or autographed apparel. Awesome sports print graphics are also readily available.
A wall of fame
Consider a creative way to create a “wall of fame” where your son can display his favourite art, mementos, and photos. This can be done with shelves, a cabinet, a pinboard, a magnetic chalkboard, or even wire and pegs.
Collectables as a wall feature
Many teens collect items they find cool; it could be figurines, sneakers or caps. These collections can enhance the decor and effectively showcase your son’s personality and interests.
Framed posters and wall art
Teens love to stick posters and wall art on their walls. But instead of sticking up their posters with prestick, offer to have their favourite posters framed. Framing their posters and wall art will immediately make the room look more sophisticated.
Where to from here?
So now that you have loads of ideas, where do you go from here?
Think of your son’s needs. List the functions that his room would need to fulfil. Then start looking for references you like and create a mood board. Remember to keep your son actively involved in this process. With a clear vision of what he needs and likes, it will make the process of designing and decorating your teenage boy’s bedroom so much easier.
If you are looking for the most functional storage for your teenage son’s bedroom, contact Fineline Wardrobe Solutions today!
Don’t worry; a guide to designing and decorating a teenage girl’s bedroom will come out soon too.
For more creative ideas, visit our trendy blog.
