Your Teenager's First Room

Congratulations! You have a teenager and he or she is dying for a room all their own. The teenage years can be very difficult, and it might be good if your teen could have a hideaway all their own - a place where they can cope with all of their day to day problems, from their exam stresses to their first heartbreak. But how do you create this perfect haven for your teen? Obviously, the room should be done differently for teenage boys and girls. Masculine colors for a young man would include red, yellow, blue, and green. For girls, bright and bold colors such as tangerine, fuschia, and sunflower yellow are hot - and those cool pastels are not. Certain basics are the same in either room. A bed, a study-unit, flooring and lights are a must. Beds for a teen's room could range from regular single beds with storage space beneath, to sofa-beds and even pull out daybeds. If your daughter's a bit of a romantic, you could even put in a four-poster bed with a canopy. A study-unit along one wall that doubles as a workspace and a computer station, and also provides storage just right for your teenager. Also, there should be a soft board available for the teen to be able to pin up memos, timetables, and schedules, and a swivel chair with a good backrest. The space beneath the workstation can be used to store books and a long cabinet featured on the side can be used to stock anything from sports gear or even hobby specific items such as stamp collections or scrap books. The fashion-conscious young adult definitely needs a separate wardrobe, built according to his or her requirments. A mirror on the inside or outside of the cabinet is necessary, but a young lady will probably want a proper dressing table, with shelves and drawers for trinkets and makeup. The older your children, the less you have to worry about flooring and window dressing being ruined. You could put in wooden flooring or go with colorful tiles. For the windows, colorful fabrics or classy neutral blinds are beautiful. Color themes can be played up with a strategic combination for soft focus and bright lighting. Minimalism can be achieved with modern steel and chrome wall fixture lights. The study-unit needs to be well-lit with fluorescent lights overhead. The bed also needs a lamp on the side - as teens are sure to read in bed late at night. Another necessity is a floor lamp with focus lighting in the sitting or lounging area. Teens need a corner in their room where they can hang out with friends, pursue their favorite hobby, listen to music, or just read a good book. Don't try to give this space a specific theme. Instead, let it be rather bohemian - with a bean bag, bright color floor-cushions, some throw rugs, and a small cabinet to store books and house the child's music system and CDs. Your teenager's room, above all, should reflect the teenager. Don't create a room that your child would be unhappy with!