Bedroom Design Fit For A Teen

Contributed By: Kate Davidson

When decorating a room for a young adult it is most important to create a multi-functional room. A bedroom for a teen is such an important space for their development. So much happens in this space: studying, reading, music, hobbies, hanging out with friends, fashion shows, sleepovers, and quiet time. It is a space of their own, a place of comfort, and an extension of their personality. 

A successful room layout for a teen room involves creating several zones. A zone for sleeping, studying, dressing, hanging out, and displaying prized possessions. When 13 year-old Jessica asked for a room with blues and purples, and for it to be feminine but not too “girly”, I knew we had a fun project where we should infuse color pattern and texture. We knew we found a winner when we found the fabulous wallpaper from JF Fabrics and used it as the inspiration to pull the room together. The wallpaper creates a wow factor for the room and since it has several colors and lots of texture it was a perfect starting point for the room. When putting a room together using a source of inspiration will really help ensure your room flows and each element has a purpose for the room. It could be a fabric, rug, piece of art, or in this case, wallpaper.

On the walls we added a twist to a classic style. Adding a chair rail, we painted the bottom portion white and wallpapered the upper portion for a dramatic effect. We kept the ceiling classic white and installed a whimsical & pretty shell chandelier. When designing bedrooms for clients I always design a bedroom around the bed and using it as the main focal point. In this room, we placed the bed across from the doorway to the room on the far wall with a bench at it’s foot adding a pop of royal blue in an ikat influenced onion pattern. For the desk area, we added some easy glam to Jessica’s old desk by topping it with a custom cut mirror and adding glamorous crystal knobs. The client had an antique arm chair that was not being used so we had it painted & reupholstered which now makes it a character piece. On the wall above the desk we hung a shelf and cork board which gives a home to her collectibles.

The window’s existing bench seat was finished with a stylish croc vinyl in metallic grey and then complimented with an eclectic mix of pillows of different colors and patterns that all co-ordinate with the wallpaper scheme. For the window treatment, we had a custom valance made from an adorable Kravet fabric with a gentle curve and pretty box pleats. And for room darkening, a blackout waterfall roman shade was installed behind the valance. I often suggest this look to my clients as machine made blinds are more durable and easy to operate vs. custom fabric roman shades, and also more cost effective overall.

We are delighted how the room came together for our young client, it is a fun and vibrant room while still being classic and elegant and will grow with her throughout her teen years.

TIPS:

Create a hangout zone – a generous bench seat with over-sized pillows for a cozy place to read.

Make a space to study – We topped this pretty desk with a mirror and embellished it with crystal knobs and paired it with a pretty re-upholstered antique chair and a big bulletin board to display her treasures.

Add a resting spot – A camel back upholstered bed in linen neutralizes the colorful accents and creates a lux bed.

Use simple storage to showcase interests – The classic Malm shelf from Ikea creates a perfect spot for all of her collectibles.

Kate Davidson is the Principal Designer of Kate Davidson Design, Inc.

Kate Davidson Design is a multi-disciplinary interior design firm providing complete residential & commercial design, renovating services throughout Toronto, GTA and North America. For over a decade this design firm is respected for envisioning and creating stylish livable spaces. @kateandcodesigninc