5 Design Tips for the Perfect Teen Bedroom

If you are new here, let me share a little background on this DIY teen boys room remodel. When we moved into our current home in 2010, there was one kid's room that was MUCH larger than the rest. With a three-year age gap between each of our kids, we made the decision that each of them could have a turn to have the "big room" starting with the oldest. Each of the kids has made the room their own in various ways, and often, they plan for months as they anticipate their older sibling moving out. This year was interesting as our daughter wavered between going away to school {all her classes at her out of state university were online} and staying home to stay safe. 
Our youngest had been planning for no less than six months {with scaled drawings I might add!} to take over the room and his plans were put on hold. With our daughter out of the house for several months, we decided it was time for the youngest to make the transition to the "big room".  So what started as a rock 'n roll den with our oldest, transitioned to a gray glam girls room and has now moved to a modern teen boys room with a geometric feature wall. In case you missed the first step, you can check out the DIY geometric feature wall in this post. 

All that said, I am kind of an expert when it comes to walking alongside as teens design their perfect bedroom. So I'm sharing design tips for your teen today. I'm also sharing the secret I learned for getting your teen to make their bed daily! You aren't going to want to miss it!

Design Tips for the Perfect Teen Bedroom

How to Find your Teens Design Style

Teen boys are often hard to please, especially when you are trying to nail down any sort of style. My oldest son's style was more of an "I found this in the free box" mix of things. To be totally honest, I hate redecorating and putting a ton of money and effort into a room that will look like a tornado went through it on the regular.

Mom tangent:

Maybe my teens are the messiest kids on earth, but nary a bed is made, clean clothes sit in folded piles on the floor for weeks {months?}, and books and papers are typically thrown all over. 
I was a messy teen and now I like a clean home, so I decided that a clean room isn't important to me if it requires a struggle. This was a hill I didn't want to die on, so I am grateful for closed doors and friends who would often peer pressure my kids into cleaning up because whatever I was doing obviously wasn't working.

Back to it...

Design Style

So, how do you find your teen's design style? Take them shopping with you. Go to a few different stores that have different styles on display {Home Goods, IKEA, and Target are good starts} and then start finding items your teen tends to gravitate towards. 
Don't want to go to a store? Start perusing websites like Pottery Barn Teen and Pinterest for ideas.
You'll quickly start to make notes of items your teen is gravitating towards. 
LED lights around the room aren't my design style, but again, ask yourself if this is a hill you want to die on. Some compromise is important to be made as you work to design a room that is an expression of their style. 

Teen Bedrooms are a Refuge

Teens don't often have a lot of spaces that are their own. Their bedroom is usually the only place that they can express themselves. They also often use their bedrooms as their study space, entertaining space, and hang out space, so you want to make sure your teen is able to express themself as they start putting their room together.

Design Tips for Teens

1. Let Your Teens Be in Charge of the Design

It's easy to want to take over the design of the room and offer your input, but remember this is often the first time your teen has a chance to really express their own style. Don't try to take the lead on this. Feel free to offer your advice and suggestions, but let them take the lead on the important parts.

2. Let Your Teens do the DIY

Get your teens involved in the DIY. These are important life skills they are learning. Everyone should know how to paint a room at least. And if you are more adventurous, allow them to help with using power tools. This is your time to shine and teach your teens some important life skills.

3. Go Along with Their Crazy Plans

One of the coolest parts of the whole room {aside from the DIY geometric feature wall} was the pendulum wall art. Hours of research went into creating this wall art and the end result was so cool. I didn't know how to create it when he asked and I must say I probably wasn't the biggest supporter of the idea {it sounded messy!}, but he really got behind the idea and the process was mesmerizing and the end result is phenomenal.

When I was a teen in the early '90s, I wanted to paint all of my furniture black. My parents thought I was going through this goth phase, but really I was just ahead of the design curve. Remember how everything Pottery Barn sold in the early 2000s was black? Yep. Pretty sure I started the trend.
All that to say, go along with their crazy plans from time to time. You might be surprised at how well it turns out.

4. Keep it Functional

Remember, a teen room has a lot of uses {entertainment, work, sleep} so it needs to be functional. Coming up with multi-functional design pieces and creative storage solutions are key to making a room practical for your teen.

5. Create a Statement Piece

This could be a headboard, an accent wall {painted a different color or with wallpaper}, or a feature wall like the DIY geometric feature wall we did here.

It could also be a new bedspread and pillows. Speaking of...here's my secret to getting your teen to make their bed on the daily. 

You ready for it?

The Secret to Getting Kids to Make Their Bed

I wish that I had discovered this sooner, but obviously, I didn't. It's bedding from Beddy's. Sure, I've seen this zippered bedding reviewed around the internet, but honestly, I wasn't quite sure that it would work for my kids. Remember, they are slobs. 
So what are Beddy's? I'm glad you asked. It's zippered bedding that has the sheet, the blanket, and the comforter all together in one piece and goes on your bed like a fitted sheet. There are zippers on both sides that meet in the middle and when your kiddo {or you, Beddy's fits twin to king-size beds!}, gets out of bed, they just zip up their bed. Everything is zipped right in.

It's literally never been easier to make the bed!
I wish I had these when my kids were sleeping in bunk beds because bunk beds are HARD to make. 
Since my teen son has had Beddy's, he's made his bed EVERY single day. 

And seriously people, the key to a room that is clean is a bed that is made.

I promise you, I do not tell you about things I don't love and I love Beddy's. They would be great in a dorm room, or an RV or heck, any room in the house, especially for those who do not really like making the bed, young or old, no judgment! 
My friends at Beddy's are also offering a code all of you can use to get a discount at checkout. Use code MrsRachel. 

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