A Room of Their Own
Your kids are finally into their teens, and have been clamoring for a space of their own. Considering how difficult the adolescent years can be, it might be good if they got a hideaway from the world. Places where they can cope with examination blues and nurse their first heartbreak and just ‘hang about’ with friends. So, how do you create a haven of comfort for them?
Obviously, the room should be done up differently for teenage boys and girls. Masculine colours for the young man would include blue, red, yellow and green. For girls bright bold colours such as red, tangerine, fuchsia and sunflower yellow are hot – and cool pastels are out. You can put up textured wallpaper in a wall mat finish in earthy hues such as beige and rust on one wall, paint the opposite wall bright and leave the last two neutral.
Certain basics, including the bed, study-unit, flooring and lights remain the same for teenagers of either sex. Beds for a teenager’s room could range from regular single beds with storage space underneath, to sofa-cum-beds and pull-out divan beds, on which to lounge about during the day and sleep at night. You could even put in a four-poster bed with a romantic canopy- of course, that’s strictly for young ladies.
A consolidated study-unit along one wall that doubles up as a workspace, computer station and also provides storage would be just right for your young adult Also, there should be a soft board for the youngster to be able to pin up memos and timetables and a swivel chair with a good backrest.
The space beneath the workstation can be used to store books and a long cabinet on the side to stock anything from cricket gear, racquets and golf dubs 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 specific requirements. One wimp sliding shutters if there’s a space crunch, or a regular swing-door almirah will do nicely, as long as there is ample space inside. For a young son, the almirah door could have a mirror on the inside or outside. A young lady will probably want a proper dressing table. It could be a simple long cupboard with shelves and drawers for her trinkets and make-up, with a long mirror on the outside.
With almost grown-up children, you do not have to worry about floors and window dressing being ruined. You could put in wooden flooring in matte finish, or go funky with colourful tiles. For the windows, go ethnic with chiks trimmed with colourful fabric borders or keep it classy with blinds in neutral shades. In upholstery, you can play with linen, muslin, poly-blends in vibrant hues such as red, pink, orange and mustard. You could take in a lot of geometric prints, polka dots, stripes, solids and checks
The theme colours can be played up with a strategic combination of soft, focus and bright lighting. With minimalism being the order of the day, modern steel and chrome wall fixture lights are the best way to go. The study-unit has to be well-lit with fluorescent lights overhead the workspace; the bed too needs a lamp on the side, for youngsters are sure to read in bed late at night. Also necessary is a floor lamp with focus lighting in the sitting or lounging area.
Teenagers need a corner in their room where they can hang about with friends, pursue their favorite hobby, listen to music and snuggle up with a book. Don’t try to give this space a defined look. Rather, let it be bohemian, with a bean bag, bright floor-cushions, some throw rugs and a small cabinet to store books and house the child’s music system and CDs.
