What Do Teenager’s Rooms Look Like Today?


What Do Teenager’s Rooms Look Like Today?

The room of a teenager is going to be different from bedrooms even a decade ago. Apart from the fact that rooms are getting bigger, the ever expanding internet and all the things it brings with it can heavily influence a teenager, even down to design choices and how long they spend in their room. But what do teenager’s rooms look like today?

A teenager’s room is likely to be full of attempts by them to define themselves. It may look like a trash pile or it may be extremely tidy. Teenagers are often keen to express themselves through their room.

We’ll look at some considerations about rooms for teenagers as well as common issues with raising a teenager, especially if they have younger siblings. I’ll also point out some good tips to best decorate your teenager’s room as well as things to look out for.

Should Teenagers Get Their Own Bedroom?

What Do Teenager’s Rooms Look Like Today?

As with many of the questions associated with child rearing, there is no set answer for everyone. It is important to consider that a bedroom may be the only place your teenager has to call their own and so is an important part of growing up into being their own person

By the time a child is reaching puberty, the need for privacy and space is going to become a lot more important. This is especially true for siblings of the opposite sex and it would be a good idea to have separate bedrooms once they reach the age where modesty becomes important.

If room sharing is becoming an issue, often explaining to the younger children what the source of the conflict is will be a good first step. You can mention that the older sibling wants their own space or wants the younger children to stop touching their things. Use this time to explain the benefits of having their own space and bring up the idea of different bedtimes and privacy. It can be a good idea to mention that separating means each child gets their special place that reflects their personalities and interests.

While it may be hard to see if a conflict is occurring that is unusual, obvious tension that is not looking like it will go away should mean an immediate move to separate the rooms. If you’ve ever had an annoying neighbor or boss, you’ll know that tensions can run high in a shared space. For teenagers, the lack of privacy can feel stifling which only further contributes to more fighting. 

It’s also very important to realize that one of a teenager’s biggest preoccupations is figuring out who they are as an individual. One of the hard aspects of this can be that teenagers just by default will start to try and distinguish themselves from their parents by trying different things. This may even include shutting the bedroom door and spending more time alone. Such actions are normal and indeed vital steps to accomplishing this.

In the end, if your teenager is keeping up with everything they’re supposed to, it shouldn’t be a big deal to give them their own room. The main metrics could be school work, healthy friendships, chore completion, and good personal hygiene. You can look at it as them earning the right to their own room and therefore earning their privacy if they can show they can take care of themselves.

Of course, if they start to abuse this privilege then it’s time for a talk to set expectations. Asking your child’s friends about any concerns they have is a good step, as often friends will notice a lot more about someone than even their own parents but have no one they can tell about it. Promise anonymity (and respect that promise!) in exchange for their opinions. This can be particularly useful if you’re concerned about excessive isolation or moodiness.

How Big Should a Child’s Room Be?

It is important to realize that having separate bedrooms is a bit of a luxury compared to most of the world. However, homes only seem to be getting bigger. Through surveys, we know that this is at least in part driven by the demand for more bedrooms. 

A small bedroom will generally be the smallest size legally. In order to be called a bedroom, a room must measure 7′ x 10′. But data shows that a child’s room with a single bed is on average measuring 10′ x 10′. This is slightly smaller than the average apartment bedroom which comes in at 11′ x 12′.

In the end, if your child is not needing massive amounts of space then a smaller bedroom will not impact them much. This is true especially if they have a play room or the rest of the house has adequate space.

What Should a Teenager Have in Their Room?

What Do Teenager’s Rooms Look Like Today?

When it comes to teenagers’ rooms, less is usually more. Keep the décor simple and the colors neutral. Furnishings should be kept to a minimum as not only will you create more space but it is much easier to keep tidy.

Is your teen moody? Then whatever they were doing in the room behind closed doors wasn’t helpful. Feel free to point it out to them and consider removing TVs, computers and other distractions which keep them shut in their bedrooms. A no closed door policy or no phones in the room policy may also be needed.

The general rule of thumb should be that if the time spent alone in the bedroom is good for them, it will manifest in a positive way. 

How Can You Make a Teenage Bedroom Look Good?

If you have an opportunity to paint the room, go against giving your teenager full control over the color scheme and go for neutral colors. Even better go for colors that enable you to easily paint over and change them to something else. Hot pink is not a great idea, even if your child is dead set on it, as they’ll likely change their mind as they get older.

Basic design ideas around complementary colors, decluttering and other room designing tips should be your starting point for making any room look good.

Gui Hadlich

Hi there! I'm Gui. I've had to move 12 times in the last 6 years, and I've learned a thing or two about moving, decorating, and buying and selling furniture. I've started Budget Friendly Furnishing with the intent of helping people furnish their homes in style without having to break the bank!

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