Colin & Justin turn a kid’s bedroom into a teenager’s

Teenagers are desperate to grow out of childhood as quickly as possible and therefore, a new bedroom would be more than welcome! The trick with teenage rooms is to apply a little adult thinking but in a modernist way. Big, bold colours might be good for some, but it’s better to opt for smart neutrals or monochrome colour schemes - that way, you can add or remove colourful accessories as required. 

Declaration of Independence

This particular room was an unfinished basement, with our young client sharing space upstairs with her younger sister. It made sense to transform dead space into living space and provide a brand new bedroom for big sis. Teenagers need their independence and need to grow, away from their younger siblings’ teddy bears and baby posters.  Creating new rooms adds value to the home and happiness to all concerned, so it’s well worth it.

Express Yourself

This modern monochrome look is the perfect bare canvas for adding extra colour through the use of cushions, bed throws, rugs and artwork and a great platform for self-expression.  

Create a Focal Point

In a modern room with no inherent features, it’s good to create a focal point wall. In a bedroom, ideally, it should be the wall behind the bed. We painted the entire room with low-cost matte white before adding a huge panel of matt black. We then applied graphic wall stickers to add decorative detail. These are inexpensive and can be removed easily in the future when it’s time for a new look so the room can change as often as your teenager’s moods!

Black and White and Fab All Over

To prevent this look from seeming too sterile, mix different textures and patterns to add interest. To keep it clean, leave lots of white ‘breathing space’ between each layer and the finished result will be cool and modern. Remember who the room is for and involve them in the design process as much as possible. Bear in mind that less is more and that rooms are for growing into, rather than out of…

Keep With Dressing Simple

When dressing modern French doors, avoid the temptation to overdo window treatments or your billowing curtains will get in the way of opening doors. We added plain black roller blinds so the windows can be covered without obstructing passage. 

Fancy Storage

Teenage rooms should be practical rooms. Thus, make sure you provide a homework desk and ample storage in your design. We created a whole wall of wardrobes by building drywall sections around the wardrobe carcasses - thereby integrating them into the room. This kind of streamlining looks architectural and is an ultramodern design touch that your teenager will surely appreciate.

Colin & Justin