Five Design Touches for Teen Tastes

High school students are always looking to up their awesomeness, not only in school corridors but at home. This is especially true of their bedroom, their private domain. As a result, girls will be wanting to get rid of their Kit Kittredge American Girl doll, while boys will be looking to toss their Thomas the Train sheets.

They’ll probably look for more up-to-date cultural icons such as Chris Martin and Lil Wayne.

Who are they? Get with it: Martin is the lead singer of Coldplay, and Lil Wayne is a popular and prolific rapper. Beyond posters, here are five design touches that suggest your teen is indeed growing older and wiser.

Desks/Study Areas

Parents should help students find a desk that not only looks cool, but also has plenty of space for work and storage. Pottery Barn Teen offers a wide selection, including a basic desk for $899. Because students will (hopefully) spend a lot of time at their desks working on computers, make sure their chair is ergonomically correct. Pottery Barn Teen also offers a variety of desk chairs from $169 to $269.

Shelving

Stylish bookshelves, short or tall, can really change the look of a teen’s room. Here are some that range  from $299 to $598. The display-it storage mirror from PB Teen, for example, swivels so all 4 sides serve their purpose: storage, a mirror, corkboard and a side with hooks for scarves and jewelry ($600, pictured) A variety of media storage cabinets also are available, from $199 to $2,999, to help teens organize all of their books, DVDs, CDs and memorabilia.

Lounge Seating

As they spend more time in their rooms — texting their friends, painting their nails and experimenting with makeup – teen girls may want their bedrooms to reflect their increasing femininity. These faux fur butterfly chairs from JCPenney for $29 each make a splendid seating arrangement with their splashy covers and lightweight steel alloy frames that open and close in seconds. Stick with the flamboyant theme and light the area with brightly colored Phoebe lamps, complete with feather trim. Choose from shades of aqua, pink and chartreuse. The floor lamp costs $60 and the table model costs $30.

Beanbag chairs are great for teenage boys, who probably would opt for comfort over fine decor. They may be tempted to pay closer attention if the chair reflects their favorite sports team. The NFL beanbag chair for $40 from JCPenney should do the trick. Throw in a matching team rug for $30 for good measure.

Bed Frames and Headboards

Now is a great time to graduate your teen from a mattress and box springs to a bed with a frame and a headboard. Sears offers the Belmont twin wooden headboards in a mix of colors for $150, pictured.  Not only will a headboard improve the look of the room, it will make your teen feel more of an adult, albeit on a subconscious level.

Dressers

It’s time to put away storage bins and plastic cubicles and turn to dressers and chests to store shirts, socks, T’s and night clothes. Sears offers a 5-drawer maple chest for $140 that has plenty of space so teens won’t be tempted to use the floor.

Just a few of these design touches will give your teen the sense that he or she is becoming a little older, and perhaps a little wiser.