When it comes to teen decorating there is much to consider as
far as their bedroom is concerned. The reason for this is
because before your bundle of joy grew into a teenager, the
room they occupied was primarily designed to allow for safe
playing and romping.

But now those days are about gone and your child thinks that he
or she "is practically a grown up", and their bedroom is no
longer a sandbox. It's their personal sanctuary.

As you well know, teens crave privacy, and they will spend
large amounts of time buried in their room. So, it's important
that you give them furnishings that will provide comfort. And
they should be granted a certain degree of freedom to makeover
their room as they see fit (of course, with your approval of
their teen decorating choices).

The big difference between teen decorating and decorating for
younger children is that teens are very self-conscious about
how their bedrooms look. As such, they will want you to have as
little involvement in their bedroom decorating choices as
possible.

I know, I know....it'll take you a little while to get used to
this role, but it is important that you give your teen a good
bit of freedom to make their own choices and grow.

Now, there's something else you should know. Most teen
decorating themes are chosen for how they make the teen feel,
rather than how it looks. Strange, but true.

Teenagers make a great effort to confound logic and order, and
are at that stage where they are striving to be recognized as
individuals. In decorating, they will do this by using what
most interests them to express themselves. And they will turn
to these things when they need sanctuary, and wish to
hibernate.

Therefore, while you may not completely understand or agree
with their teen decorating selections, it's a good idea to just
let them mature and grow in an environment that gives them
solace and makes them feel comfortable.

Possible teen decorating ideas that your teen may enjoy include
the following:

- Vibrant paint colours for the walls
- Fuzzy chairs
- Area rugs
- Daybeds
- Beds with Trundles
- Whacky shaped objects (lamps, clocks ect.)
- Posters
- Pictures of family and friends
- Bookshelves
- Mirrors

It's also quite common for teen decorating to include certain
themes. Some of the most popular teen decorating themes tend to
be:

- Nature - wildlife, trees, plants, etc.
- Entertainment - music, movies, etc.
- Sports - baseball, football, hockey, etc.

Another thing you'll want to take into account when considering
teen decorating is that studying will play a much bigger role in
their lives. That being the case, if your teen does not have a
computer in his or her room, you may want to seriously consider
purchasing them one, because the vast majority of teens prefer
studying and doing homework in their room compared to anywhere
else.

Now, I shouldn't have to say it, but be very careful when it
comes to the computer and your teen. You've probably heard
horror stories about child predators lurking on the Internet.
So, pay attention to what your teen does with their computer.
Just because they think they are "practically adults", it
doesn't mean they are mentally ready to make all adult
decisions and handle the consequences.

In addition to the above, multi-function furniture such as
stackable crates and bins are a great and inexpensive way for
your teen to neatly store all of their items.

Although teen decorating may cause you moments of frustration
and cringing, it is something that your child will enjoy, and
is important to them. So, just bear with them. After all, it
won't be long before they are off to college.

About The Author: Michael Holland is the creator of the Web
site Kids-Rooms-and- Crafts. Visit
http://www.kids-rooms-and-crafts.com for lots of FREE
decorating tips and ideas for decorating children's rooms.