Where the teens hang out
The Block NZ winner Amy Moore gave her daughter’s room a makeover, and has advice for others, writes Colleen Hawkes.
Let’s face it – teenagers spend a lot of time in their bedrooms, and their friends’ bedrooms. It doesn’t matter if your teen is a clean freak or the complete opposite, a welldesigned bedroom will help keep some sense of order. More importantly, it will serve as a welcoming place for them to escape and have some time out.
From a practical viewpoint, the obvious items to include in a teen’s bedroom include a bed, a desk and chair, lamp, shelving, bedside table, large mirror and storage for clothes, shoes, makeup, and maybe sportsgear and musical instruments.
But there’s a lot more to planning a great bedroom for a teenager.
Gisborne designer Amy Moore of Amy & Co, who won
The Block NZ last year with partner Stu Watts, knows exactly what’s needed. She understands it can be difficult to transition a child’s bedroom into a teenager’s room, while avoiding blowing the budget on bigger beds, new furnishing and fancy accessories.
‘‘A great way to make this transition is to change the way the space is used by positioning furniture differently and creating more floor space,’’ Moore says. ‘‘I don’t necessarily think that upsizing to a larger bed (unless your teen is really tall) is essential right away. There are clever ways of using a king single bed in a bedroom space that still give you room to use other furniture effectively.
‘‘This summer I gave my 13-year-old daughter’s bedroom a bit more of a grown-up feel without buying too many new things. We positioned her single bed against the wall, and used cushions and throws to style it like a daybed.
‘‘Then, instead of a bedside table, we put down a mat and used a centre table to create a more ‘loungy’ feel. She still has her desk in the corner and all her bits and pieces around, but by changing the layout it has made the room feel more adult. The coffee table is also a great place for devices and extra books underneath.’’
Moore says it is great if teens can have their own bedroom, and it is important to let them have input, ‘‘but you still want the design to fit in with your home’’.
‘‘Provided they have enough storage to keep all the treasures
they insist on keeping, you should be able to create a space for them that reflects their own individual personality – within reason.’’
‘‘In my experience, teenagers tend to like changing things up fairly regularly, so providing a reasonably blank canvas when it comes to the walls can be useful. They can add their own flair, and it’s less likely that you will have to repaint or re-wallpaper when they grow out of it.’’
Wellington interior designer Bridget Foley renovated her teenage daughters’ rooms, with one wanting carpet and the other white-painted timber floors. ‘‘They both had distinct styles and they love their rooms. They do like their privacy and there are strict rules around little sister (7), being allowed in.’’
Foley agrees a neutral backdrop lets teens add their own mark with bedding, cushions and art. ‘‘At the moment both girls love indoor plants – in pots, hanging and on shelves.
‘‘Teens need somewhere to do homework/study but, with laptops, they do not need huge desks. A lot of them seem to like lying on their bed or floors to do homework, so cushions – for both the bed and floor – are great, as are rugs if there is no carpet.’’
Cambridge interior designer Juliet Coleman chose a grown-up nautical theme for her 14-yearold son Joshua’s bedroom. The designer specified Dulux Passionate Blue for the lower walls, with accents of yellow and grey.
To save space, Coleman opted for king single bed with a trundler bed beneath. Both beds were handmade by Joshua’s dad Shane, a builder. The top bed was secured to the reinforced wall with sisal rope.
With sleepovers sorted, a desk for homework and plenty of open shelving for storage took care of the practical aspects.
Coleman was conscious of tying the scheme together, which helped her win an NZ House &
Garden Interior of the Year award for the bedroom. Beanbags, scatter cushions, an occasional chair and a world map decal are decorative statements that create an integrated look. The finishing touch was a pair of oars mounted on the wall above the desk – a reference to her son’s rowing prowess.
Colour blocking is a versatile way to express personality, but it doesn’t have to involve straight lines. Auckland designer Vanessa Nouwens teamed bright blue (Resene St Kilda) with midgrey (Resene Half Raven) and a freeform design to create a teenager’s bedroom with plenty of visual punch. The designer painted the floor to match, and also a bedside cabinet.
Moore’s winning girl’s bedroom on The Block NZ featured a large gold-painted circle on a wall painted in millennial pink. The two shades were picked up in the throws and cushions, which integrated the look.