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Enter at Your Own Risk: Decorating a Teen’s Room


Decorating a teen's bedroom can be a complicated task. It's important to choose a design scheme that your teen loves and won't want to change quickly. It's a great idea to choose neutral furnishings and incorporate color using paint, accessories or bedding. After you have a design scheme, the next most important item to choose is the bed. The bed usually takes up the most space in a room, making it a natural focal point.







Sonax Willow Captain's Storage Bed in Ravenwood Black

What Kind of Bed Should I Buy for My Teen?



The most popular size for a teen’s bed is the twin or single bed. Twin beds, also known as single beds, are 39” wide and 75” long. Standard twin beds come in a wide range of styles and materials, like metal, wood veneers, solid pine, laminates and medium density fiber board. The twin X-long or extra long single bed is the same width as the twin but is 5” longer and might be better suited for a teen’s room because of the additional length.







Your teen might be anxious to get rid of the “baby” bed and be ready for an upgrade to a teen bed . The double bed, also known as a full bed, is 54” wide and 75” in length. It is a popular choice for someone who wants more sleeping space. When buying a double bed or headboard, note that many of them will be able to accommodate a queen mattress. If space is limited but your teen still wants a double size mattress, consider selecting a platform bed that includes storage options.


A common choice when decorating a small or shared bedroom, the bunk bed is basically two beds stacked one on top of the other. Utilizing space vertically rather than horizontally, this creates more room for a computer desk or an extra chest of drawers. Supported by four poles at each corner of the bed, the top bunk is typically accessed by a ladder and is either fully or semi enclosed by railings to prevent the occupant from falling out of bed. Most styles of bunk beds can be converted into two free standing beds, allowing your teen more decorating options.


Hillsdale Aiden Twin Bed Set in Black

Style of Teen Beds


A variation on the bunk bed, the loft bed is essentially the top bunk only, providing free space beneath the bed for a study area or anything else within reason your teen might have in mind. Loft beds are available in a variety of configurations and materials, including storage drawers and cubbyholes, built-in or free standing desks. Combining the loft bed concept with the bunk bed, another version of the loft bed allows the bottom bunk to be free standing beneath the upper bunk, and might include a desk and optional storage.


The four poster bed is an enduring choice for a teen’s room. Depending on the style of the décor, they can be country charming, dramatically whimsical or comfortably sporty. They are characterized by four posts at each corner that are of equal or varying height. The most popular construction materials for four poster beds are wood or metal. Classic in style and elegant in design, a four poster can last through the early college years, simply by changing and updating the linens and the color scheme. Usually associated with more traditional furnishings, a poster bed can create a relaxed casual style.


Canopy beds can add a touch of elegance to a teen’s bedroom. The canopy bed is a four poster bed with a covering. Typically chosen to decorate girls’ rooms, a canopy bed can be the perfect focal point in any teen’s room, depending on the material and style. Canopies can be made of a variety of materials, even roped wire detailing; to soften the dramatic appearance of the four poster bed, select a fabric canopy with a border frill or one with draped swatches. A canopy frame can be added to most four poster beds where the posts of the bed are of equal height. When purchasing a canopy bed, check to see if the material is or is not included; some manufacturers will not include the material, allowing you the option to match it to your curtains, bedding and/or color scheme.


Sleigh beds are characterized by stylish, curving lines and a distinctive, romantic feel. The height of the headboard will determine how eye-catching the bed will be as a focal point. A tall headboard and footboard will be more likely to dominate the room. When decorating a teen’s bedroom, if you want the feel of a sleigh bed but would like to minimize its visual impact, select a shorter headboard.


The most popular size for a teen’s bed is the twin or single bed. Twin beds, also known as single beds, are 39” wide and 75” long. Standard twin beds come in a wide range of styles and materials, like metal, wood veneers, solid pine, laminates and medium density fiber board. The twin X-long or extra long single bed is the same width as the twin but is 5” longer and might be better suited for a teen’s room because of the additional length.


A trundle bed, sometimes known as a pull-out bed, is essentially two beds in one. The second bed pulls out from underneath the first when needed and can be retracted when not in use. The majority of trundle beds are available in just twin size. Perfect for sleepovers or unexpected guests, a trundle bed is more convenient and manageable than an air mattress. When the extra bed is no longer needed, the trundle compartment of some models can be used as a storage area by removing the mattress.







What Style Should I Select for My Teen?



Lea Elite Reflections Kids Bookcase Platform Storage Bed in Aspen White Finish

Traditional furniture is characterized by silky finishes, elegant curves and graceful, flowing lines and are inspired by the trends, fashions and social customs of the past, ranging from the elaborate fussiness of Victorian times to the pastoral simplicity of English Country. It is probably for this reason that traditional-style pieces like a dresser or nightstand can make a room feel informal or formal, depending on the time period that has been used as inspiration. Traditional furniture can include rich detailing such as leaf or scroll motifs, bun or claw feet and ornate brass or carved pulls.




Transitional furnishings merge contemporary and traditional styles together. Typically this style blends austere lines with intricate curves, and natural wood finishes with lustrous metals. It also utilizes neutral palette finishes like taupe, tan and vanilla. Since it is a mix of other styles, it adapts easily and blends in with a wide range of designs and fashions. The versatility of transitional bedroom furniture, like a bedroom set, makes it a good choice for a teen’s room because it is eclectic and flexible.


Contemporary youth bedroom furniture is known for its simplicity of line, shape and form. A blend of modern, casual and traditional styles, the contemporary style emerged during the second half of the 20th century. Subtle and understated by underplaying the ornate lines and rich textures of more traditional furniture, a contemporary captain’s bed mixes natural elements with minimal detailing for a streamlined look and comfortable feel.


Country furniture combines more formal traditional styles with a relaxed charm, and are known for being comfortable and welcoming. They might contain a distinctive period flavor like Colonial or Shaker. Country style furnishings are mostly constructed of wood, ranging from light to medium finishes, but they can also be produced of metal and wood or metal and glass. Some of the more common types of wood finishes are grainy, painted or distressed. Country furniture can include whimsical details like hand-painted stenciling, hand-carved insets, shutter style panels and French twist embossing.