Teenage boys’ bedroom ideas for sleep, study and socialisingJennifer Eberton January 18, 2021 at 4:00 pm
Coming up with teenage boys’ bedroom ideas is no easy feat for a parent. You want to give them the creative freedom to express themselves, but there are also practical considerations to take into account, such as study space and the cost of redecorating when they reach GCSE age and are mortally embarrassed by the wallpaper they chose when they were 11-years-old.
Whether it’s an inspiring study corner, a place to lay their head or storage options to curtail even the messiest of teenagers, we’ve got some great teenage boys’ bedroom ideas to inspire you.
Check out our dedicated children’s room channel for more ideas and advice
What should be in a teenage boy’s room?
For a teenage boy his bedroom is like a fort, protecting him from the outside world. It’s a place where he can go to get some private space or hang out with friends and siblings. It’s also a place where he can start to express his own identity separate from the rest of the household. This could be by putting up posters, showing off collections, choosing a striking duvet cover or using his favourite colours on the walls.
That said, teenage boys’ bedrooms also need to be practical, especially if your teenager is at the age when he needs to study for exams, so good storage ideas and a desk area are both key.
How to tackle the changing tastes of teens
When choosing a decorating scheme for a teenage boy’s bedroom, bear in mind that a young teenager’s tastes will change as they get older so it might be a good idea to go for a wall colour that’s easy to live with and update the look with accessories, rather than having to redecorate every couple of years. Of course if you’re happy to redecorate – or, better still, your teenager is happy to do it themselves! – then let them be as adventurous with paint colours as they like. After all, it’s only paint and easy enough to paint over when the time comes for a more grown-up scheme.
Teenage boys’ bedroom ideas
1. Furnish with stylish designs
Image credit: Simon Whitmore
Choosing furniture that doesn’t feel childish is an easy way to make your teenage boy’s bedroom feel like a grown up space. By using statement furniture pieces that feel welcome in a living room helps to make their bedroom evolve into a social space, as well as the practicality of where they sleep. A comfy leather swivel chair is ideal for providing a cool place to hang out and relax. A side table with a removal top is the idea storage solution for keeping their favourite mags to hand, while they enjoy some chill time in the comfort of their own room.
2. Welcome a vibrant accent colour
Image credit: Valspar/ Werner Straube
Play it safe with traditional blue and grey shades as a background and add a splash of vibrant colour as an accent shade throughout. This smart grey room welcomes an acid yellow ladder, bedside table and soft-furnishings in a similar shades to lift the scheme.
This double bed is perfect if you have two boys sharing a room and wanted to keep the room as neutral as possible to please both parties without looking dull. If you’ve just the one teenage son taking advantage of this room, they can easily turn the lower level into a spacious sofa to hang out with their friends.
3. Add extra seating options
Image credit: David Brittain
A comfy chair or couple of beanbags are a must for a teenagers room. The last thing they want to do is hangout with their friends in the living room, with siblings and parents walking in every five minutes. Create their own private haven within the home which feels like more than a just bedroom. Extra seating is the easiest way to make the room feel more like a social space. A high sleeper keeps the bed out of the way, creating more space to accommodate a comfy chair or beanbag for their friends to lounge around on after school.
4. Get grown up with stripes
Image credit: Simon Whitmore
For a relaxed and grown up scheme for a boy’s bedroom, you can’t go wrong with a classic boarding school look. A wrought iron bed should be the focus of the room, softened with striped wallpaper in school uniform-style colours. Smart wood panelling will help to make the room feel all the more grown up, adding a timeless design touch that can be updated with a lick of paint – as and when needed. This style will see your teenager through from the early years until they are ready to leave home.
5. Go from kid to teen with a nautical theme
Image credit: Dominic Blackmore
Make the move from ‘kid’s room’ to teen with a grown-up nautical scheme. Ensuring the teenager version is a leap away from nursery-style boats and pirates. Start with a nautical style wallpaper as your backdrop, then choose a sturdy wooden bed (or bunk bed) to give the bedroom a cabin feel. Accessorise with lots of nautical finishing touches, from trunks and chests for storage, to porthole-style mirrors and hurricane lamp lighting.
6. Start with a blank canvas that’s easy to change
Image credit: Oliver Gordon
If you’re not keen on the idea of making a trip to Homebase every year for a new pot of paint accommodate your teenagers changing tastes by keeping the walls of the room a blank canvas. White walls might not be the trendiest option for a teenage boys’ room, but you can easily adapt to your teenagers changing interests with framed prints on the wall and patterned bedding.
Read more: The best white paint – how to choose the right shade for your walls
7. Let your teenager express himself
Image credit: Chris Everard
What teenager wouldn’t love the licence to graffiti all over their bedroom walls? It’s the perfect way to express yourself during those difficult years when you’re struggling to work out your own identity, plus it creates an irresistibly edgy look. While this decorating option may only be for more laid-back parents, it does have its advantages. It’s a lot cheaper and easier than wallpaper, for example, and can easily be painted a nice neutral tone when your teenager flies the nest.
8. Stamp style with accessories
Image credit: Chris Snook
If getting creative on the walls is a bridge too far, let your teenager express their style though accessories instead. A statement duvet set is a great way to do this. It makes an instant impact in a room and is quick and easy to change if and when your son gets bored of a look. Moody grey is a reassuringly masculine shade and makes an ideal backdrop to practically any colour scheme.
9. Show off cool collections
Image credit: Alison Hammond
If your son has a favourite hobby or collection, why not incorporate it into his bedroom design scheme? The caps in this bedroom make an interesting talking point, while the plain white backdrop lends the bright reds and oranges extra impact. Exposed brick always adds edge to a space. If you don’t have the bricks for it, get the look with a brick-effect wallpaper.
10. Make room with a high-sleeper
Image credit: Richard Powers
A high-sleeper bed is a design must-have if you’re short on space. This multifunctional piece of furniture can double or triple up as somewhere to sleep, somewhere to study and somewhere to relax. Go for a dark, edgy tone such as gunmetal grey to give a more grown-up feel.
11. Set up a smart study area
Image credit: Joanna Henderson
Teenage years can be dominated by school exams, so a tidy and organised study area in a teen’s bedroom is a must. Invest in a good quality desk and chair and fit some shelves above the desk area so your teen has plenty of space to store coursework and books.
12. Make a big statement with an oversize map
Image credit: Simon Whitmore
Maps provide a great motif for decorating in a teen’s room, with charted murals or map prints making a great impact on a large expanse of wall. They’re also a handy tool for coaching (you and) your kid through their geography homework. Keep the look graphic and edgy by adding a Union Jack rug or bed linen and stick to a simple colour palette of two or three primary colours for a smart, cohesive scheme.
13. Squeeze in a dedicated study space
Image credit: Spike Powell
Squeezing a desk into a teen’s tiny bedroom may not be an option. A small alcove or window recess can be transformed into a study area by fixing a section of worktop on wall brackets. It’s easy to install and takes up less space than bulky furniture. Dedicating a desk area away from view of the bed goes a long way to motivate study, rather than sleep or socialising.
14. Inject energy with orange
Image credit: Simon Whitmore
Deep orange will inject a feeling of energy and creativity into any space, making it ideal for a teen’s bedroom. Limit the orange to alcoves or one wall and choose a cool monochrome scheme for the rest of the space to balance the look.
15. Go back to school
Image credit: Simon Whitmore
For a fail-safe scheme that boys will love, try this fun take on schoolroom style. Choose ‘uniform’ navy blue as your backdrop, teamed with weathered wood boards on the floor. Then add personality with school room-inspired furniture, from locker room metal cabinets for storage to an old school desk. Top it all off with fun accessories from the classroom, such as a bright metal chair, Anglepoise desk lamp and wooden cubbyhole storage.
Want more children’s room ideas? READ: Small children’s room ideas – to create a space your child will love
16. Chalk it up with a blackboard wall
Image credit: Dan Duchars
Be inventive with your wall space and create a chalkboard calendar for your teen’s study space. Start with one feature wall painted in a dark grey chalkboard paint, then mix the remainder of your paint with white emulsion to create several different shades of grey for your squares – three shades should be sufficient. Use low-tack masking tape to create the straight lines for your grid – you’ll need seven squares across and six squares down – then paint the squares in your varying shades.
Will you be using these teenage boys’ bedroom ideas to create the perfect scheme for your child?
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