Do you have a teen-ager in your home?  If so you are one lucky person.  Teen-agers are so fun to be around.  They are usually full of life, chatty, and kind. . .until they are not-Lol!!  In one year our Showhome Furniture Family will have four teen-age girls.  What a ride we are in for!

With teen-agers comes emotions, and idea’s.  If your child has never had a room of their own, this might be a good time to consider letting them have one.

Teen-agers are going through a lot, and the pressure to fit in can be tough.  Making sure they have a place that is truly there’s can make a big difference.  One thing that we strongly caution against is letting them have a room of their own with a phone of their own. Recent research has revealed the hazards of letting teens have too much time with phones.

When designing a room for your teen-ager involve them as much as possible.  This is a time of change and exploring for kids, so let them have as much freedom in creating their own special space.  Definitely give them guidelines and a budget.  Teen-agers can get confused with too many options, and carried away without a budget.

Next pick the location.  Think of your teens personality.  Is she the kind that push the boundaries more than others?  If so, consider situating her room closer to you and further away from the outside door!  A top bedroom is a good choice.  This is something that you don’t need to tell your child that you are doing.  Just discuss with your spouse where you both think your teen-ager would thrive the best and let them know after the decision has been made.  In parenting I have found that prevention, especially prevention that my kids don’t even know I am doing, is a million times easier and effective than trying to discipline.  Disciplining is going to happen with teens, the less you have to do the better.

Now for the fun part!!  Picking out the furniture.   I suggest you don’t let your teen-ager pick out the furniture without help that will go out of style fast.  When picking out furniture look for furniture that can adapt to different stages of your teens life.  If you are confused at all the different options, speak to our design team at Showhome Furniture.  We love to help our clients design their homes. Once you have picked out two or three different bedroom sets that work, allow your teen-ager to make the final say.

Once you have the furniture it is time to paint your walls.  Wall color is definitely something I would let our teen-ager have more freedom in choosing.  Just like dying one’s hair, paint is relatively inexpensive and can be quickly changed if it is a disaster.

Lastly finish off with curtains, bedding and accessories.  Just like you are never fully dressed without a smile, so is your room never complete without accessories.  Accessories are fun and can pull the room together in such a way that your teen will know how special they truly are to you.

Yes teen-agers can be a handful, but the more I interact with teens, the more I love this stage of life.  It really is fun working on projects with my girls and watching them grow into their own unique selves.