Not quite adults, but definitely not children any more, these ‘tweens’, young people aged 8 to 13, are ready to makeover their spaces.  How do you decorate for these kids?

Tweens today, may play like children at home, but can instantly transform themselves into sophisticated adults for a trip to the mall. They have outgrown the bright primary colours and the Disney motifs, and they hardly ever play with dolls or racecars anymore, expect behind closed doors. These young people have their own ideas and desires. They’re confident with expressing themselves, and need to be included in the design process.

This age is blessed with an endless supply of energy, creativity, and enthusiasm for life.  Their rooms should reflect this mature and evolving personality.  To begin the design process for a tween, start with a need’s analysis.  What type of activities needs to take place in the room: homework, computer area, reading, hobby workspace, sleepovers, hair and makeup, display space for collectibles?  Divide the list into ‘must have’ and would ‘like’ space allocations.  Now, prioritize and try to fit it all in.

While most furniture manufactures do not make specific collections for this aged group, there are a few that do.  These leading-edge companies have recognized a market that is under developed and in need of good quality, well designed and functional pieces.  The furniture we purchase for our ‘tweens’ is usually the furniture that will see them through to college and maybe even into their first apartment.  When making purchasing decisions on the furniture try to think into the future.  Perhaps a double or queen size bed.  This size works well for sleepovers, and can be used in a guestroom or taken to that first apartment in a few years.  Desks should be as large as possible, providing ample workspace for scrap booking, homework and other hobbies. Lots of storage space is also a ‘must have’. 

Your selection of paint colours, bed linens, and wall and window coverings for this room are as individual as the personality of this age.   Start with paint colour.  Allow your tween to be as creative as he or she desires, after all it is only paint and colour is an emotional choice. Colour should be fun, and reflect the personality of the room’s owner.

In a ‘tween’ room, I like to use a chair rail installed at 36 inches from the floor.  This allows for more creative wall use.  The wall can then be painted in two different colours; a wallpaper border or stenciled design can be run on top of the rail.  If your ‘tween’ has a lot of ‘stuff’, to be tacked on a wall, the bottom 36 inches could be covered with sheet corking (the same stuff as they use for bulletin boards). Cork on the roll or by the yard is available at most hardware or home improvement stores, and can be painted.  Buying cork by the yard means no seams, and no holes in the wall.    Running a hat shelf at the seven-foot mark all the way around the room is another way to add display space to a room.  Attach pegs or hooks from the under side of the shelf for hanging posters, cards, hats and medals.

A favorite bed linen for ‘tweens’ and parents is denim.  Available in many colours it is one of the few fabrics that become better looking and more livable with each washing. 

Accessorizing a ‘tween’ room is easy!  It just sort of happens and continues to evolve with the occupant’s personality.  Trophies, posters of favorite sport and music idols, porcelain doll collections, model cars or motorcycles, all work to give the room a theme.  Be sure to include as much display space and shelving as possible in the room.  

Area carpets are a great way to add colour to a room and serve well to protect the broadloom or hardwood underneath from food or craft project droppings.  At this age, the floor is also a popular lounging and workspace, so it’s a good idea to make it cozy and as comfortable as possible.

With your ‘tweens’ involvement and enthusiasm for their decorating project this is sure to be one of the most creative spaces in the home.  Have fun, be creative, encourage, foster and enjoy the process of watching your ‘tweens’ home decorating talents develop and their room will be simply sensational. 

DESIGNER THOUGHTS

If you want to add a little excitement and energy to the room’s atmosphere, choose scents for the room that include peppermint or spearmint both of these scents have an awakening effect. Jasmine also works as a stimulant or citrus fragrances, including grapefruit or lemon as these have an uplifting and energizing quality.

COLOUR NOTES –designed to put you to sleep

Not getting enough sleep?  Consider using restful shades for your home's bedrooms. Plan to employ a monochromatic colour scheme (shades of the same colour) or stick with a related colour scheme in order to create a lulling effect in the room. Lighter shades of blue, a colour that will calm and induce sleep, green which will help to soothe nerves and promote a feeling of peace or light shades of purple such as lilac and lavender to create a sense of comfort and tranquility in a serene desired bedroom.