We wanted to pop by and share one of our newest spaces with you: a teen/tween bonus room today!
This install was for a sweet client who wasn’t sure what to do with their kiddos’ space, and we find that most people, when their kids get a little older, are a bit {understandably} stumped on the best approach for a space like this one. She wanted a bonus room that will grow with them, along with fun shots of color and smart storage. We have the same age kids, so we definitely get where she’s coming from. This was a blast to put together, and today we thought we’d share our best tips for a tween and teen space that will grow with them!
Flexible Seating
We chose two chairs that can be moved easily to accommodate crowds. This space will be used over the coming years for gathering tweens and teens, from hanging out, to movies and games and so much more. While we originally considered adding a sectional, the chairs were much more flexible for rearranging when needed. The matching sofa allows for plenty of space, without dominating the entire room. We love the timeless look of both, along with their smaller scale for a space like this.
We opted for poufs and floor cushions instead of a coffee table, which is also a great choice for all things gathering.
Comfy seating that can be moved around easily for multipurpose use for the win. We love that they have options when it comes to the set up!
Smart Storage:
We chose wall to wall shelving and baskets to put away books, toys and so much more. One of the benefits of kiddos getting older, is that you’re no longer tripping over all the toys all of the time. {No, I won’t miss tripping over the giant Fisher Price whatchamacallit… We have to say, we’re looking at the positives of kiddos getting bigger, after all.} So the smaller toys like Legos that they’re still interested in, have a home. What we love about these shelves is that they also have a small cabinet area on the bottom for board games and a little bit of those always-gonna-be-there toys. Game night anyone?
We also loved adding this entertainment center as anyone with a tween boy probs knows by now, is an absolute must-have. It corrals all the things when it comes to movies, video game consoles and more. We even loved adding baskets like these for a little bit of hidden storage within the entertainment center, and textural interest.
Up and out of the way: We always find that TV walls can be a little boring when left plain jane.
These wall mount shelves added interest to the TV wall, in places that would otherwise be blank, while saving that coveted floor space. Lots of versatile storage keeps it open without becoming too much.
Artwork:
We say no matter how old they are, go for bold and colorful. And don’t leave it out!
We wanted this space to feel fun! It was perfect that she already owned this art from our own collections – our play all day sign is now available on our site here {anyone else remember our 5?} + these awesome abstract pieces here. We felt that even though the artwork is playful, it never goes out of style, especially when balanced out with abstract pieces.
These all came together to make really fun statement pieces, and we love that they work so well to bring the walls to life.
Lighting:
The space already has plenty of canned lighting, so we brought in two lamps to anchor the space, along with two side tables.
The lamps brought in more color and texture, and the chairs + sofa were so deep, we kept the tables small with a touch of metallic, to allow for more storage on the sides that keep toys out of the way.
Accents:
For the rest of the space, we zeroed in on fun colorful pieces to really help bring the room to life in simple ways. This way, it doesn’t feel too childish, but also grows with them.
For instance, the globes over the bookshelves are found pieces that are collected over time and bring in a timeless, vintage vibe. We also loved a hint of color with fun books and accents – there’s something about a home library of sorts that we will find forever charming. Our client even had her old Childcraft Books {anyone remember those?} that we loved being able to put on display.
The fabulous extra pillows ended up being a great asset to the space, without being too in-the-way. No one wants another element they have to babysit, but we found the perfect balance.
Everything was softened up and tied together by the use of one of our favorite colors: SW’s Sea Salt.
It’s a great, timeless blue for all genders and ages, and we love the way it contrasted with the wood, metal, and natural tones.
These are a few of our very favorite tips when it comes to creating a bonus space for teens + tweens that will grow with them!
What are some of your favorite elements? We’d love to hear!
As always, let us know if you have any questions. Have an inspired day!
Anna says
What a beautiful space. Love this and all the little details. Great advice for storage!
Layla K says
What a fun room with gorgeous shots of color. Love all the additions and think it looks so great! Thank you for sharing these details
Nippon says
I loved the topic you wrote on. It was an amazing ride of some great work.
Christine says
Love this space! Thank you for providing the links for the furniture and accessories. I didn’t notice a link for the tall bookshelves. Where did you get them? Thank you!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey! I thought I included those. Silly me. You can snag them here, but per everything right now {because Covid} they’re a little backordered. ;} Hope that helps