Teenagers like to be different from the rest of the world. Rebellion is the word for them and all they crave for is their own little space filled with their own dreams and aspirations, away from any intrusion. So, if you are setting up a new home or revamping your old one, and you have a teenager, then you have to take special efforts to make his space unique.

Get ready to give your little rebel’s room a personality of its own. To begin with, it is always advised that one should take the children’s opinion into consideration while doing up at least their rooms. With the product choices available today, setting up or redecorating a room can be a fun project that you and your teen can work on together.

Says Meenakshi Anand, a housewife, “It's always better to let your child know your support, within reason of course, his or her wish for self-expression through their wish for the room’s decoration. This will make even an independent-minded child turn to you for help and advice, making the whole thing easier for you to handle.”

Paint happens to be one of the cheapest and easiest ways to give any room a completely different character. If you want your kid’s bedroom to be in symmetry with the colours of the house, you can start by advising them to choose a darker shade of the colour you plan to use in the other rooms or ask him or her to choose a colour that compliments the palette of your house.

Says Anand, “My son is very choosy about his own stuff and so, when we did his room, he chose a darker shade of lime green for his walls in keeping with the light yellow that we used for the other rooms.”

Another thing that should be kept in mind is that today’s teenagers are extremely brand conscious and most of them have no desire for the high-end looks adults crave. What appeals to them more is the fun, free-spirited and funky designs. Even children who tend to agree with their parents generally prefer a more unrestrained version of the traditional look, says Amritha Nayar, an interior decoration student.

“Regarding furniture, it is generally advised that since a teenager will not appreciate the traditional desks or beds that parents prefer, one can fill up their room with items such as beanbags, funky lamps and cots with dramatically-coloured beddings. These items are not only less costly but are also in accordance with the preferences of your child," Nayar adds.

Agrees Rajesh Narayan, a Mumbai-based interior decorator: “Yet another way to give your child’s room a character is by decorating it according to themes. While a boy’s room can have themes like beach sports with accessories such as a surf board hanging on the wall and beach wallpapers, for a girl’s room you can choose a theme from any fairytale such as Snow White or Cinderella. You could also go for neutral themes. For instance, decorate the room with black and white accessories or give it a denim blue look or a floral look and so on and so forth.”

It is always helpful to remember that youngsters really want nothing but to create a space of their own. So, be patient. You can try playing interior decorator with your child and if you find their likes and dislikes too confusing, always keep in mind that, in general, teenagers want either a very dramatic room or one that resembles a studio apartment.

So get together and share the fun!

shreerupamitra@mydigitalfc.com