There’s a surprising amount to consider when it comes to teenage boys’ bedroom ideas. You’re juggle costs, function, and aesthetics in what’s generally a fairly small room of the home. Not only is a boy’s bedroom for epic lie-ins and gaming sessions, but it also needs to double up as a study space. And, of course, it’s got to store all his clothes (hopefully without descending into a jumble of dirty laundry and damp towels).
There are loads of ways to make a space your teen will never want to leave, and we think it’s important to involve them in the process as much as possible. Our teenage years are a period of transition, so bear this in mind when brainstorming teenage bedroom ideas together. Whether you stick to a blank canvas and swap out colourful accessories, or go with the flow and accept that they may well get tired of their graffiti wall or skateboard wallpaper after a couple of years.
Teenage boys’ bedroom ideas
‘When it comes to decorating a teenage boy’s bedroom, our answer is to be smart,’ says Jane Rockett, Co-Founder of Rockett St George (opens in new tab). ‘Tackling your kid’s bedroom can be an intimidating task. However, there are a few key elements that help to create a space that works for both you and them.’ Jane says these are storage, wallpaper, art and a desk.
1. Think vertically with practical storage
(Image credit: IKEA)
Use the walls, and less will end up on the floor, right? Make sure your teenager plenty of space to put his stuff with some affordable open storage units, like this one from the IKEA IVAR range (opens in new tab). An open wardrobe for shirts and jackets with shelving and baskets for folded clothes mean everything’s to hand when getting ready in the morning, helping them get up and out the door on time. Giving your teenager their own laundry basket and large bin will help keep the space tidy and calm.
2. Set the scene with a statement lamp
(Image credit: Furniture And Choice)
A floor lamp is a practical addition to any bedroom, creating an ambient glow and cosy feel. Go oversized with a cool movie-style floor lamp to make a big statement, and layer it with bedside lights and a ceiling light so your teen can adjust the level of lighting whether he’s reading, gaming or hanging out with friends after school.
Talking of lighting, why not stick battery-powered LED strip lights to the underside of shelves for an extra layer of light? These can be picked up cheaply at places like Primark and IKEA. Position one under a desk and it’ll make it look like it’s floating.
3. Hang artwork
(Image credit: Rockett St George)
‘As with any other space in the home, artwork has the power to add interest and personality, so for me it is essential for any teenage boy’s bedroom,’ says Jane Rockett. ‘Take time with them to find affordable pieces that they love and don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. You can frame pretty much anything, from album covers to books, posters, postcards and t-shirts.’
4. Build an inspiring workspace with personal trinkets
(Image credit: Future PLC / Joanna Henderson)
Incorporate a colourful desk area into your boys’ bedroom ideas with bright filing boxes and folders. Transform basic shelving with a lick of paint and look for stationery storage options in matching colours. Use leftover wallpaper and paint to add depth inside the shelving.
Shelves are also handy for displaying treasured items, which will make your children’s bedroom ideas feel more special. Ideal Home Decorating Editor and mum of teenage boys Nicky Phillips recommends creating an area of open cube shelving to transform favourite trainers, baseball caps and trophies into display pieces.
5. Carve out a chilled corner
Jenson Waffle Beanbag Chair, at Dunelm (opens in new tab)
(Image credit: Dunelm)
If your teen wants a calm and minimalistic look, go for a pared-back and modern scheme with neutral tones, comfy seating and houseplants. This will enable you to create a calm chill-out zone to retreat to when needed. Laid-back seating options like beanbags or even floor cushions are great for making a den-like area for watching TV, reading or gaming. They can easily be moved around the room when friends come over, too.
6. Embrace industrial materials
(Image credit: IKEA)
Look for mate rials with a more industrial vibe to toughen up the look and create visual interest, from copper to concrete. In this space, the chipboard walls are a fun feature that brings texture, contrasting beautifully against the smooth steel of the loft bedframe. Add lots of hooks for hanging headphones, hats and bags to free up floor space and encourage tidy habits.
7. Add personality with fun wallpaper
(Image credit: Image from Extraordinary Interiors by Jane Rockett & Lucy St George of Rockett St George, £19.99, Published By Ryland, Peters & Small, Photography by Debi Treloar)
‘There are amazing wallpapers available that can totally change and transform a whole room,’ comments Jane Rockett. ‘For a teenage boy’s room, we love simple industrial designs such as concrete, brick or tile effect wallpaper patterns that they won’t grow out of.’
8. Make room with a high-sleeper
(Image credit: Future PLC/ Lizzie Orme)
A high-sleeper bed is a design must-have if your boys’ bedroom idea is 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 metallic tone such as chrome to give a more grown-up feel.
9. Chalk it up with a blackboard wall
(Image credit: Future PLC/ Lizzie Orme)
Be inventive with your wall space and create a DIY chalkboard for your teen’s study or ‘chill out’ space. Start with one feature wall painted half-way in a chalkboard paint, then add a white storage shelf above to keep chalk and stationary to hand.
Continue the laid back and creative vibe with a macramé hanging chair (mounted to a secure structure) and an atmospheric fairy light idea. You could also use chalk paint to upcycle existing furniture. ‘Why not try painting a wardrobe door in chalk paint for a useful notice board, so you can subtly nudge them to do their laundry or tidy their room!’ says Wayfair (opens in new tab)’s Resident Style Advisor Nadia McCowan Hill.
10. Furnish with stylish designs
(Image credit: Future PLC/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.
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 ideal storage solution for keeping their favourite magazines and books to hand, while they enjoy some chill time in the comfort of their own room.
11. Design a kid cave
(Image credit: Dunelm)
Sometimes, teenagers need peace and ‘alone time’ so create a cosy snug in their teenage bedroom by adding a curtain around the bed. This one is attached to a rustic beam but the effect can easily be created by installing a curtain rod to the ceiling.
Fun fairy lights will frame the nook and add a whimsical atmosphere. Finish the enclosure with eye-catching posters taped to the wall for a look that is laid-back and relaxed.
12. Make a big statement with an oversized map
(Image credit: Future PLC/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. Go from kid to teen with a theme
(Image credit: Furniture And Choice)
Make the move from boy’s room to teen with a grown-up theme like this celestial scheme, ensuring the teenager version is ‘in a galaxy far far away’ from nursery-style rockets and aliens.
Start with a monochrome two-tone effect as your backdrop, then choose a sturdy white wooden bed (or bunk bed) to give a NASA-designed spacecraft feel. Accessorise with lots of astronomer-style wall art such as ‘moon prints’ and galaxy maps. Vintage science-fiction books would make interesting finishing touches.
14. Make tidying simple with oodles of storage
(Image credit: Wayfair)
The easiest way to encourage a tidy teenage boys’ bedroom is to offer bundles of storage that creates a home for absolutely everything. Kids can accumulate a lot of belongings, so avoid a cluttered scheme by choosing coherent bedroom furniture like this modern light-wood and curvaceous range. It has as many components as you could think of including a funky sliding ‘over-bed’ desk.
15. Enhance independent living
(Image credit: IKEA)
Teenagers spend lots of time in their bedrooms so plan the space well to make them feel they have their own ‘home within a home’ with a cosy grey bedroom idea. Start with grey shiplap on walls to create a cabin vibe and install Anglepoise-style lamps on the walls for a space-saving lighting solution that’s adaptable, too.
Give the bed a cool ‘corner sofa’ twist by adding additional ottoman seating to the side then finish by marrying the two with matching throws and bedlinen.
16. Paint a wall effect
(Image credit: Furniture And Choice)
Be inventive with your wall space and create a feature wall idea that highlights and envelopes your teen’s sleeping space. Start by painting walls a pale tone then measure from the corner of the ceiling a diagonal line on each wall to the floor.
Mask with tape and fill in the pyramid with a contrasting paint shade. Remove the tape whilst the paint is still damp. Decorate the area with artwork and lights.
17. Inject energy with orange
(Image credit: Future PLC/Simon Whitmore)
Deep orange will inject a feeling of energy and creativity into any space, making it ideal for a boy’s teenage 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.
18. Get grown up with a four-poster bed
(Image credit: Cuckooland)
Investing in a double bed is a great teenage boy bedroom idea as it won’t be long until they’ll want the extra space to spread out more. Win extra points by making a four-poster bed the focus of the room by stringing LED festoon lights around the top of a black metal-framed bed.
A blackboard feature wall continues the industrial style and encourages creativity. Offset the strong black backdrop with an injection of colour using rugs and bed linen.
19. Be inventive with space
(Image credit: Future PLC/ Lizzie Orme)
If your new loft conversion was built to accommodate a growing teenage son, make the most of sloped ceilings and alcoves. They’ll love the hide-away spaces.
This teenage attic bedroom idea has a low-level bed slotted into the eaves space, while cut-out shelf storage showcasing colourful books makes the most of the small square footage. A futon sofa bed adds to the intimate and inviting feel.
20. Welcome a vibrant accent colour
(Image credit: Future PLC/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 shade 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 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.
Emma Anthony, Design Manager at Dunelm (opens in new tab) recommends adding lots of cushions to create a space for lounging and gaming. So if the bed is against the wall they can be positioned to create a seating arrangement with something soft to lean against. Alternatively, if another family comes to stay, this set up makes a great temporary guest bedroom idea.
21. Add extra seating options
(Image credit: Future PLC/David Brittain)
A comfy chair or a couple of beanbags are a must for a teenage room. The last thing they want to do is hang out 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.
22. Start with a blank canvas that’s easy to change
(Image credit: Future PLC/Oliver Gordon)
If you’re not keen on the idea of making a trip to a DIY store every year for a new pot of paint, accommodate your teenagers changing tastes by keeping the walls of the room a blank canvas using the best white paint.
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.
23. Let your teenager express himself
(Image credit: Future PLC/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…
24. Stamp style with accessories
(Image credit: Future PLC/Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore)
If getting creative on the walls is a bridge too far, let your teenager express their style through accessories instead. A statement patterned 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.
Navy blue is a reassuringly masculine shade and makes an ideal backdrop to practically any colour scheme when balanced with fresh white. Wall stickers are a practical bedroom feature wall idea, too, as they can be easily peeled off when it’s time for an update.
25. Show off cool collections
(Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore)
If your son has a favourite hobby or collection, why not incorporate it into his teen bedroom design scheme? The caps in this bedroom make an interesting storage solution and talking point. A plain white backdrop lends the bright and colourful applique details on the headgear extra impact.
It’s also a good idea to think about their hobbies when choosing furniture. ‘Ensure there is enough room for their hobbies and activities. If they like to read, include a cosy armchair in the corner of the room with a blanket and reading light; if they like to do art, ensure there is a desk in a part of the room with plenty of natural light,’ comments Ann Marie Cousins, Founder of AMC Design (opens in new tab).
26. Hang a peg board
(Image credit: Future PLC/ Simon Whitmore)
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 a funky pegboard above the desk area so your teen has plenty of space to store notes and reminders. It’s actually a great small home office idea for a grown up, too.
27. Go back to school
(Image credit: Future PLC/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. Dedicating a desk area away from the view of the bed goes a long way to motivate study, rather than sleep or socialising.
28. Opt for a classic navy blue and grey scheme
(Image credit: Wayfair)
Choose navy blue and grey bedroom ideas that will look great for years to come. ‘A neutral colour palette of navy blue and grey will never date, adding sophisticated style throughout their teenage years,’ says Wayfair (opens in new tab)’s Resident Style Advisor Nadia McCowan Hill. ‘Add interest with bold geometrics and introduce faux greenery to suit even the most novice of houseplant owners!’
How can I personalise a teenage boy’s bedroom?
‘Tailor the space to be all about them,’ says Rachel Homer, interiors blogger and writer, and mum of two boys. ‘An interesting and colourful pinboard gives them a place to show some personality, where they can pin up whatever makes them happy.
‘From music posters and family photos to school certificates to be proud of, this is the pace for them to celebrates what matters to them.’
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,’ says Rachel Homer. ‘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 do I tackle the changing tastes of teens?
When choosing a decorating scheme for a teenage boy’s bedroom, bear in mind that young teenage 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.