As your teen seeks independence, having a space to make her own builds confidence and comfort. When her friends come over, they can head to the teen cave with a bag of potato chips to binge their latest series. Your teen will feel confident hosting because he is comfortable with the space you have let him convert for his interests. Here are some tips for making these rooms special spaces.
Outdoor Space
Having an outdoor space available for your teen gives him a place to enjoy sunshine and fresh air. Florida rooms or other attached outdoor space is perfect for converting to an area for your teen to entertain friends and not disturb the family doing other activities inside the house. Your teen can pick out comfortable furniture, a mini refrigerator and a smaller flat-screen tv to keep out there. A side table, bookshelf, area rug and pretty plants can add to the cozy atmosphere of an outside oasis that you might find yourself wanting to enjoy when your teen is not around.
Bedroom Space
The most obvious space to make a special room for your teen is the bedroom. This can be converted from a kid’s room to a teen cave by changing out some simple features like lamp shades, window treatments or wall hangings. Let your teen take control of the color scheme and indulge any paint requests he makes because sometimes turning an old desk into a new color rejuvenates it. Moving furniture can give the same room a completely different feel, so give him a hand in switching the placement of major features.
Underground Space
A basement cries out to be a teen cave and if you have a finished one already, let your teen have some say in at least part of the space. Foosball or pool tables, pinball machines or ping pong tables can be perfect additions to your underground hangout. You can shop for these on second-hand sites or hunt for sales during holidays. Games like these will give your teen something to do that doesn’t involve a smartphone and is better with a group. Plus, it is not affected by weather and is a ready-made party spot.
Attic Space
If your home has an attic, have your teen help clear out the clutter with the promise of converting it into a special space for her. Once the knick-knacks, photo albums and holiday decorations have been boxed and stored in one corner, the fun begins. You can let her pick out bean bags to lounge on, posters for the walls and window coverings of her favorite color. A tv and small refreshment area can be set up in this space which will make her want this as a second bedroom, minus the desk and bed. This could be where your teen reads, plays video games with friends and hosts groups that don’t fit comfortably in her bedroom without distracting other family members. It can also be used as a creative area for her painting, sewing, jewelry-making or any other hobby your teen is focused on.
Garage Space
Garages can be used for many other needs besides housing your vehicle. If you have a shed, put your tools and lawnmower in that, hang your bicycles on the inside walls of your garage and convert part of it into a space for your teen to make his own. If you have a garage with a room above the carport even better. That space is easily converted into a teen cave by installing a tv and refrigerator, picking out cozy furniture and plastering the walls with posters and pictures of your teen’s choosing. All of it can be second-hand because groups of teens seem to generate broken items, so you don’t want to spend too much on things that will probably need replacing sooner than later. Just be careful you don’t make it too perfect or it will become your teen’s preferred spot over your house.
Your teenager needs a space where he is safe, where he can have fun and where he can relax from the pressures of school. Converting an area of your home for her use can be hard work, but can be exciting too, and shows her just how important she is to you.
