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20 www.yorkshireposttoday.co.ukYORKSHIRE POST MAGAZINE SATURDAY APRIL 1 2006
“Don’t let them take over completely, becauseteenagers can be very fickle,” says Abby.
“What they like one week, they won’t like the next.“Try and guide them into keeping the décor simple,
bringing in colour and pattern on one wall and withaccessories which will be easy to change if they getbored.”
Finding suitable furniture, fabrics and accessories istricky as there is little aimed at this market.
“Either it’s very grown-up or it’s very childish, there’sno in-between,” says Abby.
“Some companies are trying their best. The fabriccompany Designers Guild recently launched a rangeaimed at teenagers, but to be honest it was a bitdisappointing. It was mostly stripes and checks.”
Creams and other muted colours are Abby’s firstchoice.
“That’s what I had, and it means that you get a calmspace.
“I’ve done quite a few rooms for teenagers and I’vefound that they enjoy having a more grown-up room.”
One of her favourite tricks, and a step up fromposters, is to use an interesting piece of fabric stretchedover a frame to create a canvas.
She also recommends dividing the area into zones, sothere is a sleeping area, work area and a relaxationarea.
“I think getting a sofa or chair or just some floorcushions in the room is crucial, even if it is a very small
seating area. It’s somewhere theycan sit and read a magazine, ratherthan lounging on the bed and italso gives a more grown-up lookto the room.”
Storage is crucial, particularlyfor teenage girls. Think aboutgetting a joiner to create built-inwardrobes and shelves and lookfor items that have dual uses,such as bedside tables andstools that also include storagespace.
“One of my friends lives in astudio flat and she has a shelf allaround the top of the wall withbaskets on and she flingseverything into those, whichseems to work very well,”says Abby, who alsosuggests getting youroffspring involved in thedecorating, therebyteaching them someuseful DIY.
“They’ll enjoy the chance to be creative and itwill get them up and doing something insteadof sitting at the PlayStation or the computer.”
Abby Parker Tel: 01937 584601 or [email protected]
Where to Shop?Pavilion Rattan. Quality beds and bedsidetables that double as storage. Tel: 01623 811343www.pavilionrattan.co.ukStompa. Good for space-saving high beds.Tel: 01274 596885 for stockists or visit
www.stompa.co.ukHabitat: Slightly more expensive but alwaysup to the minute.Ikea: Good for accessories, storagesolutions and simple, sturdy bedsidetables.Au Naturale: Part of the Internacionalechain on fashion shops. Bargain-pricedhome accessories including pictures,cushions, throws and baskets. Branches inHull, Leeds, Meadowhall shopping centre,Sheffield and Bradford.www.aunaturale.co.ukMatalan: Good value bedding andstorage solutions.BHS: Reasonably-priced modern lighting.
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From top left: Urban bean chair, £79, from John Lewis (tel 08456 049049,www.johnlewis.com); footballer-inspired clock, £5, from Au Naturale (in branches ofInternacionale); baskets, £5.99 each, from Ikea; cushions in “Sassy Footloose” fabric,
£29.90 per metre, from Andrew Martin (www.andrewmartin.co.uk, 020 7225 5100);duvet, £35, rug, £35, and pillowcases, from £12, at La Redoute (tel 0870 0500 455,www.laredoute.co.uk); Prarie Indigo fabric, £79.90 per metre, from Andrew Martin.
Interior designerAbby Parker.
