Tween Boy Spaces – Miami Cool

I have said it before – the key to designing for kids is to get them involved. This is especially true for tweens and teens!  I love it when homeowners pay close attention to their kid’s spaces and don’t want to scrimp on furniture or materials.  I recently designed a waterfront urban coastal townhouse in Miami for a wonderful family with two tween boys.  I loved working with this family, because they have great style and they agreed with me that the kids’ spaces should jive with the design of the rest of the home.

Designing for tweens can be tricky. You want to choose pieces and styles that will have some staying power, but they should still function for who they are before they enter those teen years. The cool factor is very important here! Try choosing neutral pieces to anchor the room (like a bed, desk, etc) and then you can switch up the accessories later if you need to. Now, if you are going to invest in nice pieces, you want to make sure that it is something your child really likes and not just something that you are fond of. In this day and age kids spend a lot of time in their rooms and I think it is important to create their own little oasis where they feel safe and happy.

The game room below is fun and comfortable but most definitely high on style!  From the Dolce and Garbana wallpaper textured wallpaper to the structured sofas and modern artwork, this is a space for kids that does not disappoint. The vibe is upscale but cool, kind of like a hip boutique hotel.

The little guy who inhabits the bedroom below is obsessed with all things music. He is super creative so I wanted to add some fun pops of color throughout. The dresser is from Four Hands and the wallpaper is by JF Fabrics. I love the large knot pouf that I  found from a cool artisan on Etsy.

If you have an impressive sneaker collection, you need a place to display the shoes, right? That was the top request from this tween. I have a son around the same age so I understand the importance of sneakers!  We added a masculine leather bed and textured moody wallpaper to get the right vibe. The modern sconces give it an upscale and clean look.

 

This is the second home I have designed for this family!  I thought I would share the boy’s rooms from their first house to see how their style has evolved as they have grown.

Recognize the artwork in the shot below? He liked it so much that he wanted to include it in his new room.