Q:My daughter is in high school and the house seems to be filled with people all times of day and night. Lately her and her friends have a habit of holing up in her room, and they seem to be using a combination of the bed and the floor beside it (the space between the bed and the dresser) as a lounge area, but I'd like a few ideas for furniture that can accommodate a couple friends so they're not always on the floor.
The layout of her bedroom doesn't seem to offer many options of where to put a chair — the best place I can think of is one between the desk and the dresser (there's about 26" of space between the two). That's only enough space for one chair, and ideally I'd like to place another one or two somewhere in the room. Any ideas of where to put the chair or what type of chair to use? Most of the furniture in her room is grown-up (nice wooden bed frame and headboard, matching wooden dresser, etc), so I need something that would look good and yet is sturdy enough to withstand teenagers.
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Shaw's Original Fir...
Here's a question...does your daughter want more seating in her bedroom? Do her friends care that they're on the floor? I ask because I remember not caring a whole lot when I was in high school, and at no point did I think "I wish I had a chair so I didn't have to sit on the floor."
If your daughter has expressed a desire to not leave her friends sitting on the floor, I'd go with floor pillows that can be stacked between the dresser and desk rather than actual furniture, which is just going to crowd the space and only provide seating for one person.
Teenagers like to slouch and sprawl on the floor no matter how nice the furniture layout. They aren't going to sit pretty in stylish chairs carefully arranged. But if the floor thing bugs you, why not get a couple (stylish, of course) beanbags, or a raft of (cute) floor cushions? Just make sure someone is vacuuming the floor regularly.
I agree with PI--only get chairs if your daughter wants them.
You could also consider getting bean bag chairs that can easily be moved around the room as people need them.
Could the bed be turned so that one long side is against a wall? That would leave lots of floor space open for floor cushions, bean bags or even a couple of regular chairs.
I think PI has a point about whether or not your daughter wants more seating. I know that until I hit 32 I found the floor more comfortable than most chairs.
If she does maybe consider some folding chairs to tuck away when they're not in use or some nesting stools that only take up a small square when it's just her in her room.
How about a couple of poufs? They are cute, and they can just be pushed against the wall or put in the closet when they aren't being used.
I'd suggest replacing the bed with a loft bed such as this one from Ikea http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/80160867/
You can add a sofa underneath. You'll also have lots of space for lounging.
There appears to be a large space between the bookshelf and the door, perhaps you could place a bench with a back there and a bunch of pillows or cushions to make it comfortable. Or maybe a chaise will fit there. Depending on what's under her desk, you may be able to get some ottomans that they can pull out. To be honest, I doubt teens mind sitting on the floor too much, so maybe you could just buy some cushions that could be stacked when they aren't there and they can put on the floor for comfort when they are.
Floor cushion--- http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/urban/catalog/productdetail.jsp?id=18428151&parentid=A_DEC_PILLOWS
Check out PBTeen for some lounging ideas: http://www.pbteen.com/shop/furniture/lounge-seating/?cm_type=lnav
Longer seating:
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Loma-Antique-Black-Finish-Wood-Bench/5540642/product.html
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Black-Storage-Chaise/3545796/product.html
http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Phoenix-Signature-Tan-Upholstered-Bench/5323856/product.html
Easy, peasy.
Get rid of the dressers. Put a closet solution in one of the closets with lots of drawers.
Move the bed to the dresser wall, make it a daybed. You might even want to go with a Hemnes daybed that has a pull out option for guests as well as three additional drawers for jeans, jammies and sheets. Here's the link to the daybed. It's inexpensive.
Get rid of the corner desk. Stretch a desk area, bookshelf combo on your west wall.
Now, your kid will have oodles of space in the middle of the room for poufs, bean bags, chests that double as coffee tables, etc.
BTW, I have personally done this in my own 16 year old's teensy room and you will be surprised at how much space you free up.
HERE'S the link to the Hemnes daybed: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30080316/
I had this problem with my son when he was a teenager. Mostly they all played video games and needed to be facing the same way. I bought a lofted futon like the one listed below. Worked well, but teenage boys are notoriously hard on furniture.
https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQfsWv6Zo3UsmcRR2Du6iJ6Cq0NZxyFD75pibzxJqmJmvtrG92nXw
The girls may simply not know what they're missing. I'd try moving the dresser to the wall where the door is, across from the bed. Then, I'd move the desk to the corner by the bed/window. Center the bookshelf on the wall where the dresser currently sits + add a chair on both sides! I haven't got all your dimension but it might just work.
I'd switch the bookcase with the dresser, that way the whole area next to the bed (where the dresser used to be) would be free and you could put a couple of chairs or a few poufs there. West Elm and Pottery Barn Teen both have nice pouf/floor cushion options, and you can try looking at T.J.Maxx or Home Goods if you have them in your area (they're hit or miss but a lot less expensive). As far as chairs go the butterfly style is great for teenagers; at least, 10 years ago by friends were always draped across mine!
For a less expensive butterfly chair try bedbathandbeyond: http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=200160
For something nicer CB2 has leather ones and AT just did a post on them a few days ago!
I don't mean to sound too harsh, but I have the distinct impression that you need to perhaps be a little less involved in your daughter's social life. As a former teen, and the parent of a current (young) teen, I completely understand the need to have a good hang-out space so as to reclaim parts of your home! But your aesthetic and functional needs are not remotely the same as a teens.
When I was in high school, by far the most frequent hangout room for our crowd was a boy whose bedroom was in a TINY attic room with low sloped ceilings. And by tiny, I mean it was about 6' x 8' ! His furniture consisted of only a twin mattress on the floor and a bitchin' stereo set up, and we would cram about 8 kids in there.
As for your daughter's room, that solution is simple: bed along left wall (it will be used as a lounge/couch) and desk in lower right corner by window with shelf next to it along bottom wall. Add a large plush rug, toss in two beanbag chairs, let your daughter pick her own paint color and curtains and install cork tack strips on all three walls (so she can hang anything she wants without putting tape on the paint). Then let them flop all over the place and stop trying to make everything "perfect".
When I was subletting a bedroom, I pushed my twin bed against the way and put cushions along the wall so that it could double as a couch. You could do the same with her bed by putting it along the dresser wall. Then if the dresser is solid wood, move it to the window wall and make a cushion top for it. That way they could use it as a bar height bench.
p.s. maybe updated bean bags? a little retro + a little back support. http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Sitting-Bull-The-Bull-Lime-Green-Bean-Bag/6638526/product.html
Big memory foam floor cushions in a variety of patterns and colours.They can be stacked anywhere and anyway. Plus as she grows older, you can replace the fabric. They're virtually indestructible, so much so that they can probably last all the way to college and later!
As a kid I always sat on the floor and I had a chair in my room, that being said, it was a desk chair. The only time I used seating in someone's room was if it was super comfy or close to the floor. For much of my youth we had this flip out sofa-bed that got used and abused to no end. I would definitely go for cheap before attractive, there will be something spilled on it in a week. Something that can be tossed in the wash is ideal. Maybe a butterfly chair. Those also make great dorm furniture later on, and they can be folded up and tucked away.
I would move the closet furthest from the door to the wall with the bookcase, and swing the bed round so the long side is against the window wall and the head is where the closet used to be. This will allow the bed to function as a sofa and free up some floor space for seating of whatever kind (or none) your daughter would like.
I would not put a chair in there myself though - chairs in bedrooms tend to be magnets for clean and dirty clothes and all sorts of mess. Perhaps some floor cushions as others have suggested would work better?
When I was a teenager, I would rearrange my bedroom at least once a month. At that age, having that little bit of personal space is so crucial! It makes sense that they are all holing up in her room and not caring whether there is proper furniture in there. I say let they stay on the floor, hiding out in her room, just maybe provide some cushy floor pillows.
If you're daughter is a teen, she can (within reasonable limits) decorate/design her own room. If she expresses a wish for help, you can help her, but if she didn't say anything about wanting more seating, then she doesn't need more seating. She has to start getting independent and having her own space and do it her own way. If she wants seating, she probably has an idea what she wants & needs.
To riff on MISSEWALL's suggestion, these beanbags are wonderful - and would make a great addition to a college dorm room when the time comes: http://www.sumolounge.com/sumosacG.php#.UGCMaY3N-Gk
I have a small stack of these floor chairs (Got them cheaper than this somewhere):
BackJack XL Floor Chair
They're really comfy, nice, and can be stored out of the way.
if your daughter wants a comfy alternative to a chair, i would suggest a slightly more modern version of a bean bag chair...a lovesac or fatboy.
http://www.lovesac.com/
or
http://www.fatboyusa.com/
STEP ZERO: Actually ASK your daughter whether she would like more seating (or whether she even likes the furniture she has now!).
STEP 1: If the answer is that, yes, indeed, she would like more seating in her room, SUGGEST that she move her bed to the lower wall and make that lower-left corner a seating area. Her desk can go between the windows, and her dresser can be placed along the wall next to the entry door, or go in one of the closets (if it fits), OR it can be replaced with something narrower to make room for more seating.
The dresser looks really large. Can you put in one of those closet systems, then use the wall for a couch or futon?
Hello,
In our experience, teens really do like furniture and want to be as comfortable in their bedrooms as you and I. This piece, with a teen's perspective on interior design might be helpful: http://furniture.compendiumblog.com/blog/norma-gaffin-furniture-blogger/3-tips-on-teens-bedroom-furniture-and-coexisting-at-home
And our advice when choosing the chairs? Let your daughter take the lead!
Pottery Barn Teen also seems to think teenagers want seating:
http://www.pbteen.com/shop/furniture/lounge-seating/?cm_type=gnav
Honestly, why isn't your daughter making these decisions? Frankly, by the time I was 10, I was designing my own room(s). Whenever we moved my mother gave me all my stuff and told me to figure it out. By the time I was a teen, I would have resented her 'deciding' what to do for MY room. Your daughter should be figuring out what she wants for her room. You can even offer a small budget (say $100?) for new bedding or for her to go on craigslist and find things she might want. Let her take the lead on this and worry - and you relax!
Though it may not be a super stylish idea, something you're/she's able to stack in the corner would be idea. Have you thought of beanbag type things?
I'm almost certain your daughter and her friends don't want to sit in hard chairs and that room doesn't offer enough space for big comfy ones. Most kids and teens like the beanbag type things because you can really lay/sit on them however you want and they mold to you. Better yet, they're available in every sort of design and colour you could think of.
I do agree with the one (or more) person who asked if your daughter actually wants this extra seating. She may not want more furniture in her room and in this case, you'd just be wasting money and annoying her (lol) by doing so.
kids on the floor? sounds like the natural order of things. but if you have to change up:
why not add a couple of floor pillows?
http://www.pbteen.com/products/dorm-kantha-cloth-sham-warm/?pkey=cnew-pillows-throws
people swear butterfly chairs are comfy:
http://www.pbteen.com/shop/furniture/lounge-seating/teen-chairs/
and the ever popular papasan (even a narrower option):
http://www.pier1.com/furniture-living/papasan_wicker,default,sc.html#start=0&sz=12&showAll=69
target has good prices on 'lounge seating' which is chairs for teens...
Does she really need both closets? If not, I suggest that you see if she'd be interested in turning one of them into a hideaway office, move the computer in there, and ditch the corner desk. That will give her plenty of room in the corner for a chair/ottoman reading nook. And she might enjoy having the option of closing the closet door on a messy desk.