As children grow and develop, their needs change dramatically. A room that was once a play area filled with toys becomes a place in which to relax, socialise and study. The decoration of an older child’s bedroom will, to a certain extent, be taken out of your hands; older children are likely to have strong opinions of their own about how to decorate their bedroom.

By giving older children the freedom to create an environment of their own, they will be able to achieve a space in which they can truly relax and retreat with friends. If you do not like your child’s decorative suggestions, try to enlist the help of a friend or family member: older children will often listen to an outside opinion more readily than that of their parents.

Walls and floors

The problems associated with younger children, such as felt pen marks on the walls and playdough stamped into the carpet, will no longer be a problem, but walls and floors still need to be hard-wearing – many a poi of glittery nail varnish has been spilt in a teenage girls bedroom. Accidents such as this require immediate rescue treatment, as no form of wall or floor covering will be able to withstand them.

Timber and laminated flooring are hard-wearing and provide an attractive contemporary finish, something that many teenagers will appreciate. Other forms of flooring, such as cork and linoleum, are warm underfoot, easy to clean and can be used in a variety of ways. Cork, for example, can be painted or stencilled, allowing your child freedom for artistic expression at a relatively low cost.

Soft furnishings

Older children quickly develop their own tastes and ideas on interior design, and they will undoubtedly wish to incorporate up-to-the-minute colors and design trends in their bedroom decor – even if it is not in keeping with the rest of the house.

Frilly and ornate curtain styles rarely find favour with teenagers – most older children prefer a room decorated in strong blocks of bold colors rather than pretty patterns. Simple, yet practical, Roman’ blinds, attractive sheer curtains with trendy headings, and the wide range of contemporary curtain accessories currently available are all perfect for an older child’s bedroom.

Textural fabrics, such as coarsely woven cotton, wool blends, faux fur and leather may also be on your child’s list of ‘must-haves’. Instead of fabric cushions, you may also find that your teenage child would prefer inflatable plastic scatter cushions in vibrant, luminous colors.