Are your kids getting older?  As they grow, they often look to become more independent and seek out places that they can truly call their own.  You can provide that for your teenagers while still keeping them safe by building them their very own teenager’s retreat.  It doesn’t necessarily have to be a difficult undertaking either!  Here’s everything that you need to know.  For more help, have a chat with your local extensions specialist.

Where to Put the Teenage Retreat

Where you actually put the teenage retreat depends on two main things – your budget and the space that you have available.  By far the easiest and cheapest option is to convert an existing room in the home, or converting part or all of your garage.  If you go this way, all you have to do is to fit the room out as there is no real structural work to be done. If your budget allows for it and you have the room, you can add a granny flat or cabin outside of the home or build an extension onto your main home.  Just make sure that you include everything that a teenager needs and that the space is fully insulated and fitted out!

What to Put in a Teenage Retreat

You will probably want to take guidance from your own teenagers here (especially since teenagers can be notoriously fussy!) but there are some things that you’ll probably want to include as standard:

• Furniture – you’ll probably want to include a lounge and/or a bed, some armchairs or beanbags, a coffee table, a desk and chair to study at, and an entertainment unit

• Entertainment – a TV, games consoles, and computer is more than enough

• Kitchenette – you don’t need anything fancy here by any means but any teenager will appreciate a small fridge for drinks and snacks as well as a microwave to heat stuff up in. Add a cupboard or two to hold food and crockery

• Toilet – the last thing any parent will want is to have teenagers and their friends traipsing through the house just to go to the toilet so it’s more than worthwhile to just add a toilet and a small basin for hand washing

Let your Teenagers Make Some Decisions

Since the retreat is just for your teenager/s, let them make the important decisions such as what flooring is used, what colours the walls and curtains are and so on.  Also give them free reign when decorating too, even if you hate the ornaments, posters and so on that they love.  Remember that once they leave, you can repaint and refinish the room back to your tastes, or back to a neutral state ready for sale!