Designing for Teens
Do you pass the cool test as a designer? What does cool mean anyway? What I’ve found working with teens on designing their bedrooms is that listening is key. If they feel that you get them and want to know them, they will trust you.
Teenagers desire a sense of ownership over their space and usually want it to deeply reflect who they are. That said, I’ve noticed they fall into a lot of trend traps from tik tok and pinterest. I try to gently steer them to a more timeless version of what they're asking for while maintaining the spirit of their request. For example, a couple of the teenage girls I’ve worked with have wanted a very Florida-tropical-retirement vibe, sky blue and white, rattan, floral wallpaper and all. They know not what they do here! I instead shift them to other natural textiles and more vintage or global patterns, textures and colors. I also keep in touch via text, sending mood boards and asking for honest feedback, and we eventually get there.
To sum up what I’ve learned designing for teens:
Listen.
Reflect.
Translate.
Gently steer to timeless versions and away from fads.
Collaborate and communicate and check in often.
Voila!