Dual use room teen male/ library

Discussion in 'Fashion and Crafts' started by drumminmama, Jan 31, 2006.

  1. drumminmama

    drumminmama Super Moderator Super Moderator

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    Ok, my son Arlo moved in with dad for the school years (a swap we'd agreed on long ago) and I want to be able to have the room be dual use: a library/ tv room in winter and his space in the summer.
    He's in on this and can say, hey, it's still my space, too at any point. (welcome back at any time as well)

    I'm thinking raising his mattress to a low sofa height (pallets from shipping yard) and loading it up with pillows, adding a few bean bags, covering one wall with shelves for books and the telly/vcr/dvd and having curtains over them (or installable for his visits) in his color choice.

    He's into dark and jewel tone colors, so I'll probably go with black and possibly a lighter "mom color" on the reverse. (sage, sandstone or purple)
    the idea is he can pin posters to the curtains and get his "wall" back.
    Of course, he's the TV watcher, so He'd probably keep that open.

    our instruments will be in there as well. (his guitar, my mando, the family percussion collection)

    I do want to keep a "warm Zen" feeling. Red/ green blacklight light in the center fixture (his request) nice lighting for a reading area for me.

    What ideas do you have for keeping it teen (15-19) friendly while not too Kiddy for the adults (who now have it 9 mos out of the year?)
    We have some points in musical taste that collide, so art of those bands would be appropriate.
    I'm also thinking of putting in hooks for our Sky Chairs http://skychairs.com/chair.htm
    and hammock (removeable if he doesn't want or needs the space temporarily )
    We have two complete walls w/o windows or doors. one wall has a long high (70s) window and the remaining has two doors, closet and to the house.

    looking to make it a comfortable chill space all around.
    [​IMG]
     
    drumminmama, Jan 31, 2006
    #1
  3. sweetersappe

    sweetersappe Member

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    We have a similar situation with my step son, who is 15. He lives with his mom during the school year and with us during the summer and for a few weeks around christmas. His room is our storageroom/office when he's not around. We leave the bunk beds up for guests. We also store a lot of junk in his room. Whenever he is coming for a visit, I have to have a mad cleaning spree to get our stuff out of the way and make sure that his stuff is accessible. It sounds like you have a lot more room than I do. :)
     
    sweetersappe, Feb 1, 2006
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  5. dmgreen

    dmgreen ~Hugz 4 All~

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    One good way to creat more space in any room is to raise the bed UP!!!! Take for example a bed that is raised 6 feet in the air (if room). This creates a large space underneath the bed for a desk area, or books, or shelves or anything really.
    Just an idea......
    Good luck!
     
    dmgreen, Feb 1, 2006
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  7. melonhead

    melonhead Member

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    sweetersappe, if you're tight on space, dmgreen has a good idea....bed bath and beyond, or linens and things have these bed risers...they lift the bed up 7 inches and create a LOT of storage space... my lil brother has them and i thought they were the coolest thing. he laughed at me "oh, yeah," he said "i forgot you never lived in a college dorm!"http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/searchSKU.asp?order_num=-1&SSTR=bed+lift&go=1&
    with the right materials i'm sure it would be easy to make them, but they're pretty inexpensive, so i bought them.
    with the right piece of fabric i'm hoping to make a nice long bed skirt to cover up all the CRAP under my nice high bed.
    peace. :)
     
    melonhead, Feb 1, 2006
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  9. ArtLoveMusic

    ArtLoveMusic Senior Member

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    you could always pibn up fabric across the walls like throws etc for when he's not here, then just pop em down when he comes home, that wqy his walls are just how he likes them behind fabric that you like.
     
    ArtLoveMusic, Feb 1, 2006
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  11. HippyFreek2004

    HippyFreek2004 changed screen name

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    Yeah, you could let him decorate the actual walls as he sees fit, and then just hang fabric of your choice (like wallpaper) on the walls when he's not there and pin up your posters and paintings to that.

    Also, you can look into IKEA products. They have dorm like setups, where the bed is like a top bunk with room for bookshelves, a sofa or telly underneath. :D Good stuff there.
     
    HippyFreek2004, Feb 1, 2006
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  13. drumminmama

    drumminmama Super Moderator Super Moderator

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    Well, he has never made up his mind on what to have, so I was thinking of hanging all the stuff that appeals to both of us (buncha music stuff... he gets to meet lots of the bands we see, so he likes them, too, his first concert we paid for was Bob Dylan/ Phil Lesh... by his request) on the main walls.
    but the reason for thinking hangings is so my books don't embarass him if he has friends over. Remember he's only here three months plus one school holiday. (wah... this is harder than I thought it'd be)
    swaping framed art is a no brainer and we are used to some lining the walls along the floor at all times.
    I don't want the TV shelf dominating at any time so I was thinking the two-sided curtain, one in my taste range that shows during the time he's gone, and the other for his taste.
    his bed is needed low as the couch. it's a permanent chill space. He just gets to kick me out in summer.
     
    drumminmama, Feb 2, 2006
    #7
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