Teenagers' Bedrooms: Choosing a Rug That Grows Up With Them

Somewhere between the nursery and leaving home, a child's bedroom quietly changes job. It stops being a playroom and becomes a bedroom, study, sitting room and social space all at once. The rug in it has to keep up. It needs to be comfortable enough to sit on, practical enough to survive snacks and school bags, and stylish enough to please someone with very definite opinions. Our guide to nursery and children's room rugs covers the early years; this one is for the teens.

Let them have a say

The single most useful piece of advice is to involve your teenager in the choice. A room they have helped design is a room they are more likely to look after. One approach that works well is for parents to set the practical brief, such as size, budget and how easy the rug is to clean, and let the teenager choose the colour and pattern within it. Many teenagers prefer something that looks distinctly grown-up, so don't feel limited to rugs designed for children.

Plan for the way the room is used

• Floor-sitting: teenagers sit on the floor far more than adults do, whether gaming, revising or chatting with friends. A rug with a comfortable pile makes that much more pleasant.
• The desk: if there is a desk chair on wheels, a dense, low pile or a chair mat is kinder to the rug. Our guide to home office rugs explains why.
• Noise: music, games and friends can travel through floorboards. A good-sized rug with an underlay helps soften sound for the rest of the house.
• Spills: drinks, make-up, nail varnish and late-night snacks are all part of teenage life. Blot spills straight away rather than rubbing, and keep clean white cloths to hand.

Washable rugs: a practical favourite

For many families, a machine-washable rug is the obvious answer. Our Liberty washable rugs have a soft velvet pile and a non-slip backing, and can be washed in the machine when life gets messy. We explore the range in Liberty Washable Rugs.

Choosing a style that lasts

Teenage taste can change quickly, so it is worth thinking about how the rug will look in two or three years' time.

• Graphic and grown-up: bold geometric designs feel confident and age well. Scion's Going Lohko in Dusk, pictured, sets blush-pink blocks against a near-black ground, playful without being childish. See the full Scion collection.
• A neutral base: a textured plain or soft, tonal pattern lets posters, bedding and cushions carry the changing colours, so the room can be refreshed without replacing the rug.
• One strong colour: if your teenager has a favourite colour, consider using it in the rug and keeping walls and furniture simple.

Getting the size right

Teenage bedrooms are often among the smaller rooms in the house, and furniture fills them quickly. In a compact room, a rug that sits across the lower two-thirds of the bed, or a generous rug beside it, usually works best. A round rug can soften a corner or define a reading or gaming spot. For more ideas on making the most of a compact space, read Small Spaces: Choosing a Rug for Flats and Box Rooms.

A rug that moves on with them

Choose well and the rug may well follow your teenager to university digs or a first flat. A good-quality rug in a design they genuinely love is one of the few pieces of bedroom furniture that is easy to take with them.

A decorator's note

The best teenage bedrooms balance a parent's practicality with a young person's personality. If you would like help finding a rug you can both agree on, send our team a photograph of the room and a few words about how it is used, and we will happily suggest some options.