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We could all learn a thing or two from her taste.
Now that Gen Z is old enough to own homes, I wanted to turn my design eye to the next generation: Gen Alpha. The oldest members of Gen Alpha are 16 years old—old enough to care about how their room looks, but too young to make most of the purchasing decisions themselves. So I was curious—what do they actually like? What do they wish grown-ups knew while shopping for them? I went straight to the source to find out: my discerning 11-year-old niece.
I walked my niece through dozens of furniture and decor listings, asking for her honest opinion on what she or her friends would think of it. And it turns out, Gen Alpha is a bit more refined than we’d expect. I noted a few main rules cropping up.
This was honestly surprising to me. I was expecting bold colors, mushroom-shaped decor, and lots of brightness. But to Gen Alpha, the most important thing is the right to change their mind. Versatility is everything. Any pops of color need to be small enough to swap out, and at every turn, they pick the white furniture over any color options. Not because it’s boring, but because it’s customizable. I’m humbled and inspired by this. The next generation of designers is well on their way to great taste.
Below, I outlined the furniture and decor that survived my niece’s chopping block, along with her commentary, as a point of inspiration for anyone shopping for a picky tween.
“The shape should be round and plump. It doesn’t look too much like a marshmallow. I want it to look comfy, but not like a cartoon.”
“It’s really cute, and it’s fun. It doesn’t cover the whole room. You can just put it under a chair or next to your bed. Smaller rugs can be unique, so the whole room doesn’t have to be just one pattern.”
“I like the blues. It’s not super bright but fun. More calm than a cloud-covered hamper.”
“It’s not super bold, so it’s better to go over the whole floor. My friends would like it.”
“I like a nightstand with a lot of surface area, because I put lots of things up there. The details on the bottom are nice. I like the white color better. It looks nicer—cleaner and neater.”
“I like the blue and white flowers; they look really pretty. It doesn’t belong on a bed, but maybe someone’s desk chair.”
“I really like that. Lots of space, pink, and the dot details are a fun way to keep your jewelry. Instead of a weird black case in the middle of your room.”
“I was confused at first, but I like it when it’s on the wall. It’s like the LED strips where you can change the color, instead of just being orange.”
“I like the cream color. You can style your room any way and it would still look good. It looks comfy.”
“The design is really cool. You keep all your shoes in one place, and you can put this anywhere, and it would still look good. I think it’s a really good amount of space, and you don’t have to put shoes in there. You could put extra towels or school supplies.”
“It’s really fun that it’s both [decor and storage]. It could be used to decorate, instead of sitting in the corner and looking kinda weird like most pen holders.”
“It’s less like a tower and more like a shelf. The other one was a big showcase; this one is a regular bookshelf. It feels smaller.”
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