Beautifully at Ease
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A bedroom is more than a place to sleep. How many times even as kids did we turn to our room to escape? It should be a restful, private retreat where you can feel totally at ease to unwind.
Decorating a bedroom with comfort in mind is more than a luxury it is essential. Allow yourself to feel indulged by surrounding yourself with all the things you consider essential to the quality of your life.
If you love to read in bed for example, fill your room with much loved books and well-positioned lighting.
Hours are spent doing those things we love like reading the Sunday paper on a lazy morning, curling up with a good book with a cup of tea, enjoying your morning coffee, catching up with a loved one, exercise, or to watch a little TV, make calls or write letters.
But while a bedroom can accommodate all of these functions, don’t let it become a multi purpose room. Taking work into the bedroom is not a restful concept. If you need to place your home office in the master bedroom, be sure to arrange a way to conceal the area when you are not working.
Generally rooms of a home flow and conform to the main style of the house, but decorating a bedroom can offer an opportunity to do something differently and out of the norm because it becomes your sanctuary.
Introduce interesting and individual pieces of furniture normally belonging to other rooms like a curio, sofa table, bookcase or writing desk.
When decorating a bedroom, every design scheme should have more than adequate drawer and storage space, lighting and bedside tables of the right height.
The use of bedside tables is both practical and aesthetically pleasing. Choose the largest that you can accommodate so you have space for a lamp and some things you may consider essential, such as books, reading glasses, an alarm clock, a carafe of water and a telephone.
The bedside tables could be a matching pair, or use a chest on one side and a table on the other. Be sure they are of the same height or close to it for the lamps to be visually in line with each other.
Each night stand should have its own reading lamp, or consider a wall-mounted fixture, especially if the design of the bedroom calls for something more sleek or if space is at a premium. Ambient lighting can come from an overhead fixture, ceiling fan or chandelier.
Allow 42-48" (a min. of 30") in front of dressers to be able to open drawers.
When decorating a bedroom for two people, utilizing separate storage in the way of closets, dressers, and night stands are ideal.
Adequate storage is the key to keeping calm and order in your life. Don’t let your dressing table get dusty and messy. It is no way to start the day.
A sitting area in the bedroom can be a great spot for a reading nook. Include a comfortable upholstered chair, with an ottoman when possible, or a chaise with a chenille throw, a small table and lamp.
Furniture at the foot of the bed, a chest, bench, or settee emphasizes the feeling of grandeur and is a convenient place to put the bedspread. (And all the extra pillows you pile on the bed during the day but couldn’t possible sleep with).
If you choose to have a TV or stereo in the bedroom choose a cabinetry to conceal it when possible.
The placement of the bed should be the first consideration when decorating a bedroom.
The bed is usually the focal point of the room
as well as the area above the bed.
An ornate headboard or a canopy would serve as a focal point but if you are not using a headboard then framed art will capture the attention in the room.
The bed should be superbly comfortable. Dress it with bedding, pillows and throws of a comforting texture for tactile pleasure and visual interest.
Look for fine quality bed linens. Investing in beautiful linens is not a frivolous buy, but the kind of luxury that once you purchase them you wonder how you managed without them.
Allow at least 24" on either side of bed to be able to make the bed and to get in and out of easily.
Surround yourself with meaningful objects, fresh fragrances, flowers, candles and soothing fabrics. Pictures, family photos and books make an enormous difference and give a homey feeling. Follow through with that feeling when welcoming guests into your home.
Use window coverings in soft fabrics that allow sunlight in during the day. If you need room darkening drapes for night they can be hung on a double rod.
For easier sleeping a restful ambiance is created with softer and lighter colors. A subdued color palette with muted tones of nature, browns, gray, rich cream of sand and stone is ideal for bedroom.
The cooler hues of spring and summer green and the cool blues of water and sky soothe the cares of the day. It creates a colorful but calming color palettes for a peaceful space.
Cheery colors are best suited for early risers!
Patterns are a wonderful design ingredient. They inject a feeling of warmth and coziness, bringing a signature statement rich in character to the room. Be sure to offset patterns with plains so the eye will not become tired. Large scaled wall paper can make a room feel enclosed.
Carpets should be chosen to coordinate rather than dominate, but you need not be limited to a plain carpet. Textured cut and loop designs are an excellent choice. It is halfway between a plain and patterned.
Take inspiration from the French with their love of passementerie (trimmings)and the importance of detailing. Something as small as trimmings used on the upholstery or tassels as a curtain tie back, adds another layer of luxury into the mix and to the success of decorating a bedroom.
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