Monday, January 7, 2008

Bedroom Ideas

My friends just added on a master bedroom, walk in closet and a master bathroom to their house. I can't wait to se it. Here are some pointers when it comes to decorating a bedroom.

Colors: Neutrals are a sophisticated choice for a bedroom and it creates a calming atmosphere. If you are brave throw in a little splash of a muted color. Dark colors such as charcoal, chocolate or olive are nice when used as a contrast with a light color. It will create a dramatic, warm and sensuous feeling. Think of your textiles (bedding, curtains and rugs) as part of your color pallet. Some people prefer all white. For the white color to look clean and crisp use a light gray or a light beige as an accent color, this will also prevent the room from looking flat. Avoid using bright colors in a bedroom.
Functions: Storage is essential in a bedroom. If you are not one of the lucky ones to have a walk in closet, built-in under bed storage is becoming very popular and it's very practical. Keep a low profile in a bedroom so instead of a high 6 drawer dresser, get 3+3 double dresser. A full length mirror is a good idea considering most of us dress in the bedroom, it will also ad some depth in the room and make it feel bigger. If you have a big bedroom, it's nice to ad a chair (ultimately an armless one). This can act as a reading corner or a place to sit down to put on socks and shoes.
Bedding: Spend the money to get thread count over 200, or get Egyptian cotton which is on of the softer kinds. If you are unsure what color bedding to use, you can never go wrong with crisp white and use throw pillows that will go with the accent colors of the room. When adding throw pillows, don't be afraid to use organic or graphic patterns.
Lighting: ...is what sets the mood. Rather then having one general light source use a few. Avoid using florescent light bulbs, they tend to give out a cool, blue light. Dimmers are essential, especially in a bedroom. Don't assume that lights next to the bed have to be table lamps. You can make it interesting by using Directional floor lamps which would also work as a reading light.
Inspiration: There are many places you can go to find inspiration. When I was looking to rent an apartment in Argentina, going there for vacation, I went on
VRBO.com They have apartments all over the world that you can se pictures of. There's also some inspiration you will find in Designer Hotels. DO NOT buy a bedroom set when buying your bedroom furniture. You will risk that your bedroom will turn out looking like a Residence Inn.
What do you put on the wall above the bed? If you have a nice big head board the space above the bed will be filled out. If you chose to put a shelf, and you live in California, just make sure not to put things on it that can fall and hit you in the head during an earth quake. I personally prefer to use 2 larger or 3 smaller framed pictures.

Swede Dreams! ;)















2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Where oh where do those lovely pale blue and brown throw pillows come from?? I must have them!

Anonymous said...

Amazing photos i love the brown stripe bed sheets and floral throw cushions