Bedrooms

The bedroom is the place that reveals the most about our personality. It is the place where our true identity is reflected in all the decoration details. Our most personal objects are here and we surround ourselves with the things we value the most. Whether your bedroom is a tiny city studio, a country cottage, or a larger loft in the city, making the most of your bedroom is a source of achievable and innovative ideas to suite your unique needs, tastes, and look.

When planning your bedroom decor, the first thing to do is to decide on a style and stick to it.  Style is a personal attribute. What works for you. For example do you like country, Shabby Chic, Mediterranean, Contemporary, Southwestern, or maybe even Zen?

After you know decide on a style then its time to start shopping for furniture that fits in with it.  Many times your style has already been selected by the furniture you may already have. Establish what furniture has to be accommodated in addition to the bed before you buy all of your furniture. Then choose a bed that suites the shape of your bedroom.  Regardless of the size, a bed is typically the focal point in any bedroom. Since you will spend one third of your time in bed, it is important to find the right mattress. It is essential to have a good night's sleep. 

Are you going to fill up your room with many furniture pieces? Remember you can be inventive with your furniture. Anytime you can carve more than one function out of a single room, give yourself a pat on the back.  The cost for adding on an additional room to your existing home is significant. So if you are hoping for a home office, put away your checkbook and open up your mind.  The space you need could be in the bedroom. No one item has to be used for the purpose for which it was created. . Always be open to a friend's offer for the treasure in their attics. And if you intend to watch television from the bedroom,  purchase a piece of furniture that can also hide your television--especially if your decor is anything except contemporary. Contemporary design is the only decor that excepts a  visible television when guests are viewing your bedroom.

Although you may think that painting your walls is the next thing you need to do, it can lead to a time consuming mistake. Choosing your bedding and window treatments should be next on your to do list. Remember, you can match paint to anything. Many bedding even has wallpaper border that can match your bedding. Some bedding companies such as Croscill Home Fashions, and Thomasville Bedding, even sell fabric that can be used to cover chairs, or even cover a headboard. Your bedding will serve as the focal point. The fabric can be used to convey a sense of sophistication and elegance or warmth and comfort. Draperies, quilts, sheets, pillow cases andl bed linens all have a decorative potential when it comes to furnishing the bed.  Start by choosing bedding with a strong element of color that you love and let that influence your overall design of the room.  You can even give your room a new outlook by changing the bedding with the seasons. A reversible comforter is a way to keep your surroundings interesting and add a new fresh look. In the summer, some sheets are pretty enough to be used alone. Try folding the comforter or duvet at the foot of the bed until cold weather returns.

After choosing your bedding, you can choose your paint. When painting a room always take a pillow of your bedding and have the paint matched to your bedding. Paint has the ability to transform you bedroom instantly. You can paint almost any surface, but you must choose the right paint for the right surface. Specialist paints are also available. These include milk or casein based paints, distemper and limewash, which are made according to  traditional recipes as well as paints designed to simulate a specific texture such as those that produce a suede or denim effect.  To paint a room start with the ceiling, and work away from the main source of natural light. Then paint the walls, working away from natural light and in vertical sections from top to bottom. The trim on doors, window frames are the last to be painted.

If your walls have imperfections, you might choose to wallpaper instead of painting.  If you choose to wallpaper, the most expensive wallpaper is hand blocked and because it is more difficult to hang you might need a professional. Machine printed wallpaper comes in a range of finishes which determine basic practicality. All wallpaper provides interesting textural effects and makes effective coverups for less that perfect walls. Anything that can be stuck on a surface can be used to hide wall imperfections. Hanging wallpaper demands skill and patience. If you have any doubts about your ability to hang paper, you should hire a professional paper hanger to do the job for you.  For the best result, use the paste recommended by the manufacturer. Wall paper expands after pasting, which means it has to be left for a few minutes before it is applied to the wall to ensure a smooth, wrinkle free result. Begin by hanging the first sheet in the corner of the room nearest the main window and work away from the direction of natural light.  If the paper features a large pattern, you should center the first sheet in the middle of the wall or a fireplace and work toward the corners of the room where interruptions in the design will be more natural looking.

The lighting is very important in a bedroom. One of the simplest yet most dramatic ways of changing your bedroom can be to improve the way it is lit, both artificially and naturally.  The quality of light affects the way we feel in a very direct sense; it is also the means by which bedrooms focus attention on detail.  Both daylight and artificial sources are necessary for the performance of routine tasks as well as for more functions. We dress, read, watch TV and listen to music in our bedrooms.  These activities require special lighting. Plain overhead light will not be suitable because when lying on the bed as it can get in our eyes. Lamp shades, table lamps or wall lights can offer us a decorative illumination adaptable to the situation.  Decorative lamp shades can  match a color in your bedding for that small decorative touch a room might need. Although these sources of light are important, it is also important to have a window for natural light so our internal clocks can note the passage of time.

It is the small details that can offer great solutions by adding that special touch to make a bedroom seem comfortable instead of a show piece. The way an object lays on a side table, some candlesticks, hanging paintings, or a host of object can be used as a highly decorative twist. Small details can be ephereal and change with the season. Little details can take some colors or textures from the outside and bring them into our bedroom. Spring or summer flowers or a few pine cones can take some texture from the outdoors and bring it in.

Take time with  the details of your decorating theme. Ideas often take longer to come together and it is worth waiting for the right print, lamp, or other elements rather than cutting corners to achieve the best effect.  Never throw anything away until after your bedroom is complete. You may find that the very item you disposed of is the very thing you need to complete the job.