Tag Archives: Bedroom Design
Bedroom Design: Trundle Beds
Post by Stephanie Noble.
A few weeks ago, I was settling into the couch after putting our almost two year old to bed. I was listening for the squeak of the mattress as the little man did his nightly trampoline routine that he did to wind down at the end of the night. He would generally jump for a few minutes while talking to himself, then go to sleep. I waited for the jumping, but it never came.
Instead, I heard a knock from his door, “Mamma, Daddy, Mamma, Daddy?” Our wee one had jumped out of the protection of his crib straight into the toddler sleep transition.
I went into his room, put him back into his crib and asked him to show me how he got out. He said, “One” and put his first leg over the railing. “Two” brought both legs over and my baby was suddenly dangling over the side of his crib. “Three” he jumped down and yelled “Hurray.”
His latest milestone was not greeted with the same enthusiasm that his previous accomplishments have been met with, so he kept yelling “Hurray” until I finally agreed with him with a hollow, “Yeah.”
We borrowed his cousin’s big boy bed and assembled it. I’m now going to share the parenting secret that nobody filled us in on. “Toddler sleep transition is so much worse than new born sleep deprivation.” Two years ago there was a schedule to the waking up, it was dependable and once the little man was full he’d go back to sleep.
Our toddler wakes up and thinks because he can get out of bed and wander that it must be time to get up and get started with the day.
The past month has seen us readjusting how we live to teach him how to sleep again. Currently, we alternate nights of responsibility so we know that even if we only get four hours of sleep one night, we’ll get a full night the next. That helps, but it’s still hard to go back to being mentally fuzzy most of the time.
When the call comes for parental attention, the responsible parent take the comforter off the bed in our room, throws it down on the floor in our son’s room and then sleep on the floor for the rest of the night with the boy. It’s like camping every other night. A joy at two, aching joints for the over forty crowd.
We decided that the whole camping out thing is getting old and have started looking for a trundle bed. It would be helpful not only during this time of transition, but also when he wants to have friends stay over later on. Everything in a small living space has to pull its multiple duty weight.
I was looking at the Charles P. Rogers website to get some ideas.
Here is my favorite.
I like the Chambord because it looks sturdy and would transition well from toddler to kid. It would also work later on in a library/guest room if we ever live in a bigger space. It also looks a lot more comfy than a comforter on the floor.
Boho Chic: Stevie Nicks Slept Here
Post by Erin Sears.
Okay, so I don’t really know what Stevie’s bedroom looks like, but I can imagine it, can’t you? I see it as a luxurious version of bohemian chic- a trend that’s been the rage for some time now. Boho chic is all about layered, vintage textiles. Rustic, embroidered and ethereal should be your buzz words.
You too can channel the fairy godmother of rock by bringing a little touch of the bohemian to your sleeping space. Read on, rock on.
Source: Google images via pinterest
Source: http://expimage.com/index.php/2013/03/26/9645/
Let’s call this one Rhiannon’s room. Boho Chic is all about romantic eclecticism. Think colorful rugs, mounds of pillows, and a string of lights over the bed in the attic. This is what would have happened if you’d run away from home with THAT guy. Here’s the path not chosen, my friends. And, it is gorgeous!
Source: http://www.porterhousedesigns.com/colorsizzle/bohemian-inspiration
Welcome to your first real bedroom! You know the one- it’s in a house that actually has central heating. You’ve come a long way, baby. Think distressed walls with an iron bed. Add a bright canopy to mimic the scarves you rock regularly. Put a dangling chandelier overhead and you’ve got it!
Source: http://www.mimiandmegblog.com/2011/06/eye-candy-highgloss.html
This very adult version of boho chic is a shout out to who you used to be while acknowledging how you’ve grown over the years. This version entails a more sophisticated neutral canopy, an elegant (and probably very expensive) fabric headboard, and a pillow that alludes to your travels afar. Pair it with a chevron curtain and fluffy duvet and you’re there. I feel confident that Stevie would approve.
Source: Google images via pinterest
Creative Ceilings: Things are Looking Up!
It’s 3:05 AM, 3:19 AM, 3:23 AM…… You can’t sleep and the day ahead is gonna suck. Staring up at your cracked ceiling is not the answer. It’s a roadmap to despair. You know what wouldn’t suck? Having a gorgeous ceiling to look at while you count sheep/drink warm milk/curse your life. Why not dress that ceiling up with some fabulous wallpaper or an interesting design treatment? Yessssssssss………..
Here are a few examples of spectacular bedroom ceilings to get your wheels turning in a positive direction:
Source: houzz.com
WOW, right? The light fixture in this room is awesome, but it might get lost on a basic painted ceiling. This snazzy wallpaper MAKES the room. It has got great interest and it sets the color story for the space. The modern heart pattern makes me love it even more. WOW, WOW, WOW!
Source: lonny.com
This jacquard-like pattern is genius! It adds fantastic interest to this white room and allows the owner to accessorize the space using corresponding mats beneath the artwork. Lonny.com calls this a Moroccan room. I call it perfection!
Source: http://whimsicalworldoflaurabird.blogspot.com/
Here’s a pattern that really moves! How smart that the bold colors of the painted wall are broken up by a strip of white molding before your eye travels to the ceiling. Also appealing is the mix of traditional furnishings, white with a stripe bedding and some modern touches. It’s mix and match eclectic beauty at its best.
Source: http://design-milk.com/press-conference-room-by-h2o-architectes/
Source: http://www.mrspollyrogers.com/
If wallpaper isn’t your thing, here are two alternate and unconventional ideas for working with or adding to what you’ve got: Wooden perforated ceiling panels and glorious tin ceiling tiles. Talk about thinking outside of the (bedroom) box!
The options for accentuating your bedroom ceiling are endless, just like your thoughts on a sleepless night. Use your imagination, choose patterns you love, and take some melatonin. With your ceiling problem solved, may you now drift off to sleep on a cloud of good design!
Things We Like: Asian Inspired Bedroom Design
Post by Kyle St. Romain.
Asian inspired design embodies most of the traits I look for in a bedroom: minimalistic furnishings, clean lines, and an overall feeling of tranquility. While Asian inspired design can take some careful planning to pull off, especially when you’re designing a bedroom, the rewards can be bountiful.
To help you achieve Zen in your bedroom, I’ve put together my top five cornerstone elements of Asian design.
1. Asymmetry
Several weeks ago I discussed the different ways to achieve balance, which is one of the main principles of design. To recap, the three types of balance are: Symmetrical, Asymmetrical, and Radial. Asymmetrical can be difficult to implement, but it creates the most visually interesting space.
A common example of asymmetrical design in the bedroom is the use of differing nightstands. When planning an Asian inspired bedroom, you may try to include a single nightstand on one side of the bed and an iconic sculpture (e.g., Buddha), or decorative lamp on the other You may also use two of the same nightstands, and place different objects on top of either.
2. A Touch of Nature
Asian inspired design almost always includes natural elements, such as the use of stone and wood for your furnishings and floors. A natural wool rug can also be a nice addition to an Asian themed bedroom. While it is against the general principles of Feng Shui to include living plants in the bedroom, a small plant in a large bedroom may be perfectly acceptable; it all depends on your particular space. Orchids and bamboo are two examples of smaller plants that you can incorporate in your Asian inspired bedroom.
3. Chinoiserie Furniture
Chinoiserie is the French word for “Chinese-esque,” and represents a style of furniture that emerged in France around the 18th Century. Often Chinoiserie furniture comes in dark lacquered colors with painted decorative scenes. Replicas should be easy enough to come by, and the sky is the limit if you’re planning to use real antiques. When selecting furniture for your Asian inspired bedroom, aim to keep it simple. This furniture tends to be very ornate, and you can quickly overdo it and make your bedroom feel busy.
4. Clean Lines
Clean straight lines, coupled with circular décor are what will help tie the look of your room together. Rectangular platform beds, and long straight furnishings will help keep your eyes on level. To keep the look interesting, you can include circular motifs throughout the room. The circle is an important symbol in Japanese culture, and is associated with Zen and enlightenment. Circular mirrors and sculptures are a great way to spice up the straight lines of your bedroom.
5. Minimalistic
Asian inspired bedrooms imbue a sense of minimalism. An uncluttered bedroom is essential to capturing the serenity that you should feel while in your bedroom. This is a prime example of, “less is more.” It can be easy to go overboard with purchasing interesting objects to decorate your bedroom with, but think of this as an exercise in self-restraint. If you can follow this singular rule, you’ll be well on your path to enlightenment!
These are just a few of the major points for designing an Asian themed bedroom, and the possibilities are almost limitless. The Asian cultures are diverse, and you may either choose to encompass a sort of melting pot of Asian design, or stick to one country or culture exclusively. Most importantly, designing an Asian themed bedroom should be fun.
What do you think are the essential elements of Asian design? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Bedroom Design: The Vanity: The Fairest of them All
Post by Erin Sears.
Growing up, I thought that all fancy women had vanities, also known as dressing tables, in their bedrooms. After all, my grandmother had one and my lovely mother has one too. When I was a young girl, I definitely wanted to be fancy, so my mom got me a vanity for my bedroom. It was powder-coated white iron and glass perfection. I lined up my hairbrushes and Wet and Wild brand makeup (you know you had some too) on it for a few years until adolescence and the grunge era took over and I abandoned the vanity completely.
Now that I’m grown, I long to be fancy again. My current humble bedroom and meager wallet cannot facilitate purchasing a vanity now, but when I bust out of this little apartment (and bust out I will), I know exactly what vanity I will buy and the look I want to create.
Here are some ideas for the perfect vanity. Perhaps one of these will strike your fancy?
Source: http://msmadeulook.blogspot.com/
Whoa! Now if this vanity isn’t fancy, I don’t know what is! I would like my life to match this fit-for-a-princess piece of furniture please and thank you. I love that this vanity comes with a matching bench and has been accessorized with presumably treasured framed art and decorative boxes. Like other surfaces in the home, your vanity is for more than just storage. It should be a place to display some of your most special items.
Source: Pinterest user
IF I had an alter ego, it might live in one of those glamorous modern houses you see in magazines. My furniture would have clean lines, wood accents to warm up all of that metal and glass, and accessories that hinted at my love for global adventure. THIS is my alter ego vanity.
Source: http://www.decorpad.com/photo.htm?photoId=12611
It’s award season in Hollywood, dahhhh-ling and this vanity is perfect for any starlet. Using a lamp on your vanity is a great way to check out how you look in soft light and all of these mirrors are ideal for practicing your acceptance speech. ENJOY!
