Tag Archives: Decor
Bedroom Design: 5 Dreamy Masculine Bedrooms
Post by Tracy Kaler.
Bedrooms commonly come decorated in light neutrals and happy colors such as yellow, soft greens, and pale blues. Often, furnishings might be slim or curvy in line rather than bold and geometric. Design elements like these tend to make a room feel more dainty and feminine. But if you add in darker hues, less pattern, more texture, and furnishings with a modern sensibility, suddenly the space feels more masculine.
Believe it or not, manly-looking rooms aren’t only attractive to men. Some ladies prefer a simpler, contemporary retreat with clean lines, neutrals, or richer colors. We can plainly see how both sexes would feel elegant in these four dreamy bedrooms with masculine décor.
This otherwise sleek sleep space gets its warmth from the deep-colored paneled walls. The navy blue comforter provides contrast, and the throw pillow brings the outside in. A white chair, sconces, and sheets brighten things, while the runner ties the scheme together.
Loaded with texture, this bedroom by Jeffers Design Group proves that neutrals need not be humdrum. The varying shades of grey and brown work beautifully and the space is soothing and inviting.
This relaxed Spanish bedroom lacks a headboard but certainly not style. The shag rug, striped shams, unstructured bedding and side panels, no-fuss pendant lamps, and modern furnishings contribute to the masculinity.
This tailored space contains more color than the above choices, but still feels substantial and far from girly. The simple upholstered headboard, touch of paisley, black and white photo above the bed and the Oriental rug, give this “undecorated” room a masculine vibe. Male or female, who wouldn’t love to sleep here?
Hang Tight: Art Above a Bed
Post by Tracy Kaler.
When it comes to hanging art above the bed, the possibilities are endless. Introduce pattern by hanging multiple, coordinating prints; create height by utilizing a single large, vertical piece; or, add vibrant color to an otherwise neutral scheme.
Given that a bed is usually the focal point in most sleeping quarters, artwork is a vital element in the overall design of the bed wall and the bedroom itself. Often, we tend to play it safe and hang a single frame, or merely two side by side, but there are a plethora of other arrangements to explore when hanging art above the bed.
I love each of the options below. Whether you’re moving into a new room or redecorating your existing space, use these as potential inspiration for your bed wall.
These whimsical statements look fantastic above a bed. The tightly stacked frames create pattern and give you something to ponder each night before turning in, or make you chuckle upon waking. Are you really hustlin’ every day?
The pieces above the bed in this modern mountain house line up with the other windows and continue the rhythm around the room. They successfully bring the outside in, and are almost like make-believe windows.
The color scheme in this room is so lovely and soothing, it makes me want to nap right now. The geometric creates pattern but also does a great job of pulling the lavender colors together within the scheme, while the pale green wall acts as a contrasting background.
This bedroom proves that a traditional headboard is not always necessary. The tall artwork not only adds height to the low platform bed, but also gives the illusion of a grand headboard. The monochromatic gray color scheme is sophisticated, and the picture lights enhance the drama. This designer took a risk, and the space works beautifully.
What’s your preferred way to hang art above the bed?
Bedroom Design: A Guide for Choosing Bedside Lamps
Post by Tracy Kaler.
Shopping for bedside lamps? Selecting lighting for your bedroom may seem like an easy task, but there’s a lot to think about, particularly if you often read in bed. Aesthetically, lamps should compliment the décor; choose a ceramic mid-century light for a retro bedroom, and pick a faceted crystal base for a more traditional feel. But regardless of style you’ll want your lamps to do their job, so here are a few tips to shed some light when shopping for bedside lamps.
Choose the right height
Most designers will agree that a bedside lamp’s height is most important for optimal use. As a rule, the bottom of the shade should just about align with your chin while sitting in bed. This, of course, is partially based on the correct height of your bedside table, which is ideal if it is even with your mattress.
Keep the shade light
Dark shades provide little light, and in a bedroom, will only darken your space. (Control natural light with window treatments as needed.) Stick with a white, ivory or other soft, neutral shade –– fabric and paper usually work best to provide the right amount of brightness, as well as a classic look.
Bulbs matter
To control the amount of light, a two-bulb lamp will work well. Your lamp can have one bulb for reading and one for overall ambient light. If a lamp has a single socket, try a three-way bulb so the amount of light will vary from dim to bright.
Think about the switch
When shopping for lamps, look at the control or switch. Will this be easy for you to turn on and off from bed? You might opt for a lamp with a switch on the cord, which may require less reaching as you drift off to sleep.
5 Ways to Introduce Pattern by Paint into a Bedroom
Post by Tracy Kaler.
Paint is a simple and relatively inexpensive decorative element, yet it can drastically change the aesthetic of any space. From a simple ivory eggshell that adds life to a dull room, to a cleverly painted bold pattern on an accent wall, paint is the decorator’s best friend, and in a remodel, should be yours too. Here are five cool ways to bring pattern by paint into a bedroom.
An accent pattern is introduced in this space and enhances an otherwise plain corner. Want to try this at home? Select contrasting colors, as shown, or for a more subtle effect, use similar tones.
If you think wall patterns might be too busy, have a look at this graceful chevron design, which adds pizzazz and transforms this clean, almost under-decorated bedroom.
Painted stripes are a terrific wall treatment for any bedroom, including a nursery or child’s room. Make a statement and paint extra wide panels horizontally; or, go for a wallpaper look with narrow vertical stripes. Tone on tone or complimentary colors work nicely. Stripes typically work well above wainscoting, as well.
Have an old dresser that’s ready for a yard sale? Transform the piece from shabby to chic by painting the frame a dark chocolate and the drawers a soft white or cream.
If you’re lacking in the artwork department and your budget is dwindling, why not create your own? Purchase a stretched canvas, find a pattern at Cutting Edge Stencils
Children are entitled to a stylish bedroom, too. This wavy backdrop is a perfect motif for the in-between age, or any age, really. Great looking and not too sophisticated, this design will add color and panache to rooms with even the simplest furnishings.
Things We Like: Barn Doors in the Bedroom
Post by Kyle St. Romain.
Continuing through my bathroom remodel, which continues to surprise me in terms of how complicated and expensive redoing a small bathroom can be, I wanted to share with you a little design feature that I am going to incorporate into my master bedroom/bathroom: the barn door.
My bathroom renovation brings up a lot of design challenges, particularly because it is a small space and the plumbing for the toilet and shower cannot be changed. The way my bathroom was originally planned, the entry door (entered through the bedroom) opened inwards. While this layout made it easy to go between the two rooms, it took up too much of the precious space inside the bathroom. Worse yet, the door opened across the shower door, which meant that you had to enter the bathroom and close the door behind you before you could enter the shower. Talk about an inconvenience!
My first thought to remedy this problem was to have a pocket door installed; however, there were some major negatives to this approach. Since building code prohibits many condominium dwellers from installing any flammable materials, like wood, inside the wall, I would have had to get a custom pocket doorframe fabricated from metal (read: expensive). If the cost of the pocket door frame itself wasn’t enough to deter me from the idea, I would have also had to relocate light switches and electrical outlets installed on the inside of that wall (read: more expensive). Thankfully, my designer had a great idea: install a barn door on the outside of the bathroom. Brilliant!
I scoured the web to learn everything I could about barn doors. What I learned is that no two barn doors are alike, and its really an excersize in creativity and personal taste. One big thing I did read up on before finalizing my decision was the pros and cons of using a barn door vs. a pocket door. Below are some quick bullet points of what I learned:
- Noise. Barn doors and pocket doors both do not provide as much noise insulation than regular doors, and barn doors offer the least due to the gaps between the door and the wall. If you’re using a barn door or a pocket door for a room next to a high traffic area in your home, you may want to consider other options. My bathroom is tucked away in the back corner of my apartment, inside the bedroom, so noise issues weren’t a big concern for me here.
- Cost. Barn doors can be more expensive than pocketed doors due to increased cost of the door and the track hardware it glides across. There are some really clever DIY solutions for making a barn door on the cheap, but I wanted something that would really stand out and enhance both the bedroom and the bathroom. Plus, a metal frame pocket door was going to be much more expensive than its wooden counterpart, so the price difference really wasn’t that much for me.
- Design. Barn doors are more in-your-face than pocket doors, and some people are not fond of seeing the exposed track system on the outside of their wall. This is more of a personal preference, and I actually like the rustic style. That said, barn doors come in all shapes, sizes, and colors – so there is a lot of flexibility in finding a door that suits your décor.
- Other considerations. With a barn door, you will also need an empty space on the wall adjacent to your doorway for the barn door to slide over when the door is open. This can be tricky in smaller rooms, and the space needs to be a bit wider than the doorway itself. You’ll also want to reframe your doorway or just have drywall edges if you’re using a barn door. This helps create a slicker look and makes it look like the barn door was meant to be there, not just an afterthought.
Feeling a bit more educated about barn doors, I headed over to Houzz to browse the galleries for some inspiration. One thing I noticed that really made certain barn doors stand out from the others was the use of reclaimed, or at least distressed, wood. Reclaimed barn doors can be very expensive though, and I wouldn’t have been saving much money vs. going with a pocket door. Thankfully, I found a local carpenter who takes apart old barns as a hobby and turns them into reclaimed treasures. I met with him, and we agreed that he would build me a custom barn door at a reasonable price. I think the fact that the door would be going into a reclaimed building (the building used to be, and still is to a certain extent, an old train station). I’m still waiting on my door to be finished, but am very excited about getting it! You can expect to see some photos when the project is complete.
