I need some major help in the bedroom design & decorating arena. I've attached 2 photos to show you the blank slate we are working with. I love the bedding but it is past its prime and we are going to replace it - all the other furniture needs to go as well. [more after the jump]
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Email questions & pics with QUESTIONS in subject line to: sf(at)apartmenttherapy(dot)com
Link To All Good Questions
Email questions & pics with QUESTIONS in subject line to: sf(at)apartmenttherapy(dot)com
Link To All Good Questions
It might be helpful to get a little more input from you.
What style of furnishings most appeal to you? What does the rest of your apartment look like? What are your favorite colors? Does the bedroom have to serve any additional purposes? Is this a public or private room? What kind of mood or feeling would you like to elicit (restful? cozy? airy? inspiring? subdued? sexy?)
If you're going to be starting from scratch, then it's really all up to you. What are your favorite colors? What are your favorite types of design? Maybe spend some time looking at home magazines or design blogs. I mean, one person on here (AT) can tell you to paint your room green, while another will tell you to paint it orange. It's really all about your preference and deciding what you like.
Kathy, you have a great opportunity for a fresh start! If you could offer the equivalent of a tearsheet (from a magazine, catalog, or alternatively find an online pic from a designer's site or a retailer's site), one or more, that best fits your style and gives ideas about what you'd like the final room to look like, it'd be easier to give you ideas that fit your style and help you source reasonably priced materials. I'm going through the same thing now, whole house, and it's both exciting to start fresh and scary weeding through the endless ideas. I've found it really helpful starting the old fashioned way, with some inspiration photos, and you might want to go through some of the AT slideshows to see if anyone else's home gives you ideas.
Kathy,
My bedroom is suffering from similar woes, but after asking AT and staring at my walls for hours it helps!
But seriously, you've got some built in good parts and some built in bad parts to deal with.
Good parts - Natural light. With the sliding glass doors and balcony, you've got some awesome natural light potential. Width - looks like your bedroom is fairly wide, accomodating a full size bed, two nightstands and a bookshelf without being cramped.
Bad parts - Wall to wall carpet in Builder's Beige. If you rent, not much you can do about it. If you own, you might think about getting nicer carpeting or even replacing it with wood or a wood-laminate like Pergo. And you've got some weird opening making for a squat bedroom - one door leads to a closet? or living room? and then you have that opening without a door leading to the bathroom(?)
Here's my suggestions:
1) Fix the doorless opening - Hang a curtain or sheer or something. It really kills the intimacy of the bedroom having that big opening to a tiled hallway.
2) Color - I'd consider taking advantage of the natural light and go with a lighter tone. I think dark, rich colors would just wind up fighting with the natural light - as well as that beige carpet.
3) Curtains - Get some window treatment action on the sliding door. Maybe hang some white sheers - it will let that nice light through and billow in the breeze, but will provide some privacy for you when in your all-togethers in the boudoir.
4) Bed - You already know you need new bedding and throw pillows - go bold and punchy to add a dash of color. I might also think about getting a bed with a headboard or maybe build a fake one.
5) Nightstands - The nightstands are too small and light next to that big ole bed. Get some solid nightstands to provide balance.
6) Overhead light - Maybe a pendant light above?
7) Get some art above the bed.
8) Bookshelf - Something about the bookshelf bugs me. Maybe its too small. I might built some bookshelves all the way up the wall and over the doorway cut-through and down the other side. Just one solid wall of bookshelvery. It will also give you a place for your stereo and speakers, which from the looks of things, are currently living on the floor.
I know that ikea carries alot of crap stuff, but I really think that they have some great ideas about lighting that is useful. They also have affordable lighting! Take a look at their catalogue, it has some great ideas! I know when I realized for my own place how underlit it was I was amazed!
Reading lamps attached to to wall, even if you don't read seems like it would be nice- as well as bedside lamps and a larger floor (general lighting). I guess, I am thinking very budget minded...I mean if you can get fixtures - yeah!
Do you need dressers? why not swap the bookshelf for a dresser!
You could create a fabric headboard too- or buy if you don't have time:)
That is awesome that you have a balcony right off the b-room. What about making a plant/garden oasis out there? I would then say, forget sheers (I mean, if no one can see in why bother?)
lots more lighting, shorter, thicker nightstands and then there is bedding! so much to choose from- I think if you keep everything simple in the room get some color/big pattern on the bed :)
i second the "one solid wall of bookshelvery." if only because i want one of those, bad.
seriously though, i agree with pretty much all of dave's suggestions.