Ursula's amazing nanny of over four years is starring in a new show on Cinemax called "The Girls Guide to Depravity," from which comes the memorable line, "The best way to get over a guy is to get under a new guy." It was a good reminder to me that amidst all the politics of dating, as an apartment therapist, I think that the BEST way to catch the person you want is to have a fantastic bedroom. Your bedroom is the clearest expression of how you are feeling about yourself right now and is bathed in your pheromones. Are they hot or cold?
Now sex is always a good starting point and a sexy bedroom is essential, but what you also want it a bedroom that supports your LOVE - both for yourself and for others. A bedroom shouldn't just be a short term chick or a boy magnet, it should also be a long term love nest. So let's rule out red walls, mirror balls and scented candles, okay?
When I was in college I remember very clearly walking into a woman's room in my eating co-op and being instantly smitten with the space. It was incredibly personal, comfortable, mature and sexy. Even before I knew who she was, I wanted to meet her and be IN that bed with her. We soon were, and she and the room are still memorable (and friends).
I've done many interviews over the years on bedrooms - particularly around Valentines Day - and I always say that visiting the person you like's home - and checking out their bedroom - was an immediate and super clear indicator as to whether the relationship was going to be on or off immediately. So give yourself a chance! There are a lot of things in life that you can't control or you can't improve immediately, but your bedroom is not one of them. Here's my shortlist. Please add to it, and Happy Valentine's Day!
1. Make it Personal & Grownup - This means that your bedroom should express YOU and have in and around it furniture, artwork, clothes and items that are deeply personal. An attractive bedroom with all new furniture and no real character is not sexy. Additionally, I've always found that women whose bedrooms express their older, mature sides are sexier than younger rooms that look like holdovers from college. Women are sexier than girls, so let go of the Victoria's Secret PINK decor and bring it up a notch.
2. Remove Computers, Wires and Officey Stuff - With all due respect to those who work from home and are short on space, please do all you can to keep all non-bedroom activities OUT of the bedroom. It just kills the space. Make sure your bedroom is a retreat from all the other stuff you do in your life. Make it your inner sanctum.
3. Have a Good Bed - After sleeping on over a dozen beds last year (see my Year in Bed Project) I have come to really believe in investing in a good bed. This doesn't mean that you need to spend a lot of money, but taking care of this purchase, spending what you can and really falling in love with your bed is a great start for falling in love IN bed. Also try not to store anything under your bed if you can. It's not good ju-ju.
4. Good Lighting is Essential - Your bedroom should be lit for you and for your easy use. This means at least three points of light, which is typically two reading lamps and one opposite. Like any good hotel setup, you want to be able to have a nice light in bed before you go to sleep and you want the rest of the room to be softly illuminated with low, indirect light and NOT a fixture on your ceiling. Plenty of easy to reach soft, low light is sexy.
5. Warm Colors, But Not Too Warm! - While cool colors are actually better for supporting a good night's sleep, they are are not hot, stimulating colors, which might be more useful right now. My recommendation is to aim somewhere in the middle. AVOID red-light district red and go for warm greys, lavender, warm greens, browns, tans, rose (if you really want it feminine). Neutral colors rock. Think "spa chic" and raw linen, which is so popular right now. China White is a lovely not too warm white, which goes really well with little warm pops of color in bedding, pillows, rugs, curtains or lampshades.
6. Keep it Quiet - Peace and quiet is of signal importance in the bedroom, but particularly in the sexy bedroom. It's communicates privacy, intimacy and coziness. To quiet down even the noisiest bedroom you simply need to add a lot of fabric to dampen the sound. Heavy, tall curtains and a good rug or wall to wall carpet will do most of the heavy lifting here. Headboards are excellent for absorbing sound while your in bed. Armchairs add a luxurious touch to the bedroom - can you say Boudoir? - and also will eat up unwanted noise.
7. Keep it Soft to The Touch- You want to consider all the senses when in the bedroom and softness of touch is a big one. Lovely, high quality bedding under your body, a warm rug under your feet and a crisp, dry oversized towel to wrap him or her up in will take you really far.
8. Candles Really Do Work - Candles always carry a romantic connotation and for good reason. The light they cast is the softest, warmest and sexiest around. EVERYONE looks good in candlelight. Just PUH-LEASE be really careful with scented candles as low quality scents can ruin everything. When in doubt, AVOID. Really want a good one, check this out.
9. Mirrors Are Sexy Too - While some may feel mirrors make them too self-conscious, it's worth the risk. While not good for a sleepy, slumbering bedroom, an attractive, large standing mirror or wall mirror that allows you to watch yourselves (when you're ready to) is super stimulating and can take you to new heights. If it's a large standing mirror, you can easily move it if you want to as well.
10. Clean Is Sexy, Don't Forget It - I left this one for last because it's a buzz kill, but it can't be said enough that if you do NOTHING else, make sure your room is really, really clean. It's actually the first thing a person senses (consciously or unconsciously) when they walk into the bedroom and is the biggest turn off, even when everything else is okay. Keep clothes folded and away, the floor vacuumed (under the bed too) and all your surfaces neat and clean. Order and cleanliness in the bedroom are the best backdrop for letting go and getting wild and dirty, and you don't want to blow it.
What are yours?
11.
12.
13. ??
(Images: 1. Living Etc., 2. Hydeist, 3. Better Homes and Gardens, 4. Design Tripper, 5. Light & Airy, Scandinavian Retreat, 6. Living, Etc.)
Ellen's Thirties Style Small Space
Juan's Garage Turned Modern Guest House
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Commercial Flour Sa...
10 Picnic-Ready Salads to Eat Outside
Recipe: Thai Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry
I definitely spent a pretty substantial portion of my day yesterday getting my room 100% clean, clear and decorated properly! I woke up this morning and didn't want to leave.
This is so true. It feels great to be living in a bedroom that looks and feels like a grown-up lives there (Oscar the Grouch statuette notwithstanding). All of my horizontal surfaces are clear. The walls are painted grey, the furniture is a myriad of rich browns, and my accents are all jewel tones.
The only thing I've really got left from those 10 would be to switch my overhead lighting to something less obtrusive. It's a tough thing to do with 7'3" ceilings, but I'm willing to give it a try!
So what is the appropriate thing for an adult male to hang above the headboard. I have never been able to figure what is classy, adult, and not corny or silly.
Great tips, thanks! Re: #9, I've been thinking about putting a large standing mirror in my bedroom, both to reflect light and to up the sexy-factor of the room. Any ideas on where to find large standing mirrors at a reasonable price? Ideally, I'd like one with a white frame, to keep with the theme of the room.
My only addition is good sounds! My amour has vintage audio gear set into a midcentury wall unit in his room, and it's my new favorite place to listen to music.
Hey -- does anyone have any good suggestions for a good grey paint color for the bedroom? Preferably Behr. Thanks!!
Sexytime, AT.
Needs to smell good, and for me that is fresh air, not some scented schlock. Open the windows and air the place out. Clean sheets that are a nice thread count and feel wonderful (Egyptian combed cotton rules at my house). Very clean and tidy goes without saying.
Great tips. We just started working on our bedroom after living here for two years. Ours looks like a laundry room--if I overlook the stacks of unhung artwork and kids' toys. About the only thing we don't have in there is electronics.
I love #2. I now have zero electronics in my bedroom, except for my Nook. I painted it a lovely green (Behr premium plus ultra in Grasscloth) and have some sheer cream curtains in a cottony material - I LOVE it. Totally my sanctuary. It was my home office until I realized that I actually work in my living room and needed that green for my bedroom. It's also the only room that gets decent light.
I moved out of my bedroom partially because the heat pump woke me up all the time and the last tenant was so creepy that I just felt like the bedroom had negative energy.
Designlover, Esq., check out Craigslist! There are always tons of mirrors who have been orphaned from their dresser bases. Many have great frames already on them and often need just a coat of paint.
Uli - we used Behr Elephant Skin which is a grey and really like it.
all of this makes sense to me but i'm in such an awkward phase of my life. recent college grad, living in a studio apartment, can't afford to refurnish my entire place which means i have all my old college decor everywhere.
Headboards are excellent for absorbing sound while YOUR in bed.
Know what turns me on? Mastery of the English language.
Maybe it's just me, but the all-white rooms look like hospital rooms. I'd go for something more casbah-like.
I wold also add soft music (like soft Jazz, contemporary classical, etc) on the list.
Smokey plum is a lovely color in the bedroom---not exactly gray, but very close, with a bit more character. You can put a nice variety of colors with it---and all the metal shades look great with it too---bright, burnished, or tarnished.
@uli behr's anonymous was a great gray, my room was that color for years before I moved
@design lover, esq. A good place for standing mirrors is home goods
@a.l.1 -as far as above the headboard, a painting or large piece of artwork is perfect mirrors can be too suggestive at times. A collage of smaller artwork is great too.
I so agree with all of this! I moved to Denver last year after 25 years in NYC, and finally have a bedroom, and an apartment, that speaks to exactly who I am and makes me so, so happy every day. All I need is to lure the right guy in here!
#11 for me would be don't be afraid of a pink, feminine bedroom if you're female. The men who have seen my girly-girl setup think it's sexy, and for me it's a refreshing change after almost 10 years awash in plaid with an ex.
What should men hang above the headboard? Well, not a photo of your mom. Or anything to do with professional sports teams. Something personal, something that speaks to you. Either that or go laugh-out-loud funny: the guy who has the balls to hang a Warhol-esque painting of a condom wrapper over his bed is the guy I wanna know better.
Clean sheets. Lots of pillows. Big bedside table for lamp and books.
God, am I glad I am way past worrying about this!
We have a comforter problem in my bedroom. Neither of us can share. Therefore we have two. Does anyone else do this? & how do you make the bed?
I agree with SherryBinnch. After 35 years and no kids in the house we don't need to confine ourselves to the bedroom :>) REALLY.
lighting: being able to turn the lights off without getting out of bed. ceiling fans are really lovely especially in the summer. having a bed that is ready to get into - no excess pillows or other fripperies. being able to get out of both sides of the bed - then you don't wake someone up climbing over them in the morning. having a door that shuts.
and personally, I find the cat curled up on the bed asleep to be pretty darn awesome.
As for your suggestion in #9 about the mirrors - I personally love the idea of a large mirror in the bedroom but if you are a follower of Feng Shui, its actually bad shui to have a mirror in the bedroom - apparently a mirror acts like an "invitation" for your lover to stray....
Ha. This should be paired with the "how often do you wash your sheets" post. Eeek!
@DesignLover, Esq ... HomeGoods, Marshalls, Tuesday Morning & Arhaus furniture discount warehouse for mirrors.
Uli: Dolphin Fin! We painted our bedroom with it, and it paired really well with our wood floors, picked up light well and was very soothing.
I think if anything belongs above the head of your bed it should be a picture. May it be a nice photography or a piece of art - doesn´t matter. Nothing in screaming colours (you also want to sleep there), but maybe something sexy. A curvy woman, a couple in love (no kitsch!), something that is appealing to the eye.
And if there is anything that doesn´t belong there: Dirty Clothes flying around in the open (get some boxes or fit them in your closet somehow) and children´s toys. Not an easy task, but you want to get intimate in there, not stumble or subconsciously look at their residues. Teach them to keep their stuff out of this room, since you are not leaving your stuff in theirs.
Yikes, the first picture looks like it is a command performance type of room. As a woman, I would run screaming to the front door if faced with such heavy, overly sexual decorating. Again, I've found that men, in particular, have a hard time sorting out LOVE, SENSUAL and SEXUAL, and I would be very hesitant to put LOVE on my bed pillows I think a sensual, loving experience is all about a good attitude and imagination - not about performance. And I've no objection to a good performance :-).
You did not mention tactile. I like to have really soft, lint-free, quality blankets and/or throws. And high-quality cotton or linen sheets are the best. Satin sheets, while they may look good in subtle colors are the very devil to control, and bedding does not stay put when it is time to sleep.
The first photo is pretty but seeing the bathroom from the bedroom (or an open bathroom) is not sexy. Some things should be a private mystery.
I don't share my duvet either. I make the bed with one and fold the other at the foot of the bed.
My husband surprised me when i got home from work by doing the dishes, sweeping the floors AND changing the SHEETS! Yup, i'm a cheap date. But it did the trick! ;)
Nothing sexier than a man who cleans.
@A.L.1: How about metal wall art (available in silver, brass, copper, etc.)? Check HomeGoods/TJMaxx, Marshalls, World Market, Costco, Bed, Bath & Beyond (check newspaper for 20% off coupon), etc.
For Christmas, I gave my husband a restored plycraft chair and ottoman. He gave me his support to hire a designer to begin budgeting for updates throughout the house. Guess which room we're starting in? I read somewhere (probably on AT) that when you're decorating or remodeling and wondering where to start, the answer is always: the room you spend the most time in. Well, even if most of the time spend is sleeping, I agree: this is the most intimate and important part of our home and it was very natural to start there.
Color and textures are #1 for me. We've chosen cool neturals in linen, taupe, and gray, accented with a deep fig (dark plum that borders on brown). For warm accents, I've got tiny hints of tangerine, citrine, and spa. In the bath, we've got slate tile with a lot of the fig color, so we've got an opportunity to puch up the accent color. Instead of tangerine or citrine, we're going to deepen the hue and go with either rich rust or peridot colored towels.
to Thom2578: Just think of less as more and toss out some of those school days reminders. Find a mature female friend who will help you edit stuff, and have her show you around some classy resale stores and flea markets. It's fun to add one good thing at a time. And good does not have to be expensive - just well made and somehow expressing your individuality.
Boisema-- Totally have the same problem. This is what me and my husband do. He has the queen size comforter (he likes to cocoon) and I have a twin size comforter that I love. When I make the bed, I put his comforter across the entire bed and then I fold mine in half and stick it at the foot of the bed. I made sure the blankets were coordinated and it looks nice. He keeps the top sheet and I just wash my comforter often. It takes a little longer in the morning and doesn't work for everyone but keeps the peace between us quite nicely.
Argh--we're living in a glorified closet--must decorate soooon!
@ sciencegeek: You're right on about the ceiling fan and lighting. I'm not fond of the way they look, but where we live, a fan is essential. So instead of having a gorgeous ceiling fixture, we're going to get a lucite ceiling fan and some really great bedside lamps.
Kicking out the pup. Although, we could never actually do this. :)
having separate comforters is really common in europe. usually I've seen each folded in half or thirds then placed sideways so it's in a neat "package" that doesn't hang over the sides.
I think the first photo with the "LOVE" pillows is sweet. I wouldn't run screaming. Also, I'm sure there is a door on the bathroom. I think that tub SCREAMS sexy time! Why not start there and end up on those pillows??? :)
@ A.L.1; I was thinking some oversize, reclaimed wooden beams. Maybe something from old train tracks. Sturdy pieces with lots of character. Oh, and with the old patina hardware? Very masculine but chic and sexy. I mean, if she's looking for wood and hardware, why disappoint ;)
What a surprise to see Prince's (Purple Rain, When Doves Cry, Little Red Corvette) bedroom(photo #2) on Apartment Therapy.
Well, number one for me is CLEAN but I too, am glad I am past worrying about my bedroom.
Careful with the mirrors in earthquake country! Don't mount glass over the bed in case of earthquake (or earth shattering sex)!
I love fresh air in a bedroom, and hearing nature sounds. Unfortunately, I live in a fairly dense environment where everyone can hear everything... I suppose opening windows before and after nooky is OK, but does anyone have any other ideas for getting closer to nature while in your own natural state?
we moved into a new (larger) apartment about a month ago, and the bedroom has been my only hang-up. the way the apartment is set up, there are actually 2 entrances to the hallway (one in the living room, one in the bedroom). i've been stumped trying to find something that will dampen the sound and cover the door on the wall so we no longer have a 'front door' in the bedroom.
there are also hardwood floors, we don't have a rug yet and there's barely any furniture so everything echoes. hoping in the next few weeks we will be upgrading our mattress, ned custom bedframe (thanks dad) and a HUGE shag rug (because the room is 15x17 roughly) and that will help out. then i will be super satisfied with it!
I'd add floorboards that don't creak to the list of desirables. With super noisy floors, my downstairs neighbors probably cringe any time that there's activity in my bedroom.
@ANNIE-O, I also used think that white rooms looked like hospitals until I spent some time living in a hospital. Actual hospitals are full of ugly patterned laminates and patterned fabrics that will help hide stains. Plain white would have been a welcomed relief!
Prince's bedroom at Paisley Park! I remember seeing this on one of his old websites. Look at all the extra floor pillows... whatever for? haha!
We painted our bedroom Behr's Apple Crisp, which is a very warm orange color. Sounds kooky, but since our bedroom is often dim, it feels cozy rather than bright. The one thing I would NOT add to the list is keeping it too neutral. It seems lately that every bedroom I have seen pictured is white and tan. There is nothing sexy about lack of personality!
Ways to build anticipation for really good sex- not just for the night, but for the future.
1) A mysterious chest, box or suitcase for toys next to the bed.
2) A four-postered bed.
3) A really sturdy chaise or armchair with a luxuriously soft throw over top.
4) A lingerie chest.
... maybe it's just me, but that's what I look for in a "mature" woman's bedroom.
OK, I've done all this. Where's my man now?
LEEMCAULIFFERAMBO Not sure why you repeated the error, but if what you intended to do was correct it, here you go: ...while you're in bed...because "you're in bed" takes the place of "you are in bed," whereas "your" indicates that you are the owner of whatever the next noun is; for example, "Your dog kept me awake all night barking."
virtualjess: Uh...you been peeping in my windows?
rapunzel: No, but... is that an invitation?
I think it's great for couples to have reminders of their love in the bedroom. My husband and I have wedding photos, little keepsakes from fun dates and anniversaries, and a poster we had made for our wedding guests to sign in our bedroom. It's nice to be surrounded by reminders of why we fell in love in the first place, and makes it hard to stay upset with each other for too long.
"Headboards are excellent for absorbing sound while your in bed."
You too, Brutus?
Sorry - skipped the rest of the article and the comments after reading the above.
My 4rd grade daughter has been through the differences between "you're" and "your", "their" and "there" and "we're" and "were" at least four times already since second grade. I guess the teachers are allergic to these kind of mistakes. I know for sure that I am. And English is not even my first language!
Thanks for the advice, everyone.
@Uli, I just painted my bedroom Benny Moore Revere Pewter-- LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. Perfect light gray for a bedroom. Good luck!
If you use two duvets, why not try making up the bed like Europeans do? Fold them in half lengthwise and line them up side by side on the bed.
Oh boy. I thought everyone knew that Mae West was the first to say: "The best way to get over a man is to get under a new one"
@Really?: I agree about the Beeswax candles. They have a wonderful smell and don't kick off my asthma.
I love good textures in my bedding. High thread count sheets, plush throw and pillows. And my favorite thing? Thin white linen gown that falls off the shoulders. oh baby.
I agree with #2 and would add NO TV. Reading is sexy. Watching TV is not.
Yep, I was pretty horrified when my European boyfriend, now husband, took me home for the first time and I saw two duvets on the bed. I was thinking, is that a subtle way of telling us not to touch each other while we're here...? But it turned out to be perfectly normal. And I love how my mother-in-law is so comfortable discussing pros and cons of two duvets...
- Sexy or sensual art, I've had Klimt's The Kiss over the bed for years.
- For very light fragrance, I wash all the bedding in Mrs. Meyers Lemon Verbena detergent/fabric softener, but I don't have to worry about allergies.
- If you have room, a sturdy chair upholstered in velvet.
- A wrought iron bed! I know they're not fashionable now, but so sexy.
For paint I used Benjamin Moore's Mount Saint Anne. The color on the web doesn't do it justice. It's more blue gray during the day, warmer and more green gray at night. With cream, dark brown, beige and a touch of gold.
I agree with the person above that said that soft textures are sexy. I totally swoon for thick, super-soft flannel sheets and have sold my SO on them as well. We have soft fleece blankets for the not-so-cold times of year and a cuddly fleece comforter cover (bright red!) for the winter. And we have a quilt in warm colors hanging over the head of the bed. All those soft textures just make you want to burrow in and cuddle.
To Designlover, I actually purchased a tall standing white framed mirror from Home Sense. Very affordable too! I've draped a lacey white scarf just over a corner of it to give it a soft but sexy touch too!
My late bf went to an EXTRAORDINARY effort to sexy up his bedroom for our first sleepover. Good times :-)
"So what is the appropriate thing for an adult male to hang above the headboard. I have never been able to figure what is classy, adult, and not corny or silly."
Tribal art? It tends to have strong shapes, masculine colours, and a sense of meaning and purpose. It also suggests worldliness and virility.
If that's too complicated, an art photo on a stretched canvas of something manly (wild horses, a wilderness landscape etc) can be made to fit the space... and more importantly is light enough not to hurt you if it falls off the wall.
Symbol-formerly-known-as-Prince's room is my definition of NOT sexy.
To me, #11 would be to be subtle and not overtly TRYING to be sexy....which I find very unsexy. So that takes out red or black satin sheets, animal print blankets, anything even faintly bondage-y, mirrors on ceilings...etc.
I agree that good smells (for me that is just fresh and clean) and good sounds (can even be leaves rustling on a tree or birds outside) add to the atmosphere...the right music definitely does.
@uli
I am going with Behr's French Silver for my new-to-me studio, but was considering Dolphin Fin and Elephant Skin at some point (or at least the names are memorable!) French Silver, I believe, is lighter than the other two. The others in the series French Silver belongs to (some warmer than others) are probably worth pondering, too.
@LSB and @Really?
I agree and would like to add this incredibly awkward segment:
"Even before I knew who she was, I wanted to meet her and be IN that bed with her. We soon were, and she and the room are still memorable (and friends)"
How many people were in that bed? And is her dorm room still friends with all of you, however many that may be... or just her? Is there a tapeworm involved?
Why would it be bad luck to store things under your bed?
re: bedroom art for a guy:
Go with artists you like or, failing that, a classic "guy" solution is to frame tour posters from bands you like (a lot of serious artists do great posters - i.e. http://ihrtn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Shellac-Tour-Poster-4.jpg or http://www.cotygonzales.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/poster_2008-08-22.png) two or three will make a great display over the headboard.
Oh, I love Prince. That bedroom is so wrong in all the right ways :)
I go for clean, relaxed and soft to the touch when it comes to the bedroom. I love bare walls in bedrooms as I work in a very stimutating surrounding and enjoy the plain whiteness a lot but I have a hard time to make my bedroom less pristine, as everything is white or wood. Any ideas?
No.10 Clean is sexy, don't forget it - reminds me of the 'Friends' episode of Ross and 'The One with the Dirty Girl'.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHSZQUpDYfk
I wish that, in honour of Valentine's Day, AT would actually show pictures of sexy bedrooms. For some reason, there aren't many that fit the bill...
There was Tom Ford's bedroom in his Paris apartment. And a sleeping loft designed by Kevin Waltz in the early '80s. And the bedroom of Conte Fabrizio Ristori at Rivombrosa ("Elisa di Rivombrosa", an Italian television production). There was the restored Irish manor house with an antique Venetian gold-leafed bed... Wish I had pictures of these.
For me, I like rooms with different textures. Linen sheets -- Matteo Home linens (Hammock, Tat...) -- are very sexy. Rooms that are too perfect -- no wrinkles, too tucked, too polished, too many decorative throw pillows -- are too uptight to be sexy.
C'mon AT, set up a bank of sexy bedroom pictures...
A.L.1: I'd hang some artwork you love, something that really expresses who you are. Or two oversized photographs. Or skip something above your bed; just hang two smaller pieces above the bedside tables. A nice kilim rug or textured fabric would also look great hanging on the wall (and not too feminine).
Uli - I used Valspar Sterling. I know it's not Behr, but I love it and there are so many greys it is really overwhelming! Good luck!
My rule is NO TV! Nothing kills a good night's rest or good conversation as a TV. If I'm sick at home or something, I'll drag in laptop for entertainment.
@A.L.1: a large black and white photograph - a scene from somewhere meaningful to you.
Great post, and timely too (we're currently trying to spruce up our bedroom without redoing everything from scratch, current pics can be found here: http://lavalotti.wordpress.com/)
I am usually a white/black/gray wall kind of person but decided to paint the feature wall in our bedroom light blue. It's not ugly, but it's just not me. Can anyone with gray paint on their bedroom walls comment on whether it feels too drab? I usually adore gray, but I'm not sure about in the bedroom.
DESIGNLOVER, ESQ. Ikea has a 6' white framed standing mirror. I bought one and love it, although via Craigslist.
*you're* gah!
in the 5th pic down, what is that metal thing being used as a bedside table? i want.
Sheesh. There are quite a few grammatical and spelling errors typed into the critiques of others' grammar and spelling! I was tempted to write a comment about "your and you're," but then I remembered my many recent, embarrassing typos (on Facebook, in comments, and in text messages). It would be nice if we could just ignore the little blunders of others. I'm going to try hard to take my own advice from here on out.
And great post! Yay for beautiful, clean, soft, fresh, sexy bedrooms!!
ON LIFE AND LAVA: in my last apartment I had the living room, dining room, hallway, and bedroom all painted Glidden's Polished Pewter. Far from being gloomy, it actually brightened the rooms up - the Sherwin Williams Mushroom Cap the apartment complex had originally painted the walls prior to my move in made the place feel dark and cavernous.
$70 for a candle??
I have to agree with previous commenters about two things: art and bed frames. If you live on the west coast don't put anything heavy or breakable (or both) over the bed unless it's bolted to the wall. We have art and photos all over the house but not above the bed. I don't want to be hit by falling glass or books in the middle of the night.
Vintage metal bed frames look nice but they can annoyingly squeaky. We spent a night at a b&b last year and the bed was so squeaky that we could hardly wiggle a toe without a loud protest from the bed frame. It definitely killed the mood and neither of us got a good night's sleep trying to lay as still as possible.
I love that tub in the first photo. Someday I will have a bathroom big enough for a tub like that.
These tips are absolutely fabulous, but the line about the best way to get over a guy long predates that Cinemax series. I'm glad they're putting it to good use, but they definitely didn't come up with it.
And I had to date my husband for over a year before he bought a real bedframe and got the mattresses off the ground!
ONLIFEANDLAVA - our bedroom is light blue too, i want a different color too. it just doesn't seem right, kind of like a hospital room in the 1980's. i've seen some lovely rooms painted in very light greys which look much better than our light blue.
To the Grammar Police:
Are you going to lay on your deathbed wishing that you had corrected more grammar?
That you had spent more time trolling the internet so that you could point out other peoples mistakes?
Just wondering.
I am going to wish I had spent more time standing up for people and being kind:)
RILEYSMOMMA--thanks for the suggestion, I'll see if I can find a swatch of that on google images!
DANGAB33--Yes, that's exactly right! There's something too 80s pastel about it for some reason. And I think that a light gray must be the way forward.
While rummaging through a bag of forgotten textiles, I found a Chinese batik cloth, with swirling, indigo dragons and peacocks, encircling a pair of bold, red characters. I had also unearthed a canvas frame that just happened to be the perfect size for stretching it over, the idea being that I would hang it over my bed.
Only after I had spent a couple of hours or grappling, tugging and doing my best not to shoot myself with the staple gun, did I think to try and find out what the characters actually meant. I did a Google image search for "Chinese characters* and, was amazed to find several pictures featuring the very same characters. However, I was less surprised when I read the interpretation and, quite honestly, even with my love of irony, I couldn't bring myself to hang it over my bed, afterall. The characters said "Good Luck"!!!
Uli ~ Behr's "Anonymous". Long story short I was deciding between that color and Pewter for my living room (went with the later because the cooler tone worked better) BUT.... had we decided to paint the bedroom....I definitely would have gone with the warmer toned grey of Anon. Grey works wonders to define a space without being overbearing and is neutral enough that it allows endless possibilities for accent colors.
I love photo # 4. I think it is a truly sexy woman's room. Also, I just cleared out all of the electronics in my room and I would highly recommend it to all of you.
Now I just need new sheets, a duvet cover, 2 nightstands, wall decorations, lamps... and all on a minuscule budget. :(
Loving these bedrooms and these tips.. Thanks
Zain
www.Jaddooleh.blogspot.com
@lizzy360: yeah...and he bought SIX of them. If I were in the bedroom of a man who spent $420 on six candles...well...let's just say I doubt I would end up in his bedroom.
@blandwagon: really, tribal art or wild horses? That sounds like a badddd inventory day at Pier one.
I've got to come down on the side of anti-mirror. Part of the reason we just moved out of our apartment into a different floor plan in the same complex is because the closet doors were huge sliding mirrors. We called them the "porn star mirrors". They were not sexy. They were creepy.
<I>Your bedroom is the clearest expression of how you are feeling about yourself right now and is bathed in your pheromones. Are they hot or cold?</I>
Um... did I somehow reach the <I>Cosmopolitan</I> website by mistake? I'm all for bedroom decoration as self-expression, but a lot of this post reads like a you-can-make-him-like-you article--in particular, phrases like "bring it up a notch" and "you don't want to blow it." In my opinion, decorating like an adult (which is what this post is about) is decorating one's space to make oneself happy, not to impress some imaginary future date.
Speaking of which, if, upon entering my bedroom, said date decided that we weren't compatible because I have a ceiling light fixture (I'm a renter--I can't remove it), well... I'd consider that their problem, not mine.
I'm surprised to see a half a dozen comments from some 'older' people (sorry - I dont mean that in a bad way) saying "I'm glad I dont have to worry about this anymore". This reminds me of people who say "I've been married for ten years, we don't do anything for Valentines day anymore". Or who choose to wear sweatpants everyday.
I'm young (a sprite 31 years old), but I recognize that these things are MORE important as time goes on. When you're early in a relationship - romance, hugs, kisses, handholding, surprise gifts, and dare I say.... sex... is usually more frequent. So when you get later into the relationship - its just the way things go ... and they become less frequent. But they are never less important. If you are far along in your relationship and you aren't tending to a little intentional romance - you're leaving yourself and you're partner unfulfilled in SOME way. Perhaps he or she might never say it, maybe they wont ever even realize it (maybe you dont realize it), because we're all creatures of habit and tend to get complacent with things. But its still important to keep that fire-a-burning. :)
I'm not a relationship counselor or anything - maybe a more romantic and sentimental guy. But I hope I never get to the point where I feel its unimportant to be putting effort into being romantic, and into doing something simple like making sure your bedroom is a romantic sanctuary.
After reading this post - I cleaned up my bedroom, put up new curtains and am planning a whole bunch other stuff. Great post.
Our bedroom -- 10 x 12 facing northwest -- is painted Sherwin Williams Modern Gray, which is also our dining room color. Love it: warm, subtle, soft, but never boring or cold.
Beautiful post! I just love those pillows that spell "LOVE" on the bed in the top picture. Where can I find these "lettered" pillows.
I love the third room with the crochet blanket. I've been looking on-line and all over for something like it. Do you have suggestions on where to look? I love the burnt orange and the soft blue. I've noticed that stores only sell burnt orange sheets, but not comforters! Strange.
For those of us living with roommates, a desk, computer, a bookcase and other electronics in the bedroom are just a fact of life. My bedroom and the other bedroom next to mine are cold rooms with exposure on two sides. Unfortunately, we can't turn the heat up past 68 without have the other two roommates bedrooms turn into saunas.Because it is so cold I can't imagine painting the walls grey it seems so cold and dreary. For the walls I have chosen to paint the walls a warm, mango yellow that you often find in Indian restaurants. I have a big down comforter with a nice flannel comforter cover with a garden print with a few flowers with the mango color. I am looking for some interesting woven curtains to replace the current ones I have.I am also looking for some unique lighting I love Rejuvenation Lighting I just wish they had some table lamp styles. I don't care for any of the bedrooms shown.
I would really love to know how to find the crochet blanket on picture on #3! I am going crazy trying to find something like it.
you're*
Confining sex to a bedroom is boring, and not sexy. Nothing like the annoying sound of springs keeping time to bad bed motions.