A sanctuary, indeed! Love the dresser as bedside table.
• Cure Clock: 1.5 weeks to go
• Assignment: Read Week Seven: Sacred Space
• Members: 1,735
Last weekend, a full year after an allergist recommended it, my husband and I finally got around to covering our mattress and box spring with dust-mite-proof sleeves. While we were at it, we turned our mattress, vacuumed under and behind the bed, and washed our comforter and pillows. This full bed "cleanse" was long overdue.
Our bedroom still needs some work. It’s the largest room in the house, and the most private, and so we’ve been hesitant about spending the money to furnish it. My husband has no bedside table (I get up earlier, so the table with the clock is on my side), we don’t have great light for reading (there are recessed lights on either side of the bed, but they’re a bit harsh), and we haven’t been able to decide on a headboard.
Still, the little improvements we made last weekend have made a world of difference. I’ve been able to reduce the dose of my allergy medicine. We no longer feel like we’re listing into the middle of the bed. And even though the room has a lot of empty space, it feels more like breathing room now that we’ve straightened things up.
The bedroom is the final frontier for the Cure, and with good reason. It’s important to be able to concentrate on it fully, with most of your other tasks behind you. In the book, Maxwell makes the point that the bedroom is where you’ll spend the majority of your time at home. Of course the irony is that most of that time is spent sleeping, and so it may seem as if you actually spend very little time in the bedroom at all. But the bedroom’s main purposes (sleep, sex, relaxation, and so on) are such crucial elements of a healthy life that the space bears a little extra (and possibly more frequent) attention.
Here's some food for thought as you're working on your bedroom:
• Do you really need all those pillows? For those of us who love pillows (ahem - see the abundance of them on my bed above), it's easy to get carried away with them when designing the look of a bed. But the fact is that very few pillows are needed to make an attractive bed, and a preponderance of pillows discourages actual use of the bed when it's not time for sleep.
• Do you really need all those books? Here's another one I personally struggle with. Reading in bed feels to me like the ultimate luxury, but sometimes the stack of books next to my bed gets seriously out of hand. And the fact is, I'm usually only reading one (okay, maybe two or three) at a time! Shelve your books somewhere else and keep your "now playing" books on your bedstand. Also, if you have space elsewhere, consider keeping bookshelves out of the bedroom altogether, as they are bigtime perpetrators of dust.
• Do you really need that TV? Watching TV in bed also feels luxurious, but maybe it's a luxury that can be saved for vacations? Having a TV in the bedroom distracts hugely from the room's primary functions. Eliminating it will ensure a more restful, peaceful space.
• Do you really need that computer? If you're lucky enough to have space for a little office somewhere else in your home, take advantage. Bringing a computer into the bedroom means bringing all the worries and stresses that accompany your work (and bills, etc) into your sleeping and resting space. If possible, consider instituting a no-laptop-in-bed rule.
I'm aware that some of these positions are controversial... and I'm curious to hear your opinions! A lot of my friends love having lots of books by the bed, for example, and still others can't part with their late-night TV. What do you think?
I like the way it kind of mimics a headboard.
For many of you, Week Seven may also entail hanging new artwork or editing your existing “galleries.” Hanging art can seem frustrating, but if you follow some basic ground rules, it won’t be as hard as it seems. Use the guidelines on pages 220-221 of the Cure book to keep your sanity.
on the windowsills, on a miniature easel, hanging in lovely groups.
It’s important to hang only pieces you really love; consider the fact that these images will be processed in your brain on a daily basis… they will be part of your everyday sensory experience, and so you don’t want to settle for filler. On the other hand, artwork can be expensive, and blank walls have a tendency to feel oppressive. So what are some ways to cover the wall space with images you love without breaking the bank?
• Photo enlargements. Choose one of your very favorite photographs from your archives and have it enlarged on a canvas. A photograph on canvas can look quite elegant and spare, and the service isn’t terribly pricey. If you have a friend who’s a good photographer, ask him or her to share some favorite images too so you have more to choose from. Check out this post for more info.
• Framed textiles. Find a fabric you love and buy enough yardage to stretch over a frame in the size you need. It’s a great way to fill a large wall. This post offers some DIY ideas.
• Gallery of family photos. Gather your beloved family photos into identical frames and hang them as a group. A cluster of identical frames hung close together has the effect of a larger piece of artwork.
• Hang children's artwork in a stylish way. Your kids' favorite artwork can blend seamlessly with the rest of your decor if you hang it in an interesting way. This post offers some lovely ideas.
• Consider a wall-mounted object. Hanging objects like shelving, sculpture, and even natural objects (pretty tree branches, or flowers in a wall-mounted vase) are an interesting way to give your room depth and soften up the "four walls" feel.
with this gorgeous concoction, don't you think?
This is truly the home stretch, people, and you are all doing an amazing job. I’ve really enjoyed being along for the ride. Good luck with your bedrooms and your party planning. You deserve a cocktail! (Click here for the recipe for the above martini.) And please keep sending in those photos as our Cure winds to a close next week! Happy Thanksgiving!
TODAY'S COMMENT QUESTION
What is it about your own home that you're most thankful for?
POST INDEX
• Week 7 - Intro with Maxwell
• Week 6 - Show & Tell with Abby
• Week 6 - Tips & Tricks with Susie
• Week 6 - Intro with Maxwell
• Week 5 - Show & Tell with Abby
• Week 5 - Tips & Tricks with Susie
• Week 5 - Intro with Maxwell
• Week 4 - Show & Tell with Laure
• Week 4 - Tips & Tricks with Susie
• Week 4 - Intro with Maxwell
• Week 3 - Show & Tell with Abby
• Week 3 - Tips & Tricks with Sarah Rae
• Week 3 - Intro with Maxwell
• Week 2 - Show & Tell with Abby
• Week 2 - Tips & Tricks with Susie
• Week 2 - Intro with Maxwell
• Week 1 - Show & Tell with Laure
• Week 1 - Tips & Tricks with Sarah Rae
• Week 1 - Intro with Maxwell
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The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Hunslet Dinner Plate
A Beginner's Guide to Superb Stir-Fry: Quick, Healthy Meals from a Wok
Homesteaders' Cocktail Recipe: Lovage Simple Syrup
Comments (10)
That's a beautiful bachelor's chest next to the bed in the first photo - It's the perfect piece for next to that bed.
Is it new or vintage?
It's interesting, reviewing recently-posted photos of bedrooms, to see how many people have thrown up their hands in despair and put an desk-type task lamp beside the bed. Attractive lamps designed and sold as bedside lamps that are actually good for reading are nearly impossible to find, and tend to be expensive when they are around. Unfilled demand there for someone...
"Turkey day"?
What the hell is that?
Oh wow, a picture of mine :) Thanks!
I'm most thankful about the fact that I do have a home. The Green Cure has made me take the environment once again under my skin. And environmental issues easily blend into others like hunger etc (I'm studying medicine so basic human needs come as part of the job or whatever). I live in luxury with more things than someone else on this planet might only dream of.
1. Pillows on the bed - right now none, but preferably two to three to lean on if you want to read during daytime.
2. Books - a few at max beside the bed, the rest in the living room or library.
3. Tv in the bedroom - not a chance.
4. An office in the bedroom - argh, right now due to cold other rooms, but in a dream bedroom? Never. Then put it behind a room divider in the living room or make a library.
@egoscribo: I haven't, check my Flickr photos out. The globes are called Globus and are manufactured by aneta.se. The light is gorgeous (even though my indoor photos almost never are).
Forgot to add: one week after changing your sheets, there are 10 million little ones in/on the bed. Two weeks later there are 30 million. And many of them fall through the bedding onto the floor - or whatever you're storing underneath it. Gross... I change my sheets once every 1-1.5 weeks.
I agree with @bepsf about the chest-of-drawers at the top, I love it too.
We have precisely three pillows in our room - two to sleep in and I read with an extra one. No fancy cushions and stuff. No TV; no desk (was desperate to get away from that after being a student and living in one room); no bookshelves, just the pile by the bed. We use anglepoise lamps to read by.
We need more colour but it's a rental so we can't paint the walls - which are a sort of creamy-grey colour and the carpet is similarly dull. We have rugs and pictures which help a little. Generally it's functional but dull.
I'm actually fairly happy with my bedroom. Several months ago I rearranged the room and that made the space feel much bigger and nicer. We do have the problem with pillows. During the day or for reading in bed, it's nice to be propped up on pillows, but at night my bf and I remove all but two. We need to come up with a better system. I do have a bookshelf in the bedroom, which is quite a nice tall wood shelf that holds all our novels (my boyfriend is a bit of a bibliophile). We have the space for it there and I don't find it to be distracting. I don't keep books on my bedside table, but my boyfriend does. He used to have a stack, but I recently lined them up and added a bookend as a practical (and attractive) solution. We don't have a TV or computer in the bedroom, but we do have a small writing desk. You have to do old-fashioned writing there, though, no laptops allowed. So I also don't find that to be distracting.
I agree that TVs in the bedroom are a terrible idea. I know it is convenient for some people, but even if you want to watch late night shows, why can't you do it in the other room and come into bed when you're ready to go to sleep? And, the electro-magnetic field radiation is a whole other thing to worry about. You shouldn't keep a device like a television near where you sleep for health reasons alone.
The main thing I want to improve in it is the organization of my bedroom closet and clothes. The rest of the room is neat and tidy usually, but I just have a problem with finding an organization system for clothes and shoes that works well. After this weekend (family in town), I need to go through my closet and dresser, get rid of a lot of stuff, and really figure out a way to store things in a way that makes it appealing and easy to put them away. That would bring me more peace of mind in my bedroom and make me feel like my whole apartment was in order.
Incredibly thankful for feeling good about hosting friends and family for Thanksgiving this year in my clean, welcoming, well-decorated apartment. My tiny kitchen produced a marvelous dinner, and the house was warm and cheery as we all feasted. And afterward, only a little cleaning was needed to restore everything to "pre-guest" tidiness, and today, off work, I'm enjoying being at home with no chores clamoring for my attention, just a comfortable clean home and a fridge full of leftovers. Already pondering the spring cure though: bedroom closet will get what's coming to it! :-)
nest decorating: I absolutely love your living room! It's so cozy and homey--the kind of space that welcomes people and puts them instantly at ease.
Pillows? Oh, yeah. I love pillows, but keep them to a minimum on the bed. They are usually the only splash of color in my bedroom, so they're a welcome sight.
Books? I recently decluttered the large stack, and now only have the three that I'm currently reading. Since bedtime is my only "pleasure reading" time, I have to have my books nearby.
TV? We have a large sitting area with couple of cushy chairs, coffee table, and a TV & DVD player tucked into an armoire. It gets opened occasionally for movie watching, but not for "regular" television.
Computer? No way!
I appreciate this week's attention to the bedroom. It's the one room that I was hoping to cure this go around. Though I haven't completed my work there yet, I've changed out the window dressings and purchased a new comforter for the bed. Some color on the walls would be great, but our ceilings are high, and you couldn't pay me to get on the upper rungs of a ladder. It looks like I'll hang an oversized canvas above the bed, instead, to mimic a headboard. I love big rooms, but the downside is making them feel cozy. I'd welcome any tips!
Love the Dresser as bedside table...does anyone know where I can find this?