Does the morning sun make it difficult for you to sleep until brunch? If so, your window treatments aren’t amply tailored to your needs. Have curtains made with a blackout lining to keep the room dark, or install a blackout shade behind the curtains you already have. And don’t let the word blackout intimidate you: the lining you see is traditionally white (though it can be any other color you choose).
Makes you think of unwinding, doesn’t it? A place to steep your tea, open the mail, have a sandwich, read a blog.
Now call it a modern living room, and suddenly the place leaps to attention. You could almost take inventory with your eyes shut: a painting hung over the sofa, check. Matching side tables, check, identical lamps, check. Twin candelabra on the mantelpiece, check.
Friends have gathered in these formulaic rooms for years with no ill effects; indeed, such settings can be so pretty that there’s nothing visibly wrong. But if you also sense that your living room stands at attention, that it’s not quite as inviting as other rooms that you’ve admired, then your decorating may need to loosen up. In magazine - editor parlance, you need to put a twist - your own personal spin - on all that tradition.
A really good living room truly invites relaxation. It reflects your passions and eccentricities, feels inviting, and functions very much like the heart of your home.
And it’s not even that hard to achieve. The tips in this blog-those that appeal to you, at least-can help guide your design decisions.
If you could design the ideal bedroom, it would be large enough to hold whatever size bed you desire, with ample room for modern furniture and accessories. Unfortunately, many times the case is just the opposite; once the bed is chosen and in place, you’re faced with trying to fit everything else into the remaining space without overcrowding.
Taking time to plan can help you to foresee any possible space usage problems. Begin by surveying your existing bedroom, then analyze your options for improvement. Study the layout of the space and think about how it can work best for you. A good design is practical and comfortable, as well as stylish.
Because the bed is usually the largest item in the room, its location is critical to making the most effective use of the space. Traffic patterns begin and end at the bed. The location of other areas, such as a dressing or sitting area, will then evolve from the bed’s placement. Start experimenting with your floor plan options by trying various modern furniture arrangements on paper instead of trying to push heavy furniture around the room.
Try to imagine being in your bedroom with the type of bed you want, placed where you think it works best. Does this new floor plan make the most efficient use of floor space?
Think about what you will see from the bed. Will morning light waken you or glare into your eyes? Allow enough clearance in places where a door swings inward or a drawer pulls open. Be sure to allow enough clearance above the bed as well, especially with a platform bed. Four feet of headroom is the minimum that should be allotted.
To create the illusion of a larger space, avoid clutter. Keep as much floor area open as possible. Placing the bed in a corner is one way to make the rest of the floor area seem larger. A studio apartment or a small bedroom can double as a sitting room by using a sofa bed, futon couch or daybed (a bed with two ends) rather than a conventional bed.
The guidelines for bedroom furniture arrangements are more flexible because these rooms don’t have as much traffic as other rooms. These guidelines allow you to use some tricks to help make a bedroom more useful. Beds can be free-standing, positioned with one end or side against the wall, angled into the room, or tucked into a corner or a special niche. If you’re dealing with limited floor space or a seldom-used guest room, a loft bed, bunk bed, Murphy bed, trundle or other built-in may be the answer.
Sometimes it’s not sun but the curiosity of neighbors that you wish to thwart. To create privacy without vanquishing the sunlight, you can try to install simple white shades that pull up from the bottom. (Any window-treatment specialist can install shades this way.) When halfway up, they grant privacy while giving you a glimpse of the sky.
Begin by assessing your existing bedroom. What needs are being met, and what is lacking? What do you like or dislike? Do you want more morning light? More storage space? Have your space needs changed? Have the kids moved out so you have extra space? Or have you added to your family, creating new space needs?
If you’re starting from scratch your options are wide open; you have the luxury of choosing the size and location, even the layout of your bedroom. On the other hand, if you’re dealing with a bedroom that already exists, there is a good chance you will be limited by space and layout restrictions. Although your options may seem limited, there are more alternatives to choose from than one might think.
Because bedrooms are such personal rooms, not usually seen by many outsiders, they often evolve into one of the most eclectic rooms in the house. A bedroom is often the place where you’ll find collections of personal art and memorabilia, photographs, even a favorite piece of furniture, all tied together into one harmonious look-sometimes depicting a specific style, sometimes just an overall feel or theme. Decorative elements such as style, color, pattern and texture will also play a part in the final look you create.
Often we are limited by budget constraints when remodeling. There are a number of simple improvements that can be made in a bedroom that don’t cost a lot, and will achieve very effective results. Altering the floor plan and redefining the space can make what you already have more usable and efficient. If structural changes aren’t possible at this time, easy updates like replacing old wallpaper, adding recessed lights or installing plush new carpet can breathe new life into an old bedroom. This type of remodel won’t solve any space constriction problems, but the changes are easy and can do almost as much for the look of a bedroom as rearranging the walls-at half the cost.
A structural change is the most effective way to make a dramatic difference in an existing bedroom. A new bay window or a walk-in closet can change the entire feel of the room.
