Modern Furniture

Color is one of the key elements in a bedroom’s decor. When redecorating your bedroom, use items you already have-a rug, a painting, a bedspread or bed frame-as a starting point for your color scheme.

Light is an important factor to consider when choosing a color scheme for a bedroom. The type of light, natural or artificial, will affect the way a color looks in a room. The colors you use, warm or cool, subtle or intense, will affect the entire mood or ambience of the setting. Colors also influence the perceived size of a room. A bedroom that doesn’t receive much sunlight during the day will seem bigger and brighter if you make it as light as possible. Light colors tend to make a space appear larger than it really is. Conversely, dark colors make a space seem smaller. A high ceiling or walls can be painted a darker or deeper color to make a bedroom feel more intimate.

Lighting in a bedroom plays an important part in creating the environment you desire. Creative lighting is the most flexible and effective way to change the mood or ambience of a room. The entire look of a room can be lost if proper consideration is not given to the lighting. It is important to realize that light is a medium that can be manipulated, changed and directed for different effects. When searching for lighting ideas, look at the effect the light will achieve, as well as the appearance of the light itself.

There are three types of lighting: background, or ambient, lighting, which provides general light throughout the entire room; task lighting, to read or work by; and accent, or spot, lighting, to highlight special features.

Bedroom lighting needs to meet a variety of criteria; it must be soft enough to be relaxing and peaceful, yet bright enough to allow you to see when dressing. The location of lighting in the bedroom is as important as the light fixture itself. Bedside lamps should be at a height where they shine directly onto a book. Lights located at either side of a makeup mirror are better than lights that shine from above or behind. The same applies to full-length mirrors - the light should be directed onto the the viewer or the subject, preferably from the side.

Natural light will also have a different effect on the look of a room. Skylights and large windows are one way to let in more light. After sundown the look of a bedroom can change dramatically, creating a need for various types of artificial lighting.

There should be a fixture or switch that can be easily accessed from the bed. To make sure they are installed in a location that is comfortably accessible, you may want to sit in the bed while deciding where to install lights and switches. Light fixtures should be located behind anyone reading, so the light falls over a shoulder. If the light is coming from an overhead source, it should fall one foot in front of the work or book; otherwise, the illumination will be too bright. The most effective bedroom lighting layout includes swing-arm lamps with integral dimmers located at the appropriate height.

Color and design will also influence what happens to light in a bedroom. By manipulating all of these elements correctly, you can create a balance of light and shade that has a spectacular effect on a room.

Don’t forget to include your bedroom storage needs when assessing your current space. Begin by taking inventory of what needs to be stored, and where. Create additional bedroom storage by moving seasonal clothing to another part of the house, such as a basement or spare room. Once you have decided what you want stored in the bedroom, you can begin creating a storage system that best accommodates your needs.

Most bedrooms include one of two types of closets: a walk-in (a closet deep enough to walk into, with room for storage on either side) or a wall closet. Wall closets are not as deep, and run along the wall. The American Institute of Architects has established some basic guidelines for standard closet measurements. These measurements are based on the general dimensions of clothing and can be used in any type of closet to help you decide where to hang shelves, closet rods and other hardware.

Remember to take advantage of the space above closet poles and any unused space under the bed to create new storage areas. Modular storage is an ideal option for bedrooms. It conserves valuable floor space and is cost effective. You can create a system piece by piece, at your own pace, purchasing sections as your budget allows. If storage space in your bedroom is limited, some bed frames, such as platforms and waterbeds, often have built-in storage compartments.

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.