Modern Furniture

The first thing to plan in any room that is going to be both bedroom and play space is storage. Children, even babies, have a lot of belongings - toys, clothes and equipment of various kinds - that are going to accumulate with the years. Where are you going to put it all?

For an average, say 4X3 metre (12 X 10 ft) room that has no existing cupboards, either build in a full-length double cupboard, floor to ceiling, or buy a sturdy, roomy second-hand wardrobe. It really is
false economy to bother with any of those specially built mini cupboards that may look rather sweet but become obsolete in no time at all.

In the very early stages, your basic cupboard/wardrobe can be divided in two. Use one side for hanging space, with perhaps one rail at waist level and either another rail or removable shelves above. These can be removed as the child’s clothes get larger and longer. Fit the other side with well-spaced shelves and use it for toy storage; later on it will be useful for sweaters, shirts and a lot of chunky, bulky clothing.

You will also need at least two chests of drawers. Unpainted wooden chests of drawers are inexpensive and perfectly adequate. Or you can buy a modern furniture from us. Set them against the wall leaving a knee-hole space in between (to form an eventual desk/dressing table) and top them with some sort of easily cleanable laminate surface. If these can run along the length of one whole wall so much the better: such an arrangement looks neat and tidy and these are words you are going to be using a lot over the next ten years.

The drawers can be used for nap-pies, night clothes, underwear, talc and all the other baby necessities in the beginning as well as for an over-flow of toys. Later the same drawers will take other clothes, other toys, other games, school work and general clutter.

The long run of work surface along the top of the chests can first be used for changing the baby, then for play (painting, drawing, cutting out) and later still for school work and displaying possessions. The actual chests can be painted, lacquered or otherwise decorated, many times over the years in whatever style happens to be in keeping at the time.

Against the wall behind and above these units it would be a good idea to build a series of shelves or shelves and lockers interspersed with pinboards and space for drawing and the inevitable posters and pictures of pop stars. Make sure all drawing pins are out of reach of toddlers.

In the first instance, shelves can hold soft toys later giving way to books, records, files. The pinboard takes progress charts and nursery information to start with and can carry on into school years to provide space for homework timetables and general reminders.

When selecting a color scheme for your bedroom, let personal taste guide you rather than current trends. If the bedroom is predominantly one color, vary the textures to add interest; for example, combine a smooth, crisp chintz fabric with a textured linen.

Keep in mind that walls, floors and other elements in a bedroom also have textures that add to the ambience of a room. A smooth brass headboard contrasts nicely with a tapestry bedspread. Polished hardwood flooring provides a beautiful surface that sets off a plush area rug perfectly. Effectively combining patterns to create a desired bedroom decor can be a bit confusing and somewhat intimidating. Today, many textile manufacturers are making things easier for their customers by offering such coordinating elements as fabric and wallpaper together, to make the whole process easier.

One way to successfully combine patterns is to use one fairly large design and contrast it with a geometric pattern, such as stripes, a plaid, checks or even polka dots. The patterns should coordinate with each other through color or tone with subtle contrasts of scale or proportion. It is best not to use more than one large-scale design in a room. Try using several different small-scale patterns with a larger design.

Patterns are incorporated into design schemes in a few different ways. One way is to use plain, unpatterned walls, windows and furnishings with muted colors to keep the look simple. A Shaker motif would be one example. Another approach is to use pattern throughout, on the windows, the walls, even on the furnishings.
When mixing patterns in a bedroom, use only one bold pattern throughout so that it dominates the design. You can then begin adding smaller-scale patterns and prints. A third choice is to use patterns with plain color together for a balanced look. A larger pattern on a window treatment or walls gives the room a sense of balance if other items in the room, such as the blinds, upholstery, pillows or cushions, are kept as simple as possible.

Similar designs in the same colors work well together, as do similar designs in two different colors. An exception to the rule of not using too many patterns together can be made with patterns that have similar color and scale of design, such as plaids or paisleys.

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.