Quick Q&A for Bedrooms - 2

by Charlotte
(Website Editor)

A selection of short questions and replies on the topic of bedrooms...

Even more bedroom Q&A...

Browse the queries and comments, and then ask your own...

Bedroom Interior Design Advice

by mostafa
(cairo, Egypt)

Interior Design Advice for a Bedroom Please

Its a nice big bedroom .. we decided to paint the main wall dark pink color, the rest are off white & the wood is light beech .. I like the upholstered bed but im stuck..

which color should I use for upholstery to tone it down a little bit ..

cause the wall is very bright!

Can you help?? please...

Comments:

Calm it all down...!
by: Charlotte

Hi Mostafa

I love the way you use bright colors in your interior design. You have great creativity and imagination!

I think that in time, you will learn to love your bright pink, even if it is a bit of a shock now. I am sure that when you get a few more colors and bits and pieces into your room, it will calm it all right down...

To cool your room down, avoid adding other 'warm' or 'hot' colors - such as more pinks, reds, oranges or yellows. This will only make your room feel more intense!

Instead, choose cool colors and dark colors (your large room should be able to take it). Pale blues will take the intensity out of the pink, but may make it appear 'pretty' and 'girly' (which may or may not be the look you are going for!?!)

I would try a deep, rich blue or navy blue, alternatively a slate grey or even a rich, chocolate brown. (The brown will give a 'warmer' feel but should take some of the intensity of the pink away!) Look for 'cool' shades (with blue-y tones) and an intensity of color similar to your pink.

If you want to go for something with a slightly 'fresher' or 'livelier' feel, try a vibrant turquoise or teal blue. This would also mix in well, as a third color, with the deep blue, slate grey or chocolate brown.

I hope one of these colors will work for your room, Mostafa.

Our old spare room, (although very tiny) was a gorgeous mix of deep brown, bright white and magenta pink.

I would love to know how you get on.

Best of luck, and I am sure you will soon be loving your pink room.

Charlotte
:o)

Apr 30, 2008
thank u 4 the advice
by: Mostafa

thank you very much Charlotte

i really appreciate this amazing website & ur helpful tips ..
you really give us so much attention & i loved your advice .. so im going to go with the rich blue & i will try to post a photo when i finish .. thanx

Mostafa


Apr 30, 2008
Thanks
by: Charlotte

No problem Mostafa, I enjoy doing it.

Thanks very much for your kind words.

Look forward to seeing the photos.

Charlotte

:o)

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suggestion for canopy bed

by pooja sani
(india - mumbai )

Hi I'm from India I've put my rooms pics please suggest if a canopy bed would look good in there? ...and which type? I put usually put ivory bed sheets and curtains. please suggest.

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Hi

Your rooms looks gorgeous - I love the color scheme - and your pretty curtains.

Yes, I think you can use a canopy or four-poster bed in there.

Keep it simple, modern, streamlined and quite fine and delicate - nothing too chunky.

Choose a similar dark wood, to match the wood you already have in there.

I think a canopy bed would look better left bare - but if you would like to put curtains on it, then choose nets or voiles in white, cream or a similar pink. Not too many!

These should still let the light in, so keeping your room feeling light and spacious.

I hope those ideas help.

Good luck with your makeover.

Best wishes

Charlotte :)

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Mirrored dressing table in my bedroom

by Sarah
(London)

I have a Venetian Mirrored Dressing Table and I was wondering what kind of stool/colour to purchase?

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Comment
By Charlotte

21 November 2011

Hello Sarah

I love those Venetian glass, mirrored dressing tables - they are so elegant.

Often these mirrored dressing tables come with a stool, but if yours doesn't, do take your style cues from the style of the dressing table itself.

Does the dressing table have wooden legs? If so, what color wood?

What is the style of the legs (and the style overall)? Is it modern, straight, simple? Or classic and ornate with curves and swirls?

Use these factors to decide on the style and materials of your dressing table stool.

You should, of course, also look at the style of other pieces in your bedroom, and your bedroom in general, and choose something that fits with the style and materials you already have in there.

Use colors which fit with the woods and materials you already have in furniture in your room. For example if you have dark colored leathers elsewhere in your room, you could use a dark colored wood...

But if you have beech or other pale colored woods already, a dark coloured wood will likely look wrong.

Don't worry too much about the fabric colors on your stool. You can always re-upholster your stool to make it fit with the colors you already have in your room.

If you're wondering about a type of fabric, have a think about using a velvet (assuming it fits with fabrics you already have in your room). Velvet is quite a luxurious-looking (and feeling) fabric...

...so it usually suits the 'luxurious' or 'glamorous' feeling that mirrored furniture creates.

I hope some of these ideas help you, Sarah.

Do come back and tell me a little more about your room and/or your dressing table if you need further, specific help.

Good luck with your room makeover, and I hope you find a matching stool, soon.

Best wishes

Charlotte :)

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Long narrow bedroom with low ceilings

How could I decorate a bedroom with low ceilings, that's a long narrow room?

Charlotte's Reply:
Play with Proportions...

Hello

A long narrow bedroom can feel like an awkward space. Here are some tips that should help even out the proportions a little.

Paint the long walls in a pale, cool color, but paint one of the end walls in a bright, warm or dark color, to bring it forward and make the room feel 'squarer'. You could also try a bold patterned wallpaper on this wall. Horizontal stripes are a real help here.

I know it's tempting, but don't line all your furniture up against the long walls. Try to use the end walls more instead.

Use uplighters for your lighting, rather than downlighters. This will make the ceiling feel lighter and brighter, which will visually 'lift' it a little. Paint your ceiling a bright white, or at least a much lighter color than the walls.

I hope these ideas will help your bedroom feel a little less like a corridor.

Good luck with your decorating :o)

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Master Bedroom - Focal Wall

My dilemma is that my master bedroom is not very square.

It has no walls that are the same length. This makes it difficult for me to select placement of pretty much anything.

How do I go about selecting the focal wall if one side measures 22ft (back wall with two windows), another 21ft (side wall with windows), 18ft (entry to bedroom with door to closet) and 10ft (entry to master bath)

Charlotte's Reply

Focus on What's Important...

Hello

Don't worry - your room doesn't need to be square.

It is best to choose your focal wall by your arrangement of furniture, and function in your room. For example, you might choose your focal wall to be the wall you are faced with when first coming into the room, the wall behind the bed (which may be one and the same), or the wall you look at when you are in bed.

Many people like to choose the wall behind the bed as the focal wall, as the bed is a strong focal point in the room anyway, and this will enhance the bed as the main feature of the room.

You might also like to enhance the wall with windows, as these are another feature you might like to draw attention to (again, this can be the same wall as the one with the bed on it) with pretty drapes and a striking paint or wallpaper on the wall.

It is unlikely that you will want to make a feature in your room out of the closet or bathroom/bedroom doors, so it is probably best to avoid making these the focal wall, unless you have another reason for wishing to do so.

Once you have decided on the focal wall, you can arrange your most important or attractive pieces of furniture in prime position and draw attention to the focal wall with an 'accent' paint or wallpaper, large mirror, fine painting etc.

Remember that this is now the focal point of your room, so try to consider this when making changes in other parts of the room.

I hope this has given you some ideas for your bedroom. Good luck with your makeover.

Charlotte :o)

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Bedroom ideas for a jewel green carpet

by Nada
(Denver Colorado)

I have the jewel green carpet from the mid 90's and will not be able to replace it.

I want to redo the bedroom paint, drapes, bedtop and all.

What color schemes would that carpet color work with. My design likes are more traditional, colonial, touch country.

My home is colonial with a wrap around front porch.

Charlotte's Reply:


Lots of Color Ideas!

Hello Nada

Don't worry, you have lots of possible choices for a green carpet and more traditional style...

If you want to stick with neutrals, you can mix with rich creams and warm taupes and beiges - don't forget to mix in some accents of a co-ordinating green to bring in the color of the carpet.

You could go just with different tones of greens to build a relaxed harmonious scheme - but too much green, especially pale green, can tend to look a little bland or sickly, so try to add a few accents of a complimentary orange, red, or deeper purples and blues.

Other options are to mix in yellows, lighter (yellowy) greens and/or blues - checks, stripes and floral patterns in these colors, or combinations of these colors, would give a very 'country' feel.

A more 'dramatic' scheme would see you using orange tones as a 'foil' for the green - accents of rich russet or rust, could be mixed with paler peach or apricot tones on the walls. Still remember to bring in a few accessories, paintings or accents with the jewel green color in to bring your carpet color right into the scheme. This would be a nice warm, cosy look, with a traditional feel.

Deep purples, violets, blues and lighter lilacs could also work well with the green in a similar type of scheme (replacing the orange/rust/peach tones above). This would give a relaxing feel, but cooler and more sophisticated.

Always choose paler tones for walls, especially if your room is on the small, or dark, side at all - richer and deeper tones will work well for drapes, bedding and other accents and accessories.

More tips about choosing and creating decorating color schemes, here...

See more ideas for country styles and colonial decorating, here...

Good luck with your bedroom makeover Nada, hope you like the results.

Best wishes

Charlotte

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Bedroom for mother and child

Firstly, I share my bedroom with my 1yr old son. I moved out his crib so he can have a play area.

Now he sleeps on the bed with me. I'm 23 yrs of age. My room is a kind of rose pink. My bed is a queen size.

Charlotte's Reply:


Storage, Sleeping and Colors...

Hi

What specifically about your room would you like help with?

I'm wondering about getting an adult bunk bed or loft bed in the long term, to save space, and so that as he grows up your son can have his own sleeping space.

Children under 6 should not use the top bunk of bunk beds, but he could sleep in the bottom bunk while he is little, and then I'm sure would be keen to transfer to the top bunk as he gets older. Always ensure you choose a bunk bed with safety rails!

I found adult bunk beds online, but you could also look for a bunk bed to suit specific requirements - such as with additional storage space beneath - or have one custom built from a local joiner.

I also found these instructions to build your own which you may be able to use and/or adapt to your specific requirements - you might be able to put a small cot or child's bed beneath. You might be able to build yourself if you are feeling confident in DIY, or get friends/family or a local joiner to assist you.

I'm wondering about a change in color too - as rose pink might not feel too suitable as your little boy grows up - perhaps a more 'neutral' yellow or green? or a feminine pale blue?

What do you think?

I'm sure storage, too, will be increasingly important as your little boy grows and acquires more toys too!

Pack in as much storage as you can - open shelves are easy to fit into any space or corner - or if you like a 'cleaner' look, simple doors can be fitted. A local joiner may be able to help you with this too, if you aren't confident with such DIY tasks yourself.

A colorful play rug could also help your room feel more 'childlike' when your son is playing, but could be removed quickly and easily if you want a more grown-up feel for yourself.

Hope some of these ideas help.

Best wishes with the makeover.

Charlotte :o)

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