To charm: to captivate, attract, to have charisma, to beguile and enchant. This bedroom has it all. It's definitely inviting, calm and restful, but also has tons of character and, yes, charm.
Pratt and Lambert paint in hues of grey, beige and off-white neutrals balance the rich colours of the bedding and window treatments. The muted wall colour provides the perfect backdrop to the dark antique, stylized furniture, providing just enough contrast to complement their ornate detail and deep wood tones.
This furniture is large in scale, as many antiques are. A tall headboard sets the tone for the focus of the room, while the oversized and overstuffed sitting chair offers cosy respite. The bedside cabinets are taller than usual, which works with the high mattress. The dresser is highly ornate and decorative. Its curvy design adds visual flow to the room.
To support the tall bed, rich draperies are hung at ceiling height. Bedside lamps, though modern in design, create additional drama through their style and height. Two very tall Old World-styled candlesticks sitting on the dresser complete the dramatic aspect of the room. There is nothing demure or diminutive in this regal bedroom.
It's all about balance
Though there is definitely a sense of historic elegance in the room, there are touches that have been added that give the room a contemporary air. The bedside lamps, for instance, don't fit any historic period but are smashing in the space. Instead of conservative sheers under the luxurious red draperies, simple matchstick blinds add an air of casual charm. Instead of formal painted oil portraits, simple pencil sketches of animals are framed and hung over the dresser. These unexpected touches are what give this room allure. Mixing old and new can make for a stunning space.
Mixing styles can also add a unique touch to a room. In this particular bedroom, there are Shaker-inspired nightstands set against a Rococo-styled dresser. Asian-inspired accents dot the room and are coupled with the Asian print on the bed pillows and sitting chair. Gothic-styled candlesticks and modern lamps that have a Frank Lloyd Wright design feel to them round out this eclectic decor.
The lesson here is that you can mix together a plethora of items and create a truly inspired space. You may have to play around with the placement and mix of items before you find the right balance, but when it works, it's a great outcome. Keep in mind a few key rules that will help make it work.
The colour palette in this room is stunning. Taking stock of what you have to work with, then finding the right wall colour is your first hurdle. If your furniture is fabulous, then use a neutral wall colour that lets it pop. If your furniture is functional but lacklustre, then you need to jazz things up with a rich wall colour and colourful accessories. Finding one base colour to start with, like the red in this bedroom, can help keep you on track. Keep things in scale. For instance, in our feature photograph, tall bedside cabinets were used to match the scale of the tall headboard and high mattress. Standard-sized bedside cabinets would have been too low and out of scale. The oversized sitting chair works with the large furniture, where a petite slipper chair might have seemed out of place.
Use height to create drama, as was done with the floor-to-ceiling draperies and tall lamps and candlesticks in our feature room. If you switched out these items for standard ones, the room would be less eye-catching. If, say, you have a low-profile platform bed, you might want to create drama using a canopy at the head of the bed that hangs from floor to ceiling.
Once the basics are chosen, you can have fun with mixing up the accessories and artwork. Gather all the items you have and see if you can make them work together in a mix of styles, colours, textures and shapes that give your space pizzazz and appeal.
Don't forget that items that are not necessarily considered standard accessories can make great accents in your new space. A decorative serving platter or large bowl from the kitchen might work in your new bedroom, for instance. An oversized, ornately framed painting that hangs over the sofa might look smashing in a tiny powder room -- using scale to create drama.
A vintage family wedding dress might look wonderful on a dressing dummy in the corner of a bedroom, set among a display of vintage ladies' hats. Frame your grandmother's handwritten recipes that have been well-used over the years.
Anything can be an accessory, so don't limit yourself to the standard items. It's much more fun to use unconventional items. This also allows you the freedom to display family treasures that most people would have stored away. Things like love letters from generations past, vintage clothing, linens, collections and old photographs will help personalize your space and give it true meaning to you and your family.
connieolive@shaw.ca
