The bedroom is my favourite room to decorate. Whether it's just new curtains and linens or a complete overhaul, this private space needs to be restful and inviting.
It doesn't take a lot of work to get a great new look. As you can see in our feature photograph, courtesy of Dulux Australia, a splash of wall colour and a few co-ordinating accents may be all you need to achieve a fresh, new look.
The gorgeous pistachio green (Dulux Plantain) focal wall area is rich and playful. Teamed with a co-ordinating round area rug and toss cushions, this splash of vibrant colour gives the room true character.
Painting a strong colour on a focal area over the bed is one simple way to update your bedroom. This quick project will not only add colour to your room but will ensure the bed is the visual focal point in the room, which in most cases is a good thing. Be sure to include a few co-ordinating accessories and accents to introduce the new colour to the overall scheme.
A bedroom should be restful and calm, but that doesn't mean it has to be bland or boring. Because the vivid colour is used in small doses, it does not overwhelm the senses, which is important in a bedroom. As well, the strong accent colour is balanced with neutral linens, carpeting and light-coloured walls and ceiling. (Dulux Handmade Linen; Dulux White Watsonia).
When decorating the bedroom, one often stands in the doorway of the room looking into the room to get a design perspective. Take a moment to actually lie on your bed and notice the view from that position. You want this particular view to be calming and restful. Keep this in mind when placing artwork, a dresser laden with accessories or clutter and even mirrors, which can all be visually distracting at bedtime. Even though the lights go out, you may still visualize that cluttered vignette right before you go to sleep.
Take our feature bedroom for example. Notice that, aside from the focal wall, the rest of the room is bare of artwork, accessories, pattern and basic clutter. Having a clean backdrop in the bedroom not only enhances the focal point but also makes for a restful view when you're in bed.
The strong colour you choose to paint at the head of the bed won't be in your line of sight when you're trying to sleep at night so you needn't worry about using a vivid colour making you restless. Although you may be tempted to 'fill up' wall space with art, live with the bareness and strong splashes of colour for a while and see how it feels. You may just find you're sleeping a little better.
Use the money you might have spent on wall art and purchase luxurious linens instead. Spoil yourself. A cosy bed is the best defence against a hectic day. Incorporate soothing scents with linen spray, pillow sachets or diffusers in vanilla, jasmine or lavender. Don't overdo it on the scents. Just a light touch is enough to calm the senses for a good night's sleep. (I prefer not to use scented candles in the bedroom for safety reasons. It's too easy to fall asleep and forget that a candle is burning.)
If you like to read before bed then get yourself a good reading light and enough pillows for a comfortable read. Try not to gather a pile of books beside the bed because the visual clutter can be unsettling. You can only read one at a time so keep just the one book at arm's reach.
Computers and workstations are not a good idea for a restful bedroom. Try to place home-office stations in another room if possible. The subliminal distraction of a computer can be very unsettling at bedtime, even if it's turned off. If you must have a computer desk in the bedroom, find a way to disguise it so it will not be visible at bedtime. For example, a decorative, free-standing room divider might work depending upon the space you have. You might even be able to use the bedroom closet area as a home office and curtain it off when not in use.
I don't think a television is a good choice for the bedroom either, for similar reasons. Even if it's turned off, your mind may still wonder 'What am I missing' or you may fall asleep during a movie or television show and fail to sleep properly due to the background noise. Again, if you can, put the television in another room and keep the bedroom quiet and calm.
All of the senses must be addressed when decorating a bedroom. Room-darkening shades or curtains are a good idea for a good night's sleep, especially if you work shifts or just want to sleep in on the weekend.
There is so much noise and visual clutter during our hectic day, the solace and tranquility of the bedroom can and should be kept a respite.
connieoliver@shaw.ca
