CHOOSING a design scheme to satisfy the tastes of a 'his and hers' master suite can be a challenge. In the rest of the house the women usually win the battle over the décor choices but in the bedroom, men often stand their ground; and rightfully so. The master bedroom is a haven for both sexes and should be equally inviting to him and her. How to meld the masculine with the feminine can be a bit daunting but there are workable solutions in most cases.
Advice for women
Gals, you'll have to forgo the frilly, pink, lacy, girly room for something a little more grown-up and gender neutral. That doesn't mean to say you can't have feminine touches. Our feature bedroom photo, courtesy of Dulux Australia and Linen House, has a good helping of feminine traits that shouldn't be a negative to your male counterpart. Women love romance and nothing speaks to this desire more so than a chandelier in the master suite.
Choosing one that will be suitable to both him and her is the key to getting what you want. The sexy chandelier in our feature room is masculine in design and colour but still offers a sense of exotic romance. You can still have a scintilla of pink in the space but it should be brought in through a much darker tone. The deep purple Dulux wall colour and the coordinating bedding and accessories stem from pink but are more masculine by their very nature. Gals love tons of pillows on the bed (and most men hate it) so go nuts on the pillows but choose colours, patterns and textures that suite both sexes like the decorative cushions in our feature bedroom.
Beading, embroidery and satiny material come together as both masculine and feminine through the use of black and dark purple. Use this aspect of the design to imbue your personal tastes. The guys are just going to toss them on the floor anyway. A few silk tassels and beads on a pillow probably won't even register with them as being 'girly'. The purple and black duvet and matching pillow shams are what bring this room together. Most men will still call the purple 'pink' but balanced with enough black it should tone the look down to where both parties are happy.
And guys...
If you have an opinion of what you like and don't like then you have to follow through. That might mean shopping for a duvet set, draperies and paint colour. Perhaps hand-making an item like the black velvety padded headboard in our photograph can set the tone for the masculine side of things and get you involved in the process at the same time.
If not from scratch, consider refurbishing your old headboard to suit the new space. Revamping older furniture with a coat of black, matte paint like the chair and side table in our feature room will speak to your tastes and add to the look. Even the tall table lamp is made masculine simply by painting the base black and covering the shade in dark purple fabric.
Other things to consider
Ensure both of you have equal space for your specific 'stuff.' Gals will usually take up a lot of dresser space with perfumes, jewelry and grooming items so to even things out, a jewelry/storage cabinet or drawer should help keep the dresser top clear. Gals, if you can fit a vanity into the space comfortably then this may also be a good solution.
Guys need a space for tossing coins and keys and other odds and ends at the end of the day. They also need to have easy access to these things when needed. Simple coin trays and/or dresser top storage items can hide a myriad of stuff with style. A separate tall boy just for socks, ties and underwear might be a welcome addition for the guys while a closet organizing system might help keep her clothes off of your reading chair.
Compromise is key. Girls, if your vanity takes up one corner of the bedroom then you need to make room for his reading chair (or what have you). Mind you gentlemen, that reading chair has to fit into the overall décor scheme... compromise.
Redecorating the bedroom doesn't have to be uber expensive or overly involved. A few key pieces from both gender's design tastes, a bit of paint and some new bedding and, voila; a bedroom befitting and king and queen.
In the end, when the lights are out a comfortable bed and two cushy pillows is all you really need.
connieoliver@shaw.ca
