Dear Debbie:
I am looking for design advice for our master bedroom in keeping with the Craftsman style of our home. The space is small, 9' x 13'. There is no room for a closet door and the arrangement of the furniture is the only way it will fit. We are looking for inspiration. Thank you -- Jaclyn
Dear Jaclyn:
Craftsman Style in the United States stems from the Arts and Crafts movement in England that took place near the end of the 19th century. Pioneers of the Arts and Crafts movement were rebelling against the mass production of factory goods during the Victorian era. It is characterized by simple design and focuses on craftsmanship and the use of natural materials. In the before photo of your bedroom, the baseboards, window and wall trim are a dark stained wood, architectural details that are notable features of the style.
William Morris, one of the great founders of Arts and Crafts style, encapsulated the fusion between esthetics and design when he wrote, "Have nothing in your home that you do not believe to be beautiful or useful." The wallcoverings and textiles William Morris designed celebrated his love of beauty in his vast collections of wallcoverings and fabrics that are alive with the colours and patterns found in nature. Morris's designs are still popular today. You can find his patterns on the Internet, or contact an interior designer.
I decorated a dining room for one of my television shows that is the perfect inspiration for your bedroom. Above the rails, I applied an embossed paintable wallcovering and painted a base coat of yellow. To highlight the paper's design, a medium shade of green paint was wiped over the top. The lower walls were treated to a faux panel paint effect. It has the same base coat colour as the upper walls, and then sections are taped off, and white and darker yellow bands applied to give the impression of raised panels. The fabric for the curtains is an original William Morris design. It is lively and colourful, with a small pattern that doesn't overwhelm the room.
For your bedroom, I suggest you start by choosing a similar curtain fabric -- it should have a nature theme, flowers or birds, and then pull the palette for the walls from the colours in the fabric. A paintable, embossed wallcovering will give you the texture and detailing this inviting style calls for. At the window, hang the curtains to the floor, and install a matching curtain panel in front of the doorless closet. This is a good, space-saving tip. Enjoy your decorating.
Dear Debbie:
I would like to turn one of our bedrooms into a dressing room. I'd like a makeup mirror, but not a table as I am too far away from the mirror. Perhaps a shelf and a mirror that I could stand at to get ready; not sure how to make that look nice. I like clean lines and no clutter. Your ideas are always appreciated. -- Marilyn
Dear Marilyn:
It is very simple to create this kind of dressing table. Buy a good-sized framed mirror; you can purchase inexpensive mirrors at most big-box stores. I would then fix a floating shelf (this is a shelf without visible brackets) underneath the mirror. Buy the frame and shelf in the same colour. Shabby chic white would look fabulous, or spray both the frame and the shelf a metallic colour for a little boudoir glamour.
Debbie Travis's House to Home column is produced by Debbie Travis and Barbara Dingle. Please email your questions to house2home@debbietravis.com. You can follow Debbie on Twitter at www.twitter.com/debbie_travis, and visit Debbie's new website, www.debbietravis.com
