Bedrooms to Dream About

The most intimate space of the home

where we retreat after a long day of work and busy lives
then later wake to the possibilities of a new day

Such an important room but it's often the last space in the home that is decorated

after the kitchen is done, the living room furnished and the kids' rooms taken care of,

we may then, finally submit to giving ourselves a space of our own to enjoy

I believe a bedroom should be one's sanctuary

a place of calm and respite

a beautiful space with luxurious textures -
great sheets,  fluffy pillows & duvet,  a soft rug at the edge of the bed
that pampers tired feet

But it doesn't have to be boring

and when it comes to furniture there is no reason to stick to the old-school

matching bedroom set!!!

Like most rooms, a good layout is important. 

Lighting requirements are very different and based on personal preference
to wake with the sun or with the alarm clock in darkness.

Since the bed is the focal point of any bedroom

it will often determine the style for the space.  

The headboard and frame can be made of wood, metal, upholstered 

or for the adventurous spirits, a re-purposed door, a vintage window or a screen 

pretty much any interesting object can be used to ground the space

 and define it as the main feature in the room.

Go big or go home with this headboard below. 

The scale works in this space because the ceilings are very tall - it helps to make the space 

more cozy.    Clearly this bold space exudes confidence
to also have padded fabric walls AND plaid wallpaper above .... just WOW!

Gorgeous wallpaper as accent wall is not new - but this one is stunning!
A mural can make a huge impact and now you can even create your own.

via Bloom Papers

This rustic bedroom loft gets a cool street-wise vibe
with the addition of mural behind the bed that depicts
torn advertisements.

Second Wind Interior Design

Blue and red is not a colour combination for the faint of heart - especially in a bedroom.

It really works here because the wall colour continues in a lighter shade on the ceiling, enveloping the space to make it cozy.  The red accents make the space feel regal - clearly the vibe this room is going for with that classic French antique carved headboard.

  

The charm of the wood beams and exposed brick walls sets the tone for this bedroom.
The lovely water colour painting softens
the harsher elements and gives this room an ethereal quality.
No room for side tables or lamps?  Wall sconces work perfectly in bedrooms placed just above shoulder height when sitting in bed to read.

I love bringing in vintage elements to a space to give it personality
and character.  These beautiful windows add charm while keeping the space light
and farmhouse chic.   All the other elements in the room take their cue from the
feeling and inspiration of the headboard.

If you lucky enough to have a large bedroom, then creating a cozy
reading nook is a great way to escape

If there's a fireplace...well!  you may never want to leave.
The trick is to treat it as another room and decorate with necessary elements to make it work - a great chair, lighting, side table, soft pillows and artwork.

For smaller spaces - create a cozy nook with drapery fabric
or frame out a window seat with a seat cushion and lots of pillows.
It's really about pulling together soft textures and soothing hues to create warmth and serenity.






If you're dreaming about a cozy bedroom sanctuary
that you would love to retreat to, there's even more
inspiration on HERE

or just call me...

All image sources via Bedrooms 

Cozy Chic Family Room

When you get to start with a blank canvas like THIS 

you know it's going to be a great room!

My client's are a young couple with two dogs who want a casual but sophisticated space

to entertain and hang out with friends.  This family room spans the back half of the house with the kitchen being adjacent.  

We want to keep the space light and airy but also cozy.  

The inspiration photos (client provided) below demonstrate the feeling they were going for.

Transitional, elegant, calming, comfortable.

I started with this floor plan to allow maximum seating and a very big screen TV 

as my client is a huge cinema buff.

The room is a great size for entertaining and TV watching.

I gave them lots of seating with a large sofa, 2 swivel chairs, 1 chaise in front of the fireplace

to curl up with a book or a bevy.

TV is on the right side and two consoles flank the sides of the fireplace wall.  

They didn't want large built-in cabinetry and don't have lots of storage needs (yet).

Round end tables keep the space from feeling too boxy.

Here's some of the pieces that will go in the space.

Deep sofa with feather-filled back and seat cushions for maximum chillaxin'.

The low, square arms have just enough room to rest your head and take a nap.

This chair will have a swivel base that rotates 360 degrees

which is great to keep an eye on the happenings in the adjacent kitchen.

   

A chaise like this one is being made to fit perfectly in front of the fireplace. 

It's a great lounger for one person, or a place to perch for two when extra space is needed.

This coffee table ottoman will be custom made to fit the large space - 

a whopping 48"x 54"  allows for table top access from all seats in the room.

It will be covered in a fabulous cobalt blue weave fabric to add a punch of colour 

(and hide the dirt, really).

I love doing a soft top coffee table because it encourages people to put their feet up and relax when watching TV.  A large tray on top will enable a glass to put down with ease. 

The lower shelf is a great place to store books, games or just display some pretty storage boxes.

For the console tables, I wanted something sculptural with a light wood 

that would complement the dark floors but also work well with the stone.

I found this marble topped beauty and it fits perfectly.

All the upholstered pieces will be done in various coordinating, neutral fabrics 

with the exception of the blue ottoman.

so we're bringing in some colour and pattern on the window coverings, accessories and area rug.

Drapery panels and roman blinds will be made from this lovely printed linen.

Joanne Fabrics

For the rug, I want to introduce a muted blue tone 

that will also be picked up in the pillows and artwork & accessories.

Some of the options being considered:

 

  

The design concept overview

A light wood media cabinet (lower right), painted wood accent tables (round table shown above),

artwork and other little goodies to make the space come to life will be added in the 

finishing round.

Looking forward to getting this one all pulled together.

Reading Room... and a Coffee

The one thing I probably enjoy most about winter is not feeling guilty about spending time on the weekends flaking out with a coffee and my favourite reads.

I love getting lost in a good book, or learning something new, or going to far away places without leaving the comfort of my chair.

I remember the first time I walked into a "real" library in University with leather bound books and overstuffed chairs with deep cushions showing their wear.  

The smell of old books still conjures up the great poetry and literary classics I was introduced to back then, when I first developed my love of reading.

Making the most of this scarce time starts with having the right set up to fully enjoy it.

The right chair or sofa, with chunky rolled arm rests, that invites lingering for a couple hours, lots of fluffy pillows, a cozy throw blanket, good lighting, and a side table to rest my coffee, of course!

A place like this...

Surrounded by floor to ceiling shelves of leather bound books has a spiritual quality to it.

Here are some of my favourite reading rooms

This space feels very much like a reference library of an artist or designer, a creative thinker.
It may look cluttered, but she knows where everything is.  There's lots of reading and working going on in this space.

This one feels like it belongs to a serious literary connoisseur who takes out one good book at a time  then places it neatly on the shelf once it's finished.

It looks to be a reading nook at the end of the room or in a hallway perhaps.
The massive  dark wood trim that frames the bookshelf, as though a piece of art itself, gives the space importance and creates a lovely feature in this space alongside the very awesome leather Egg chair.

What ancient stories of far off lands lie behind the velvet curtains?
This is where the very special books are stored - away from peanut butter and jelly fingers!

This one is probably owned by a stylish lady that loves her books as much as her decor.
OR perhaps, said books were even chosen just for their colour scheme...gasp!!  

YES, people actually do that!
I do love the high gloss black lacquered walls and shelves with gold inlays on the door fronts.

Masculine chic library/office - uncluttered, few trinkets, crystal decanters (why are they empty?)
There are not too many books, but they have all been read and enjoyed.

Enough writing ... I have some reading to catch up on.

All image sources on my Library-Den Pinterest board