We've never done a post on the bedroom and if there's a reason for that, it's maybe that it's just too personal a space. It feels presumptuous of us to tell you what to do there.
With the lovers' holiday Valentine's Day almost upon us, we thought it was a fitting time to at least make a few remarks and ask a few questions about it.
What comes to your mind when you think of the bedroom? Both as an idea, and when you think about yours specifically?
Design: Kristina Lynne of Kresswell Interior | Light: Mitzi Via
Homeowner: Katey McFarlan | Light: Corbett Cielo
By now you've surely heard the scientists' recommendation for eight hours of infrequently interrupted sleep a night for optimal health. It's a space we go to recharge. As interior designer Charles Farruggio pointed out in this recent piece in MetroSource, this is a place to connect with yourself or your loved one, or just get plenty of good, nutritive sleep. "Remember," he says, "your bedroom is your sanctuary."
Corey Damen Jenkins advises couples to put a lot of care and thought into their bedrooms: the space in the home where the fires of the relationship are tended. He urges that this is a place worth investing in, a space that will give back what you put into it. He talks about making it like a hotel you're booking into: luxurious and sumptuous and inviting.
Design: Stratton Design Group | Light: Hudson Valley Lighting Amherst
Calming colors, maybe an accent wall using a fantastical wallpaper, various contrasting textures, an alluring folding screen, dimmable accent light from wall sconces installed near the bed and door—all go a long way toward that ideal. As Farruggio points out in the piece linked above, window treatments are also a key component. You may want an elegantly layered treatment which can both shut out the outside world and unwanted nocturnal light, as well as help keep warmth in through the wintertime, enhancing a sense of protected intimacy.
The result? A place where time disappears and focus can be turned with ease either inward or to each other.
Design: Erin Kestenbaum | Light: Troy Ace
Design: Studio M Interiors | Light: Corbett Chimera
So, how do we pull this off at home? These things help:
Design: Sam Design, Inc. | Photo: Jane Brokenshire Photography | Light: Mitzi Jasmine
Design/Photo: Margaret Wright | Lamp: Mitzi Piper
Also, we really can't say enough about hanging one-light pendants low to the sides of the bed. Not only is it fresh and unexpected, it also frees up bedside table space. No space for a bedside table? Even better! This or a wall sconce is your answer.
Design: Ashley Cooper Design | Light: Mitzi Haley
For some, white and bright is the way to go forever and ever and aint nobody nohow gonna persuade them otherwise.
If you're in that camp, more power to you. Several of the bedrooms featured in this post are either quite white or neutral-transitional, and they're gorgeous and just right for the people who inhabit them, which is the most important thing at the end of the day.
These spaces are all in the white world, and their use of dramatic chandeliers makes them swoonworthy on the romantic scale. They also contribute toward that sense of balance between tastes and gender identities of both partners, which is so important in the bedroom, especially.
Homeowner: Laura Beverlin | Light: Troy Byron
Design: Sarah Dorsey Designs | Light: Hudson Valley Lighting Buckingham
Image and Design: Taryn Newton | Lighting: Corbett Chime
Design: Regina Sturrock | Light: Corbett Diva (on their way out, so you might want to get yours now!)
That said, there's something to making the bedroom a warm, nurturing space with the use of darker hues and colors that resonate with you. "In a darker space," Farruggio says, "I will often suggest a deep, moody palette. With dark walls and mood lighting, you can create a cocoon-like atmosphere that feels very cozy."
The bedroom below strikes the perfect balance: The moody shiplap accent wall creates drama; the soft colorful rug grounds the space. The rest of the walls are white, with art adding color and playfulness. The bed itself is soft and white with grey linens, creating a beautiful contrast to the dark ridged wall behind it. Layered pillows in different textures and colors tie the room together. The airiness and modern feel of Mitzi's Jasmine put that touch of verve into the center of the space, serving as one layer of light along with bedside sconces and candles. The room seems to get plenty of natural daylight and looks totally welcoming.
Design: Sam Design, Inc. | Photo: Jane Brokenshire Photography | Light: Mitzi Jasmine
This Valentines Day, the question is not, "Is Your Love Strong Enough?" but "Is your bedroom strong enough to support your love?"
Header Image Credits—Design: Dierdre Renee Sanders | Rachel Sanders Photography | Light: Corbett Vixen
