Choose a Neutral Palette

For a contemporary style bedroom that will serve as a great escape, choose neutral palettes for your walls that are conducive to relaxation and tranquility. Gray, cream, and pure white are all good choices. More neutral shades of earth tones such brown, taupe, sand and sage are also color palette alternatives for a contemporary bedroom. Should you wish to add color to the walls, choose a bold shade for an accent wall. Keep in mind, that the accent color you choose should have some context; in other words, it matches or complements something else in the room such as your curtains, an area rug or an accent piece.

Contemporary Style Bedroom Furniture

When creating a contemporary bedroom that will provide the perfect escape after a busy or tiring day, select bedroom furniture with clean lines, smooth expanses and matte or satin finishes. Another option to consider is a contemporary bedroom set in birch, pine or maple. While lighter finishes are often more readily associated with modern style, light colored furniture can work equally well in a contemporary style bedroom.

Even if you are decorating a smaller-sized room, when arranging the bedroom furniture, leave as much free space as possible around each piece. You don’t have to go all out Feng Shui, but not only will this make allowances for opening doors and drawers and traffic flow, it will also lend the room a spacious feel.

 Look Around

In order for a transitional style bedroom to provide a great escape, color palettes for the walls should be light hues of neutrals like white, beige and gray or earth tones that range from light tans to deep browns. Don’t forget that yellows like sand or the gold of autumn leaves can also considered earth tones.

Look Up

Transitional style lighting blends the romantic fluidity of formal, traditional chandeliers with contemporary functionality. Transitional light fixtures contrast clean, austere lines with gentle curves and polished metal finishes. While a transitional chandelier or table lamp has the appearance and elegance of traditional style, decorative accents are not as ornate.

Transitional Style Bedroom Furniture

At first glance, transitional style is frequently mistaken for more formal styles of furniture, but the real “tell” is the use of motifs; while they abound in traditional furniture pieces, decorative motifs are used sparingly in a transitional context. Transitional bedroom furniture borrows the best of the classic elements of traditional and contemporary styles, merging them for a more formal look while keeping contemporary simplicity and comfort in mind. Profiles and lines are less curvaceous.

Transitional bedroom furniture, especially focal pieces like the bed or dresser, is scaled for contemporary living spaces like apartments and condominiums. Typical upholstered accent pieces like armchairs or bed benches are often overstuffed fro dramatic effect. Since the emphasis is on uncluttered detail and restrained decorative accents, transitional furniture is a great way to create a relaxing bedroom that will be a great escape.

Come back next Friday for the third part of the Great Escape, where we’ll explore contemporary style for a bedroom sanctuary.

Look Around

When choosing what to do with the walls in your traditional style bedroom, don’t summarily write-off wallpaper. Wallpaper is making a comeback, and especially for a traditional bedroom with a royal feel, it will lend the room a palpable texture that is visually rich.

Whether you opt to wallpaper or paint, colors should be muted. Avoid bright oranges and reds, including saturated hues, as they will give the room a modern rather than traditional vibe. Soft or less intense shades of jewel or berry tones such as jade or strawberry are ideal choices for a traditional Victorian style bedroom.

Look Up

In order for your traditional bedroom to be a great escape from your busy day, choose lighting that will give you options to shed a soft glow or to shine bright. A chandelier on a dimmer switch would be ideal. In keeping with the grand royal statement that traditional style makes, choose one that has elegantly shaped teardrop crystals or strings of crystal beads. For bedside table lamps, select bases that are ornately detailed with richly textured shades.

Look Down

Since wood plays an important role in traditional design, hardwood flooring in a medium to dark finish is a perfectly acceptable choice. To add texture and visual interest, as well as a little more comfort, select a reproduction oriental rug or one that has an intricate traditional style pattern like damask or paisley. Small floral patterned area rugs would also work in a traditional style bedroom.

Traditional Style Bedroom Furniture

Traditional style furniture can be stately, formal and impressive. But grandiose becomes comfortable and inviting when the color of the wood is warm. Selecting traditional bedroom furniture with a distressed finish will lend the décor a more lived in look while furnishings with a high polish will possess a more sophisticated appeal.

Woods commonly used to make traditional bedroom furniture are walnut, mahogany, teak and cherry. Case goods like the dresser, nightstands and armoire should include intricately designed hardware; shell, scroll and flora motifs and/or carved accents or inlays.

Traditional style bedding has a luxurious appearance that is guaranteed to guard against a winter chill.

Come back next Friday for the second part of the Great Escape, where we’ll explore transitional style for a bedroom sanctuary.

Since it can be bright, colorful and “noisy,” when decorating a global style bedroom, it is important to emphasize diversity while create a relaxing and rejuvenating bedroom environment. The appeal of this eclectic style can be largely attributed to how color is used and layered throughout the room. Choose where you would like to concentrate the color: if you would like to use a bright and bold color palette for the walls, plan on more neutral or softer shades for your bedding, curtains and area rug; when accessorizing with bright colors and fabrics, paint the walls with earth tones or neutral tints.

Once you have picked your color scheme, you are ready to select the global style furniture that you would like for your bedroom. In addition to cultural diversity, global bedroom décor focuses on natural woods, fabrics and organic elements. Think tropical woods like mahogany, teak and walnut for beds, nightstands and other types of bedroom furniture; fabrics like silks and wool for curtains, accents pillows and rugs; and organic elements like shells, wicker rattan and sea grasses for decorative accents on furnishings, lamps and accessories. No matter how sophisticated a décor look you are striving for, the overall effect should include subtle rustic elements that have a hand-crafted appearance.

To accessorize a global style bedroom, layer texture upon texture. This can include handmade wood candlesticks; a bedside lamp with a brocade shade in rich colors with gold braid; an upholstered chair or bed bench in woven fabrics of natural materials. Many shops, retail stores and boutiques offer unique collections of area rugs, sculptures, carved wood boxes and accent pillows that are original artifacts or reproductions with a tribal or ethic design elements. You don’t need to be a world traveler to enjoy the eclectic appeal of a global décor bedroom to get the bedroom interior design that best expresses your style and personality.

 Incorporating coastal style or a beach theme into the master bedroom also allows you to contrast soft neutrals of earth and sand with corals, ocean blues and sea greens. When choosing a color palette for your bedroom, take some cues from the a day spent sailing (white and blue), the scenic view from a resort cabin (beach sand with cloud white) or a classic surf and turf combo (bold greens and blues paired with warm browns).

To make a coastal style bedroom truly comfortable, think of ways you can give it seaside resort atmosphere. Choose furniture, like a headboard or dresser mirror that incorporates organic materials that reflect a coastal lifestyle. Dress the bed in cool linens, either in crisp whites or in bold colors and pile on the pillows. Not only will a variety of accent cushions and pillows make the bed a comfortable place to rest and relax, it will also make the bed more of a focal point by defining the surrounding area and adding texture. Drape the windows in mosquito netting-like sheers. Lighting should be evenly diffused throughout the space; a balance of ambient (overhead) and task (bedside lamps) lighting that is practical while not being intrusive.

Anywhere there is a coastline or an ocean, the resulting lifestyle is unique to that region. The west coast, for example, has an entirely different flavor from the east coast, while the California coast is distinctive from the rest of the Pacific coastal region. When decorating a costal style bedroom, mix and match different coastal styles with care. The focus and atmosphere of the room should be calming and harmonious. While coastal style does possess an eclectic element, it shouldn’t be so “mixed-and-matched” that the overall effect is busy or cluttered. A coastal style bedroom is one that is exudes tranquility and will give you the feeling of a seaside vacation year-round.

Coastal décor definitely reflects a specific region and mindset, from the moody grays of the Eastern Seaboard to the vibrant, tropical flavored colors of California’s Pacific Coast. Coastal style bedroom furniture is truly eclectic: it can take on the appearance of cottage country chic, the flowing lines and intricate, decorative accents of traditional design or anything in between. The style emphasis isn’t as important as feeling as though everyday you’re waking up at the beach. Coastal style is a blend of nautical themes, colors and materials culminating in a look that is casual, relaxed and fresh, creating a year-round vacation for the soul. And it’s easy to bring coastal living into your bedroom with these few simple design ideas.

Paint by Nature

Coastal style palettes range from vibrant hues like the Lexington Long Cove Middleton Night Stand to earth-toned colors, depending on which coast it takes its inspiration from. Marine blues, sky blues, sandy creams and beiges, sea greens, turquoise and white are common colors for furniture, walls, bedding and accessories. Lighter colors are favored over darker ones but pieces with medium to dark wood finishes are often used as accents or focal points to create visual interest. Painted finishes such as white, lemon and cream, bring a sunny day spent by the ocean into your home, while creating a relaxed environment. Since there are such a range of coastal style palettes, choose one; to give your bedroom a cohesive and tranquil feel, mix and match from different coastal palettes carefully.

Organic Elements

When designing a coastal style bedroom, select natural or organic materials for the furniture pieces in the room. Wood is a good place to start. Bamboo, teak, wicker and rattan are other popular materials for coastal style bedroom furniture. The Home Styles Queen Cabana Banana Natural Woven Bed in Cocoa Finish is certainly an ideal way of bringing a relaxed coastal mood into the bedroom.

Coastal Style Design Elements

Nautical stripes, anchors, shells, coastal birds and starfish are time-tested motifs for accessories and furniture decoration. Tropical flowers and trees are common patterns for bedding and fabrics. As demonstrated by the Stanley Coastal Living Louvered TV Door Deck, shutter or louvered detailing is a popular accent for anything from beds to nightstands to armoires.

The overall appearance of a coastal style bedroom should be relaxed and comfortable. Nothing makes a bed more inviting than a variety of pillows in different shapes and fabrics.

Window treatments should be made of lighter weight fabrics.

Going coastal can be as simple as pairing a dark woven mirror with a lighter contrasting dresser.

Accessorize with care; spreading your shell collection and other nautical-themed knickknacks around the room can make it appear small and even cluttered or cramped.

For that timeless, lived-in appeal, choose furniture that has a distressed, “worn” or antique look.

Because coastal style can be eclectic, furniture pieces might vary in size and proportion. When purchasing pieces for your coastal style bedroom, make sure that they match one another in scale.

Coastal style can be as casual or as sophisticated as you want it to be. Choose the mood for your bedroom that’s right for you.

Transitional Style Bedroom Option #1

Colors (palettes shown here are from Sherwin-Williams) are typically earth tones, ranging from light tans to deep browns.

The beige and sand shades were specifically chosen to show-off the rich finish of the Somerton Rhythm Wood Panel Bed 4 Piece Bedroom Set in Burnished Rum to its best advantage. Transitional characteristics of this bedroom set include the breakfront dresser; the simplistic lines of the moldings on the bed and dresser mirror and the subtly rounded corners and tapered feet of the nightstand and dresser.

The Nygard Home Soho 10 Piece Bed In A Bag Set mixes quilt weave with silk-like materials. The magical combination of fabrics produces bedding that is as comfortable as it is visually interesting.

To tie the warm neutrals of the walls and fabrics with the bedroom furniture, select an area rug like the Couristan Woven Treasures Area Rug Collection – Antique Oushak/Ivory-Mocha. It also brings some more color into the bedroom’s décor, but without being overpowering.

Transitional Style Bedroom Option #2

Related to earth tones, shades of taupe and beige are also popular transitional interior décor colors.

While the Modus Santa Barbara Wood Sleigh Bed 5 Piece Bedroom Set in Rustic Sable has the look and feel of traditional style furniture, largely due to the sleigh bed and scalloped edges of the case pieces, ornamentation is simpler and decorative detail is not elaborate. The lines and profiles of these bedroom furniture pieces tend to be less linear, creating a sense of flow and motion in the room. This transitional style bedroom set possesses an urbane yet comfortable allure.

The Lawrence Home Fashions South Beach Bed lends the otherwise monochromatic scheme an infusion of color. Different patterns give this bedding set a textured appearance.

The area rug should be neutral yet underscore the darkly rich finish of the bedroom furniture. Because it is made of leather, the Nourison Pelle PEL1 Mist Area Rug Collection adds a “surprise element to the other fabrics in the bedroom.

Transitional style that is rooted in traditional design elements. It is a versatile interior design style that is ideally suited for any bedroom. Since it is the one room in your home you are not specifically decorating for yourself, it is an especially good choice for a guest bedroom, where modern might be too “cold” and traditional might be too “busy.” While the emphasis is often on ivory, taupe, beige, warm tans and lighter browns, you can bring color into a transitional style bedroom by the careful selection of the colors of fabrics chosen for the bedding, window treatments and area rugs. The clean, flowing lines typical of transitional bedroom furniture have a calming presence that is thoroughly contemporary.

While Louis Philippe is another traditional sub style, it is diametrically opposite to Queen Anne style. Lines are rounded rather curved and furnishings tend to have a squared-off look. Victorian style is actually quite eclectic, due to the extent of the British Empire and the ensuing influences it had on social trends and interior design. Today, we will be discussing how to design a bedroom fit for royalty. It’s not just about selecting furniture styles with royal names; it’s also about creating a richly textured environment with the right colors, a mixture of luxurious fabrics and regal accessorizing.

Queen Anne

Woods commonly used to make Queen Anne bedroom furniture were walnut, maple and cherry. The rich glowing cherry finish of the American Drew Cherry Grove Low Poster Bed is in keeping with the spirit of this style as is the decorative detailing that includes a broken pediment headboard, carved accents and reeded posts.

For a traditional style bedroom to have a royal feel, bedroom furniture should be formal and imposing. With its delicate fluted pilasters, regal height and liberal use of decorative molding, the American Drew Cherry Grove TV/Wardrobe Armoire will be an ideal choice for preserving the mood of the room while indulging in modern conveniences.

The American Drew Cherry Grove Highboy Complete Chest is perfectly demonstrates the grace and elegance of Queen Anne furniture.

Another aspect of making a royal statement in the bedroom is indulgence. Adding the Skyline Queen Anne Tufted Storage Bench or the Powell Jamestown Landing Wood Makeup Vanity Table with Mirror will give you someplace to pamper yourself in style.

Victorian

Victorian style can refer generally to furniture made in the second half of the nineteenth century including the beginning of the twentieth. More specifically it refers to furniture produced during Queen Victoria’s reign, from 1887 to 1901. For the first time, furniture was mass-produced, so it became relatively easy to craft pieces with elaborate and lavish embellishments and decorative detail. Since the British Empire during Queen Victoria’s lifetime spanned several continents, furniture designs were greatly influenced by a variety of Middle Eastern and Asian cross-cultural currents, making Victorian style an amalgamation of many styles.

The Lexington Barclay Square Blakeney Poster Bed with Optional Canopy will definitely make you feel like royalty. The finish is luxurious, adding definition to the profiles of the bed and enhancing the “formal” yet elegant appearance of the posts.

Victorian style is also characterized by heavy furniture pieces with unusual details. Even a royal bedroom needs to be functional. While the Lexington Barclay Square Winslow Nightstand is an ideal place to keep useful items like a bedside lamp by the bed, the “flattened ball” shape of the turned legs combined with blunt arrow feet gives this night table a unique profile.

An accent chair, especially in a traditional style master bedroom, gives the room that special stately finishing touch. The remarkable pattern of the Ultimate Accents “Paul” Python Chair is distinction enough, and then the brass accents and shell motif make it truly Victorian.

Louis Philippe

For those with more “modern” sensibilities but still would like to make a royal statement when decorating the bedroom, Louis Philippe, while still traditional is markedly different from both Queen Anne and Victorian. This style typically possesses much less ornamentation than many other traditional styles. The Stanley Furniture Translation Cherry Low Profile Sleigh Bed incorporates traditional Louis Philippe elements like bracket feet and shaped moldings.

Both the Stanley Furniture Translation Cherry Door Chest and the Stanley Furniture Translation Cherry TV/Wardrobe Armoire display other common traits of Louis Philippe style and that are paneled doors and the artistic use of veneers.

Protect your jewelry in royal style with the Powell Louis Philippe Marquis Cherry Jewelry Armoire. The lines of this jewelry armoire are strictly Louis Philippe while the distinctive antiqued drawer pulls add visual interest.

For the ultimate in luxury why not have both a mirror and a jewelry armoire? The Powell Louis Philippe Cheval Jewelry Wardrobe is very multifunctional, which is important for a bedroom environment.

Nothing says luxury like including an electric fireplace into a regal bedroom interior design. The Classic Flame Scottsdale Antique Mahogany Electric Fireplace with Black Granite Top displays another characteristic Louis Philippe design element. Like using veneers for decorative detail, stone, especially marble, was used to give texture to a furniture piece.

No matter what style you choose for the master bedroom in your castle, the bedroom furnishings should be grand in scale, with a stately or regal presence. Bedroom furniture like a four poster bed or a canopy bed will make you feel like royalty.