I face design challenges every day. None which match the "small spaces" obstacle. It seems everything we own is bigger and simply more than that of previous generations.
Having a humble 60's Ranch house, the bedrooms are small, but it has forced me to look at what is really important.
Here is what I believe to be the 5 key components every Master Suite needs.
1. A Bed Presence
The headboard needs to give the bed a presence in the room.
Whatever the style, it should anchor the bed.
Our headboard actually came from the original front door. I loved the details and wanted to save a bit of the home's history. There were several layers of oil based paint, so the process for transforming it took time and patience. I used a stripping agent, pressure washer, putty knife, and sand paper. And eventually, I stained it a walnut finish.
The walls I did in a green tone on tone stripe. The stripes are slightly different and one stripe is flat while the other is a gloss.
2. Great Linens
Your linens will make or break your room. In this room I decided to go for a hotel retreat.
So I started with a crisp white down duvet and cover. Then chose accent fabrics that gave the room the personality I wanted.Finally sewed them the size I needed. The small fuchsia pillow is from Target. Layering is key on bedding. Pillows can stack in a variety of ways, but your bed should have the loftiness that says, "Jump In!!"
King= 3 Euro's and king pillows
Queen or Double= 2 Euro's and standard pillows
3.Create Window Drama
In this room I had an off centered window. No matter which way I put a king size bed, it looked off balance. So creating a drapery wall behind the bed concealed the problem. Even if your windows are placed perfectly for your furniture, Bring the drapery up and out past your window frame to create drama. Your room will appear bigger and more luxurious. Having a quiet, darkened room can also help you to relax and feel rested. So line "ready made" drapery panels with black out lining. For a 96" long panel it takes around 3 yards.
4. Storage
In small spaces you have to think differently about your storage. Instead of long dressers, think about going vertical. I chose two dressers that were taller to give more floor space. Both of these dressers came from Craigslist. Don't be afraid to buy pieces that are NOT a set. Mine have different handles and made from different manufacturers, but they are similar. They both have hidden storage at the top moulding. (Good for Jewelry or.... junk).
If your pieces don't match~ consider painting one of them.
No matter what, it is hard to rest in a room where things are lying around. So find what pieces will work for you to tame any clutter.
While not all rooms can handle an entire bench at the base of your bed, consider placing a small stool in the room. I found these great stools at a Goodwill near a lake community in North Carolina. If you want better junk, you have to go to better neighborhoods.
A bench or ottoman gives you a place to sit and put on shoes or lay out your clothes. Aren't they cute?
5. Night Stands
Place a night stand on both sides. It will balance out your bed. I chose to paint these pieces. (given to me by another client who was getting rid of them) Another way to break up a bedroom "set" is to make your nightstands different. Our nightstands provide us with more much needed storage. Since they are shorter than most, I chose a tall chunky lamp to go on either side. (They were from a church sale ~ $40 for the pair!)
Do your best to NOT clutter up your surfaces. I keep a stack of books I am currently reading along with my "Funny things my kids say" journal (in red) Add a pop of color from flowers to soften.
And the unicorn is a yard sale find, but I love it. My youngest son calls me "Unicorn Princess Mommy". So when I saw it, I knew it had to go home with me.
Having a place in your room where you can dump your thoughts and read or reflect before going to bed can make for a more relaxing Master Bedroom Retreat.
I would love to hear what you all think.
Drop me a line.
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