Ideas for Decorating Your Bedroom

By Carl Drotsky


You may think that applying interior design techniques to the home is only for the rich, but you would be amazed at how you can transform your bedroom on a very small budget. More important than following design principles is putting your taste into it. A simple way to find your taste is to envision yourself climbing on a plane to your ultimate resort location. When you reach the place where you're staying, what are some of your favourite aspects of the room? Some people are most enchanted with a picturesque cottage feel while others need an element of elegance to feel most comfortable. Take the aspects that delight you the most, and find new ways to put them into your bedroom. Stop wishing that your bedroom really feels like you're on holiday, and make it happen. Here are a few of the most basic components of design to get you thinking about how to do just that.

Because the bed is usually the largest piece of furniture in a bedroom, it's the first thing people notice. The appearance of a bed should make you want to sink right in and stay awhile. One way to do this is by piling soft pillows on a down comforter. White is a classic colour for down and seems to speak of luxury, but it's unfortunately very challenging to keep clean. You may rather enjoy a dark colour or a trendy pattern. Also don't feel like everything on the bed has to follow the same pattern. Remember that you must find ways to put your personality into the decor; otherwise your bedroom will end up looking like everyone else's. For instance, you may want to overlay your headboard with lace or on the contrary paint a mural onto it. It's your bedroom, so anything goes.

One of the cheapest ways to redecorate your room is to change the colour. Some people revel in saturating their entire room with a favorite colour while others only want to paint an accent wall. Whichever you decide, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how different a new colour will make you feel. Actually, studies show that different colours can inspire different emotions. If you want to intensify affection, purple or red is a good choice. Orange and yellow tend to make people feel strong and lively while neutral colours can help you stay focused. Lavender, blue and green are among the most popular colours for a bedroom because they are soothing colours. If your bedroom is on the small side, try using paint that has a bit of sheen to it; the light that is then reflected off the walls will make your bedroom seem much roomier.

Another simple way to give your room a new look is by introducing new sources of light. It's absolutely incredible the way different angles and intensities of light can transform the appearance of an everyday piece of furniture. However, nothing can replace the ambience that natural light gives, so choose drawback curtains or blinds that make it easy for you to let the sunlight into your room. As for bedside lamps, matching ones will give a classic look. For a more unique look, you should try different lamp bases with identical lampshades which will bring the two together. To take your ordinary lamps into chic fashion, put a beaded tassel fringe around the bases of your lampshades. Chandeliers, as ancient as they may seem, never fail to offer the utmost romantic light in the evenings, and they come at a much better price than they did a few decades ago. Finally candlelight fixtures for your wall give the option of soft light when all you want is a glow in the room.

Even if you have a luxurious bed and marvelous lighting, the room won't be complete until you've left a few personal fingerprint items around the room. These are simply items that are uniquely yours such as photographs, family heirlooms or even a wall hanging from an international trip. Whether you prefer classic art or abstract art, look for a painting to display in your bedroom, or maybe you would rather a sculpture. If you're looking for great art, save yourself some cash and check out some of the art at a local student exhibition. Even though it will cost less, the quality is usually just as good if not better than that of professional artists. Finally, think about gathering a hodgepodge of special moment photographs in one frame or a collage of different frames on your wall. These could be made up of family vacations or your children's births. The important thing is that the chosen photographs remind you of some of your happiest memories.




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