Adding Quality and Style to Your Bedroom
(ARA) - Bedrooms aren’t just for sleeping
anymore. With larger master suites being built
in today’s homes, bedrooms have evolved into
comfortable getaways for people to relax and
unwind from their hectic schedules. The extra
square footage leaves room for many decorating
possibilities in this personal retreat. This
season’s eclectic blend of sleek,
contemporary styles and opulent,
classic details are combined to create
the perfect romantic escape.
“The current trend in bedroom furnishings
is leaning away from the standard set of a
bed, two nightstands and a few dressers all
of the same style and collection, towards
a more romanced and eclectic
combination of pieces to create a personal
refuge or escape,” said Greg Mononen, product
developer for Arhaus Furniture, a 20-store
lifestyle furniture retailer. “People are
adding romantic elements to their bedrooms
in their furniture, wall colors, fabrics and
accessories,” he added.
European-Style Romance
Furniture can be the first building block
in creating an amorous atmosphere within a
room setting. Mononen notes he is seeing many
romantic European influences from Italy, France
and the British Isles. For instance, the woods
used in today’s furniture are richer and deeper,
like cherry and walnut with java, cocoa or
sienna stains.
“We’re also seeing a European trend of mixing
and matching stained wood with painted wood
or iron. This idea of blending eclectic items
is beginning to carry over into the United
States,” said Mononen. For instance, combine
an iron bed like the Arhaus Lily bed with
a pair of hand-painted nightstands for a European-inspired
look. Complete the look by incorporating a
stained or distressed dresser, a lingerie
chest or a beautifully hand-painted armoire
like the Gainesburough by Arhaus.
“We definitely encourage those bedroom shoppers
that want to move away from the bedroom ‘set.’
This trend gives home furnishings the feeling
of being collected or acquired over many years,”
said Mononen.
When mixing these different furniture pieces,
it is important to keep one element a constant
throughout the room. This could be a similar
style, color or scale. By doing so, you will
be able to pull it all together much more
easily by adding a few finishing touches and
accessories.
Accessories that Set the Stage
Luxurious pillows, throws, duvets and other
accessories can help create an atmosphere
of romance. “Opulence is key in developing
a romantic theme,” says Mononen. He suggests
combining high thread count sheets with richly
textured fabrics like silks, tapestries, linens
and velvets for bedding. Fresh flowers, candles,
chandeliers, and beaded lamps or pillows can
also add extravagance.
“For a truly romantic look, try using a
chandelier over the bed or over each nightstand
for an elegant and unique lighting option,”
says Mononen.
When choosing fabrics, paint and accessories,
Mononen recommends using shades of color that
depict your personal style. “Think about colors
that look good on you or colors of clothing
you typically have in your closet. If you
choose colors you typically like to wear in
clothing, you’ll probably also enjoy incorporating
that color palette into your bedroom décor,”
he adds.
Trend: Bedrooms Become Grand
“With larger master suites being built in
new homes, we’re getting more requests for
additional furniture pieces in our bedroom
collections,” says Mononen. People are looking
for pieces that are both stylish and functional
because they are spending more time in their
bedrooms.
“Armoires for televisions, wardrobes, trunks
and seven- or nine-drawer dressers are very
popular choices because they take up more
space in larger rooms and provide a lot of
storage,” he said. Even nightstands are larger,
providing more storage space with drawers
and shelves.
Another new trend in bedroom furniture is
higher headboards and lower footboards on
platform beds. These updated proportions work
in today’s larger bedrooms and allow for easy
late night television watching. For example,
the Barrington bedroom collection by Arhaus
features a platform bed with a stately headboard
and footboard paneled with antiqued cherry
and walnut.
Courtesy of ARA Content
Further Reading:
  Mary Emmerling's Smart Decorating: Inexpensive Projects for Every Room of the House
Decorating with style and creativity -- no matter what challenges real life may bring -- is a Mary Emmerling trademark. In her last book, Mary Emmerling's Quick Decorating, she proved that beautiful rooms could be put together in hours and even minutes; now she brings the same ingenuity and panache to decorating on a budget in Mary Emmerling's Smart Decorating. The secret of her system for avoiding expense is keeping the big-ticket furnishings simple, focusing instead on the movable feasts of accessories and flowers, pictures and fabrics. It is a strategy that works every time.
Hundreds of full-color photographs present ideas from which any home decorator can draw inspiration or improvise. Chapters are organized by price, from "Pennies" (using produce and fresh flowers placed in interesting "found" containers, for example) to "Dollars" (such as covering books with a uniform paper to create an instant library) to "Bigger Bucks" (a vintage tablecloth artfully hung as a contemporary window treatment).
In addition to ideas for every room of the house, Mary offers strategies for shopping smart, salvaging old pieces, incorporating objects from nature into a decorating scheme, and creating new uses for everyday objects, as well as a directory to her favorite home stores and antiques shops.
Throughout, Mary's inimitable approach makes decorating itself fresh and fun. Perfect for the beginner and seasoned decorator alike, Mary Emmerling's Smart Decorating is an invaluable resource for finding great style without great expense.
  The Comforts of Home: Creating Relaxed Rooms With A Romantic Feel
The Comforts of Home offers the inspiration you need to stamp your own style on your surroundings, to showcase your personal taste and so create a relaxed, welcoming environment in every room of your home--and even in your garden!
Taking you through the home room by room and out onto patios and terraces, Atlanta Bartlett shows--in five unique chapters--how to introduce a comfortable look. "Relaxed Simplicity" explains how to soften and update a stark, cool interior by adding bright splashes of color, interesting textural effects and clean, curving lines. Pretty floral fabrics make a subtle comeback in the "Relaxed Romantic" chapter. Used sparingly and combined with pale, uncluttered interiors, these fabrics add a fresh new feel to any room. Those who crave the unashamedly sensuous-embroidered silks and satins or crisp cotton sheets--will love "Relaxed Sensuality," while glamour aficionados who long to surround themselves with elegance will revel in the fin-de-siecle carved wooden mirrors and crystal in "Relaxed Elegance." And if you can't stop collecting-junk shop finds, holiday mementos, beautiful antique clothing--"Relaxed Eclectic" will show you how your treasures can become the inspiration for a truly chic interior.
Full of achievable, affordable decorating ideas, The Comforts of Home provides ideas for an enjoyable retreat no matter what your style preferences--a haven that is a restorative for all the senses.
  Jessica McClintock's Simply Romantic Decorating: Creating Elegance and Intimacy Throughout Your Home
Award-winning designer Jessica McClintock, whose name is synonymous with romance, shows readers how to cultivate lush, delicate beauty and warmth in their own living spaces
From special-occasion wear and perfume to home accessories and furnishings, Jessica McClintock has created a lifestyle brand dedicated to romance and femininity—one that resonates with generations of women all over the world. Her San Francisco Victorian house is the epitome of intimacy and grace and has been featured on television programs and in such magazines as Victoria, Architectural Digest, Redbook, and Home Design. Now she invites readers into her home and shows them how to incorporate romantic elements into their own homes, without sacrificing their individual style or spending a great deal of time or money.
The book’s special features include:
• chapters devoted to each room in the house with innovative ideas for bringing romance and comfort into every corner, including outdoor spaces
• illustrated do-it-yourself projects inspired by Jessica’s décor using simple design principles, basic sewing and crafting skills, and a little imagination
• a private tour of the author’s showplace home—inside and out—through 100 gorgeous, full-color photographs, shot exclusively for this book
Jessica McClintock’s Simply Romantic Decorating is a blueprint for readers on how to indulge their romantic decorating fantasies with timeless style and personal flair.
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