The bedroom in the photo has it all. It s inviting, calm and restful but also has tons of character.
Paint in hues of grey, beige and off-white neutrals balance the rich colours of the bedding and window treatments. The muted wall colour provides the perfect backdrop to the dark antique, stylized furniture, providing just enough contrast to compliment their ornate detail and deep wood tones.
This furniture is large in scale as many antiques are. A tall headboard sets the tone for the focus of the room while the oversized and overstuffed sitting chair offers cosy respite. The bedside cabinets are taller than usual which work with the high mattress. The dresser is ornate and decorative.
Read Also
Giant Canada geese have gone wild in Manitoba
Giant Canada geese are seemingly everywhere and can be fine table fare for local hunters, but 70 years ago, they were borderline extinct.
To support the tall bed, rich draperies are hung at ceiling height. Bedside lamps, though modern in design, create additional drama through their style and height. Two very tall Old World-style candlesticks sitting on the dresser complete the dramatic aspect of the room.
It s all about balance
While there is definitely a sense of elegance in the room, there are touches that have been added that give the room a contemporary feel. The bedside lamps, for instance, don t fit any historic period but are terrific in the space. Instead of sheers under the luxurious red draperies, simple matchstick blinds add an air of casual charm. Instead of formal painted oil portraits, simple pencil sketches of animals are framed and hung over the dresser.
Mixing old and new
Mixing styles can also add a unique touch to a room. In the featured bedroom there are Shaker-inspired night-stands set against a Rococo-style dresser. Asian-inspired accents dot the room and are coupled with the Asian print on the bed pillows and sitting chair. Gothicstyle candlesticks and modern lamps round out this eclectic dcor.
The lesson here is that you can mix together items for a great look. You may have to play around with the placement and mix of items before you find the right balance, so keep in mind a few rules that will help make it work. The colour palette in this room is stunning. Taking stock of what you have to work with then finding the right wall colour is your first hurdle. If your furniture is fabulous then use a neutral wall colour that lets it pop. If your furniture is functional but lacklustre then you need to jazz things up with a rich wall colour and colourful accessories. Finding one base colour to start with, like the red in this bedroom, can help keep you on track. Keep things in scale. For instance, in the feature photograph, tall bedside cabinets were used to match the scale of the tall headboard and high mattress. Standard-size bedside cabinets would have been too low and out of scale. The oversized sitting chair works with the large furniture where a petite chair may have seemed out of place.
Use height to create drama as was done with the floor-to-ceiling draperies and tall lamps and candlesticks in the feature room. If you switched out these items for standard ones the room would be less eye catching. If you have a low-profile platform bed you might want to create drama by using a canopy at the head of the bed that hangs from floor to ceiling.
Once the basics are chosen, then you can have fun with mixing up the accessories and artwork. Gather all of the items you have and see if you can make them work together in a mix of styles, colours, textures and shapes. Don t forget that items that are not necessarily considered standard accessories can make great accents in your new space. A decorative serving platter or large bowl from the kitchen might work in your new bedroom for instance. An oversized, ornately framed painting that hangs over the sofa might look great in a tiny powder room. A vintage family wedding dress might look wonderful on a dressing dummy in the corner of a bedroom set amongst a display of vintage ladies hats. Frame your grandmother s handwritten recipes that have been well used over the years. Anything can be an accessory so don t limit yourself to the standard items. It s much more fun to use unconventional items. This also allows you the freedom to display family treasures that most people would have stored away. Things like love letters from generations past, vintage clothing, linens, collections and old photographs will help personalize your space and give it true meaning to you and your family.
Connie Oliver is an interior designer from Winnipeg
