Archive for August, 2010
A Greek inspired bedroom is something both young and old often enjoy. If you are tired of the elaborate design that often marks classical styles, the Greco style could be right for you.
Bedroom Walls
You have two options: the marble design and faux painting. If you will do the paint yourself, don’t forget to use feathers to make the lines. Venetian plaster may also be used. You can purchase these in hardware stores.
Aside from applying paint, you can add the faux columns to the wall. These can be bought in wallpaper stores. If you cannot paint the Greek marble pattern, there are professionals that can do the job.
Flooring
The ideal flooring for a Greek inspired bedroom is a hard surface. If the flooring is wood or has tiles, you can cover it up with rugs using a classical Greek motif. These can be purchased in stores.
Lines, Colors and Patterns
No matter what furniture you put in, the color should be neutral. It should also have a distressed finish. Just like Roman themed rooms, the emphasis should be on clean lines. Avoid using vivid colors and modern geometric patterns.
If you must use abstract patterns, keep it as simple as possible. Laid back textured fabrics work well. Avoid using thick lines. Consider adding sheer fabric in various areas in the bedroom.
Accessories
There are several accessories that may be used. One of the most popular are plaster pillars. You can also get Greek styled plant pedestals. Aside from the plasters, you can add Greek print art and paintings in the room. Make sure that the paintings are used judiciously.
Do not put too many paintings along the walls. Other accessories that may be used are statuettes and figurines. Plants may also be used. Make sure that the plants are close to the window. This will allow the plants to receive sunlight and grow.
Tips
You can buy affordable Greek inspired accessories in auction sites. You can also find them in various online stores. These are not expensive, so it will not take long before you find several accessories. What’s important is that you put just enough decors in the room. Clutter must be avoided at all costs so the theme remains conspicuous.
A Greek inspired bedroom will evoke images of classical history. By designing your room this way, it will achieve a unique look that few can match.
Roman inspired interior design involves more than just packing the room with artwork based on Roman motifs and themes. There must also be emphasis on balance and symmetry. These principles can be followed no matter which room is being decorated.
The Focal Piont
This is integral not just to Roman, but also other classical styles. The focal point is used to attain balance. For example, a marble fireplace may be accompanied by light sconces.
A fine addition would be a mirror placed over the fireplace. This basic concept can be followed using other objects. The arrangement means both sides are mirror copies of each other.
Colors
The colors of Roman inspired interior designs place emphasis on the muted or light colors. This does not mean you are limited to beige, white and gray. You can also use browns, greens, blues, reds, terracotta and yellows. However, the colors should be of the light variety. It is also permissible to use black on certain pieces.
Be careful not to use too many colors. It is best to use only a couple of shades as the major colors. The rest may be added for interest. The colors do not have to be painted. They can be represented by the decors in the house.
Ornaments
These should be used to accentuate the classical motif being used. In the case of Roman styles, ornaments you may use are urns, busts and columns. Paintings, statues, statutes and sculptures may also be employed. Aside from these, the walls may also be decorated. You can design the walls like marble or you can buy wallpapers with Roman motifs.
Fabrics and Flooring
Velvet, canvas and cotton may be used. The rule when it comes to Roman motifs is simple elegance. They also tend to be conservative. You can jazz it up by using taffeta or silk. The most suitable floorings are marble, wood or stone.
Tips
Use broad and vertical tone on tone stripes. These look great on draperies. For the flooring, you can make simple geometric patterns. If you want to emphasize white, pick an off-white shade. Other white shades will make the room look more modern. If there is a large space, put a rug there as decoration.
These are the vital elements to consider when it comes to Roman inspired interior design. You do not need to implement all of these in your home but the design principles should be used.
Setting up a Roman style bedroom will make it stand out from others that are styled in a contemporary way. The decoration will consist of two parts: the painting of the walls and the adding of the accessories.
Required Materials and Tools
Paint
Plaster pillars
Sponge
Plants
Accessories (paintings, murals and other Roman types of artwork)
Step 1
Get three shades of beige paint. There should be enough of the lightest shade to paint the whole bedroom. The second darker shade can be a little less than that. The darkest can be a quart.
Step 2
Start by painting the room in the lightest beige shade. Let it dry.
Step 3
To continue painting the Roman style bedroom, combine the medium shade hue fifty/fifty with glass medium. The glass medium can be purchased in any paint store.
Step 4
Use a sponge and apply it on the walls. Make certain the pattern is not regular but it does not completely block out the paint. Add just enough so texture is attained.
Step 5
Prepare the third paint (the darkest). Use this to paint lines along the walls so they resemble marble. Just add a few lines per wall. Don’t put too many lines because it will look cluttered.
Step 6
Place some faux columns along the walls.
Step 7
When the paint has dried, you can add the furniture. Roman architecture is noted for being simple, so avoid elaborately designed furniture. The colors should be light to complement the walls. Another nice touch would be a canopy with drapes.
Step 8
For the best results, use a wood floor. An alternative is a rug. Multicolored lights are all right but they should be light. Fibers like sisal or juts would look great. The rug can be placed over the entire flooring. Make sure the rugs are well anchored.
Accessories
Place plaster pillars around the room. These can be topped with glass. They may also be used to contain plants. The bedding has to have simple textures.
You can add Roman themed paintings on the walls. You can find several of these in garage sales and online auction sites. Be careful you don’t clutter the room though. Keep it tidy and clean.
As the facts show, setting up a Roman style bedroom is not that hard. In fact it is fun, and your creativity will come out. Just don’t forget to let the paint dry before adding any accessories.
Ancient Roman inspired paint colors are light and muted. The reason is they complement Roman architecture, which is simple and clean. During Roman times, great emphasis was also placed on balance, functionality and symmetry in design.
Colors Used in Ancient Roman Design
These include off-white, beige, dark beige, browns, blue, yellow, green, pink and gray. You may use various shades of these colors provided they are not too intense.
To achieve balance, sue a neutral color like beige or white as the main color. You can then add two complementary colors, preferably of a darker shade. The other colors may be used here and there.
Marble Design
To decorate the room using ancient Roman inspired paint colors, you can paint the entire room with a light neutral color. You can use darker colors to add interest. You can paint the other walls using the darker hues. An alternative is to simulate the look of marble. To do this, paint the walls with light colors.
Next, use a sponge to apply the darker shade in uneven patterns. Using an even darker shade, paint thin stripes along the walls. This will make the wall look like marble. When using this technique, make sure to use colors that belong to a single family. This will give it a consistent look.
Fabrics and Materials
To achieve that Roman look, you must also use the right colors for the fabric. You can go for silk, taffeta, cotton, velvet and canvas. Do not use loud colors; the emphasis is on silent elegance and symmetry.
The floor should be stone, wood or marble. Any colors and hues will do as long as the material used is any of the three. If this is not possible, put some carpet on the floor.
Tips
When decorating the room, always keep symmetry in mind. This is absolutely essential to Greco, Roman and other Neo-Classical designs. The focal point is also essential. Another element you can use is geometrical patterns set on the flooring.
When it comes to accessories, you can go for figurines, statues, sculptures and other art pieces. These of course, need to have Roman themes. The bedding should use colors similar to the ones used for the room.
Using ancient Roman inspired paint colors are necessary to give your room that classic look. Even if you have all the Roman style accessories, not using the right colors will reduce the effect, hence its importance.
Feng Shui bedroom colors have as much of an impact as the position of the bed and other furniture. It’s important to remember that the colors and the furniture arrangement work hand in hand. You can’t focus on one and ignore the other.
How to Use Colors in the Bedroom
The basic guideline is to avoid loud and vivid colors. Hues that overpower the senses should also be avoided. Soft soothing colors like light yellows, grays, whites, lavenders, violets and blues will produce this soothing effect.
The bedroom is primarily for rest, so the bedroom hues should be used to promote peace and tranquility. Avoid using a color scheme that is too cold or warm. Aim for colors that are comforting.
The lighting used has an effect on colors, so they must be considered too. Avoid using sharp edged furniture in the bedroom. Geometric shapes are best avoided as well.
Getting Good Chi
Start by removing clutter; they block good chi and induce negative vibes. No matter what the Feng Shui bedroom colors you use, make certain there is nothing blocking the entryway to the bedroom. The doorway symbolizes opportunity, so keep it clear.
Make sure there is enough free space in the bedroom. This allows good energy to flow. This will also increase your own mental and emotional space. Soft colored flowers and artwork will have the same positive effect.
Decorations
Paired peonies symbolize marriage and faithfulness. Don’t set them up as singles though. Another good decorative piece is a rounded mirror (all rounded furniture is considered good).
If you are looking for love, make pink the dominant color. For a peaceful ambience, have some candles in the bedroom. The relaxing feeling will be complete with silky sheets.
Things to Avoid
Don’t put the TV, video game or PC in the room. Store them in the family room or study room. If this isn’t possible, hide the components in an armoire. Go for wood than metal beds, since wood has better chi.
Avoid rough comforters and sheets; use only soft materials. Do not keep a trash can in the bedroom. Small plants are okay; large plants should be kept in the garden or another room.
The Feng Shui bedroom colors schemes are quite flexible. There are plenty of ways to combine light colors, so your room never has to appear dull. Whenever possible, use the same soft colors for all the furniture.
Choosing from the many bedroom wall color ideas isn’t hard. Instead of thinking about what others have to say, choose the colors that will reflect your personality and style. Here are some guidelines to help you decide.
Calming Colors
If you want a quiet bedroom, paint in relaxing and soothing colors. Cool hues include blues, greens and lavender. The effect will be more pronounced if the bedding has the same colors. Choose patterns and draperies with the same color.
If they have patterns, the dominant colors should be the same as the wall. An added benefit of painting calming hues is they make the room look more spacious. There is also an airy feel to it.
Exuberant Colors
For more lively rooms, you can paint the walls buttery yellow, soft pink and misty peach. These colors are fitting for those who want a youthful appearance for the bed. If this bedroom wall color idea is implemented correctly, the room will appear delicate and tranquil. You can use other colors, but it’s best to stick with their pastel shades.
Neutral Hues
If you redecorate the room frequently, it’s best to stick with a neutral wall color. This way you don’t have to worry about the bedding and furniture not matching the wall paint. Neutral colors like white, beige, cream, mauve and tan allows you to experiment with various design schemes with ease.
Peach Colored Walls
The best type would be soft peach. Don’t use dark peach because it’s hard to find complementary colors. Accessories and accents can be blue or green. A few splashes of burnt orange will also be look good.
Green Colored Walls
Use sea-foam green and other soft shades. Ideal accessories are eggplant, violet, plum and deep purple. For accent walls, forest green or moss green is more fitting. Don’t use lime, pea green and other bright shades.
Blue Colored Walls
Soft blue is the best for bedroom walls. One of the advantages of using blue is it matches well with other colors. Great accent colors include black, red and other dark shades of blues. These accents can be used for the bedding and the window. You can use deeper shades of yellow, ruby red, deep pinks and purple.
Experimenting with bedroom wall color ideas shouldn’t be stressful. By keeping these simple tips in mind, it won’t take long before you discover the color combination that matches your personality.
Feng Shui decorating is all about creating a restful place, a sanctuary where you can escape the stresses of life and recuperate with chi or the life force. Here are some tips on how to arrange your bedroom and get good chi.
Get Rid of Clutter
Discard all unnecessary junk in the room. Clutter hinders good chi flow. If there’s a trash can in the bedroom, remove it. Next, get rid of images and items that evoke unpleasant feelings.
These may include breakup letters, pictures of your ex that evoke bitter feelings and similar objects. Remove any artwork that depicts negative or sad imagery.
How to Arrange the Room
Don’t let anything block the doorway; a clear entryway will invite opportunities for success. Wall hangings should consist of romantic art, pleasant scenery and other images that make you feel good. Flowers add elegance to the room too.
Position the bed so there is even space on both sides. The taller furniture should be set to the left of the bed. The right side should be reserved for low set tables. According to Feng Shui, the foot of the bed should be clear. This helps in clarifying vision and providing inspiration.
Ideally the bed’s position should provide unimpeded sight to the door. Don’t put mirrors opposite the bed. It’s better to install the mirror next to it. When Feng Shui decorating, do not set the bed adjacent to a window either.
Colors and Light
Lighting can be any color assuming that it isn’t too harsh. The colors in the bedroom have to be light and comforting to the mind and body. Different shades can be used as long as they are light. Vivid colors can be stressful, so soothing hues are necessary.
Other Decorating Tips
Make certain the bed has a firm wall behind it. When designing the bedroom, be certain there are no overhead cupboards and beams are never over the bed. If there is a bathroom, keep the door closed.
Outflow of energy can be avoided if you don’t sleep with the feet facing the door. A bed that is oriented to the north is not recommended. For the windows, it is best to go with arched or octagonal shapes.
As you can see, you can do a lot of the Feng Shui decorating without hiring an expert. All it takes to get positive energy flowing is to arrange the room in the manner suggested above.
To get that sleek modern bedroom design, you’ll want to forego the elaborate furniture, myriad colors and intricate patterns. When it comes to contemporary bedrooms, the minimalist approach is preferred.
Color Tones
The preferred color is neutral like beige or taupe. Accents are black, white or both. Among other designers, gray is becoming popular too. In some circles it is used as a neutral with bright accents.
Green and blue are still popular because of their soothing elements. Pinks and reds are still used in romantic bedrooms. As a rule, the color used in contemporary deigns are solid. Intricate colors and patterns are used sparingly.
Window Treatments
Windows are primarily for giving natural light, hence the embellishments are minimal. This holds true regardless if they are valances or drapes. Sheers or wooden blinds may be used as well. Avoid using elaborately designed curtains.
Bed and Other Furniture
The bed should be streamlined with a sleek metallic look. Dark wood with clean lines will also look great. Avoid curves and ornate headboards and footboards. Modern chairs and tables are usually dark wood with some silver trimmings.
The dresser should be the same color. Gold and silver handles are acceptable. If you’re going to put a mirror on the dresser, get one with a simple frame.
You can arrange the furniture in any manner you want, but make sure there is enough space available. In modern bedroom design, the empty space is an integral part of the whole set up.
Lighting
Lamps should still be placed beside the bed and the desk. Look for models that are compact and correspond with the furniture colors. The light itself should be soft. The lampshade color is up to you. Just make sure that you won’t have problems reading with it.
Flooring
Don’t ignore the flooring. It doesn’t have to be the same colors as the wall, but it shouldn’t be too distracting either. If you want to use rugs, choose solid colors like black, beige or white.
Strategically placed, they will pull the whole room together. Don’t use Persian rugs or other colorful carpets; they will appear out of place. Worse, people’s eyes will be drawn to the floor and not the room.
If you’re going for the modern bedroom design, use abstract style artwork for decoration. Some knickknacks won’t hurt, but keep them organized on the table. Keep the decors simple as well as the colors.
Modern bedroom colors are always evolving, and individual preference should always be considered over existing trends. Nevertheless, there are colors and styles modern interior designers agree on.
Simple yet Elegant
In terms of color and texture, popular choices are sleek metallic and wood finishes. These two materials come in many different styles, so variety is not a problem.
The wood finishes are best used with earth tones like green, light tan, brown and other natural colors. The metallic colors work best with white, black, glass and geometric shapes. Sometimes black and metal finishes can be used as combined predominant colors.
Neutral Colors
Modern bedroom colors often use neutral colors like fawn, plums, dark or light brown and taupe. Other contemporary colors include ivory, cream, and soft blacks. The popularity of these colors is due to the demand for adaptable, flexible and soothing colors. Unlike green, yellow or red, neutral colors allows one to redecorate the room easily.
Using Colors Properly
After settling on the main colors, you can add accent and splashes of other colors. It is best to use these accent colors on the decors so you can change the room style with ease.
You can add interest to the room by using brightly colored textures and fabrics. If you love colors, get pillows with Chinese or Indian patterns for the pillows and linens. Colorful patterns can be used for the rugs and carpets too.
For an artistic touch, place a multicolored or glass vase on the table. Add some interest to the neutral colored walls by putting up a multihued painting. You can put the painting over the bed or several small ones at the walls.
Less it More
In modern bedrooms, the space is as important as the color. Make sure there is enough space for you to move around. Avoid overcrowding the room with furniture.
The same holds true for the colors. Use the shades for accents, but nothing too intense. Strive to keep the style and color easy on the eyes. With a busy lifestyle, the bedroom must provide people with a sanctuary to relax. The rule is simple: you cannot have too much free space in the room.
The modern bedroom colors are designed not just to be eye candy; they are made to soothe and relax people. By carefully choosing the right shades, your bedroom will be the perfect place to start and end the day.
Bedroom design ideas are generally divided into modern, vintage or classic. Contemporary homes can come in different forms. While the classic can refer to particular eras (i.e. Victorian), vintage refers to styles dating from the 1930s to 40s. If you prefer this style, use the following as a guide.
How to Get the Vintage Look
Start by getting dark wood furniture. Cherry, walnut or mahogany will be perfect. Beds should have curves or short posts. Alternatively you can go for the sleigh bed. Whichever bed you choose, make sure the dresser and nightstand match up. Plain dark furniture can be embellished with some gold scrollwork.
Shiny metals like gold and bronze are the most ideal finishes although brushed ones are acceptable. The headboards and footboards should have interweaving or curled metal rods. The metal finishes are complemented by light hued wicker furniture.
Other Vintage Design Tips
Get a framed oval mirror that corresponds to the furniture. Place it over the dresser. Add a couple of lace dollies. Any style will do. The lamps should be made of dark wood or have gold embellishments.
Another good choice would be porcelain lamps with pastel enamel or floral designs. Fabrics should be candy pink, sky blue, mint green and other cool hues. Avoid mixing the patterns.
Bedroom Design Ideas: the Contemporary Look
The emphasis should be on wise usage of space and functionality. Clutter and knickknacks should be kept to a minimum. The chairs, dresser, mirror should be complementary. Multifunctional furniture is an important feature.
Buy footrests that can be used for storage and headboards with drawers. Colors and accents are usually sleek metals or wood finish. Shapes can be varied; rectangles, freestyle curves and ovals will work. You may opt for geometric or organic shapes or use both.
Lighting is soft and the style contemporary. The windows are sparingly decorated and should produce natural light. Room colors range from soft blacks to plums, browns, and ivories.
For a more soothing atmosphere, use a palette of natural colors. Screens and paper lamps may also be used. If you find the decor too sparse, add some texture. The fabrics can have bright colors and patterns, but don’t overuse them. A little bit of modern artwork will add to the contemporary look.
Whether you prefer vintage bedroom design ideas or a more contemporary look, the key is picking the right furniture. After you get the pieces, you can start arranging the room in earnest.