How to create a peaceful and glamour bedroom

Your bedroom is one of the most intimate room in your home and it should feel the most peaceful; after all this is where you rest. But peaceful and cosy doesn’t mean it cannot be elegant and timeless. Here are some of my tips to transform your bedroom into your own little sanctuary.

Royal Monceau Paris – Bedroom Suite

1/ Choose a soft palette for your walls
Your room should reflect your personality, so by choosing a colour you love, it will naturally feel more inviting. However, bear in mind that some colours have the power to soothe and some have the power to agitate – So I would recommend choosing a soft palette for your bedroom; if you wish to obtain that peaceful look –  If you really love strong colours, you can use it in decorative elements, such as art, flowers, a throw or accent furniture , etc… On that note, personally, in my designs I mostly use neutrals for bedroom walls.

 

Photo by Legno Bastone Wide Plank Flooring. See more coastal bedroom designs

 

2/ Symmetry
In a small space like the bedroom, installing the furniture in a symmetrical way is essential. Symmetry is naturally more attractive to the eye, it creates balance and harmony; which makes for a more peaceful room. The bed is usually the focal point in the bedroom design as it is the heaviest and largest piece in the room; so you can add on each side matching nightstands, lightings and art, for instance. Want to throw off the balance a little to make it look less boring and “too perfect” ? You can do this by adding different decorative accent on each side or something personal, a book for Mr and a frame for Mrs, or a flower on one side only…

 

See more traditional bedroom designs

 

3/ Personal objects
As I mentioned earlier, the bedroom is one of the most intimate rooms in your home and if you want it to feel like your little oasis away from the craziness in your life; then it should feel welcoming and familiar. To that purpose, add objects that you love, that bring up memories… An artwork, some books, a fragrance to spray the room with, pictures. I feel that sometimes to best art is enlarged professional family pictures…

 

Photo by Susan Glick Interiors. See more transitional bedroom designs

 

4/ Invest in the bed!
It is the biggest piece of furniture in the room, so it needs to be stylish and comfy! They say a mattress should last at least 10 years! So yes, it can be pricey, but it’s worth it in the long run. It’s worth it financially and physically; I do not need to tell you how important a good bed is for your back and a good night sleep for your brains and nerves:) – The frame of the bed, again, if you are looking for serenity, try to opt for neutral colours; you can have fun with the different shapes and materials of headboards etc… Finally the bedding , it is important to carefully select your duvet covers, shams and other decorative pillows; when you look at all these well-designed bedrooms, you will see that the bedding is no exception to achieve this perfect look. You can play with patterns, if you want to keep neutral colours and you can also play with colours; the good thing with this part is that you can change every week… Just make sure the colours go well with the rest of the room. Oh and please resist the urge to put too many decorative pillows…

 

Photo by Jamie Herzlinger. See more traditional bedroom designs

 

5/ Curtains
I have to admit I am very fond of curtains, I just love the effect they have on a room; but I am very picky and if the windows are not “fit” for curtains, then I’d rather simple and sophisticated blinds. In my opinion, if your windows are to narrow or small , then it is not worth it, it can look awkward and outdated, and the absolute no, no (for me), is short curtains. Curtains should be floor lengths, the bottom should touch or fold on the floor. I always think about a nice evening gown, if it falls just above the ankle then it is weird and lacks elegance; the same goes for curtains. Having said that, the good thing with curtains is that you can play with texture, patterns and colours…

 

Photo by Dodson Interiors. See more traditional bedroom designs

 

6/Glam it up with mirrors and flowers
Mirrors always add depth to a room, which is good in a small space like the bedroom, but it also adds glamour and sophistication. You can also add a nice bouquet here and there, it will instantly brighten the space and add a pop of colour to a neutral room.

 

Photo by Susan Glick Interiors. See more transitional bedroom designs

 

7/ A boudoir
This one tip is only if you have the space for it; it is one of the design trends of 2016 to style your room like a hotel- How to create it? It’s very simple, choose a nice seating that fits your space, it can go from a chaise lounge or a small sofa to a beautiful pouf; then add side or coffee table, it can also be piled up books that serve as a table… Then you can add a nice tray with beautiful glasses and a bottle of your favourite water (or wine, after all it is your own little sanctuary); and there you have your boudoir area! But bear in mind the last thing you want is an overwhelmed room where you can’t move, the more spacious it looks the more peaceful it will feel; so make sure that even even if you add the tiniest seating you can still move around:)

 

Restoration Hardware

8/ Unclutter
You do not have to go minimalist, if it is not your style. But try not to put too many things in your bedroom. Not too many pillows, not too many pieces of furniture if you do not have the space, do not put to many things on your nightstands and dresser… The les cluttered,  the more spacious and therefore, zen, it will feel!

 

Ando Studio Design

 
9/ Carpet or no carpet?
This one is my last point, only because, I personally am not a fan of carpeted floors. It feels very comfortable and it is noise-cancelling if you have easily upset neighbours. So yes, if you like carpeted floors then go ahead, but choose a soft and rich texture and neutral tones and it should go from wall to wall. If carpeted floors are not your thing either, a nice rug can do the trick to add softness to the room. It should be placed in a way that one part is under the bed and the other part, should stick out.

 

Advertisement

Kartell’s playroom –

Kartell, in collaboration with various master designers, produced a playful and funky children collection. As if the collection wasn’t cute enough, Kartell is now giving its customers the possibility to customize some of their designs by adding names and drawings – It is going to make you think twice about your classic nursery and children furniture…

 

“Lou-Lou” Ghost chair and “FL/Y lamp designed by Philippe Starck for Kartell

Clip Clap tables designed by Ferruccio Laviani for Kartell
H-Horse designed by Nendo for Kartell

Smile seating designed by Nendo for Kartell

Airway swings designed by Philippe Starck for Kartell

Discovolante & Testacalda cars designed by Piero Lissoni for Kartell

 

Art de vivre : a look into some Parisian homes

I have been lucky enough to visit so many wonderful homes while growing up in France – Whereas it was my parents homes in the south or my family and friends in Paris – They have been so inspiring to me, they do influence my style today and I try to incorporate the “French touch” in the homes and rooms I have been lucky to decorate. Today I would like to focus on Paris; the Haussmannian buildings, with their breathtaking mouldings and timeless wooden floors; some wonderful converted buildings with a breathtaking interior architecture… The interiors below have some common features that are utterly Parisian. Here are a few pictures of some great Paris apartments; hope they will inspire you as much as me –

1/ Mixing old and new

Source: Elle Decor France
Haussmannian buildings offer “grandiose” interiors with mouldings and wooden floors.  To me this is the greatest gift parisians have when it comes to real estate; think about it how much would it cost to create such incredible mouldings and perfect wooden floor? And how much for an old NYC apartment that already has those features ? In Paris, those interiors are standard and that is why it is such a gift! Once you have such surroundings it is easy to add very modern and contemporary furniture and have this old meets new style. But it doesn’t stop here,  as shown in the picture, contemporary furniture and more traditional are mixed up; the golden mirror and the very modern side and coffee tables; the darken wooden floors for a more edgy look on a classic…

2/ Daring art

Design: New Home Agency/ Source:www. architectes-paris.info                                    Parisian, and French people in general, are very bold when it comes to art. They love contemporary pieces that will “clash” with their classy, neutral interiors. It doesn’t have to always be such “sexy” pictures , as shown above; after all, the definition of “audacious” is very personal;)

3/ Paint the walls white

               Source: apartca-blog.com
Parisian interiors are often white, which is not a difficult choice to make when the walls are already that elaborated… In general, even if choosing to colour your walls, neutrals are usually the way to go in France, so you can allow yourself to be bolder in your choice of furniture and art – Above, the khaki, scandinavian-style sofa blends in perfectly in this wonderful white space with some touches of gold here and there.

4/ Long dramatic curtains

                 Source: http://www.sadecor.co.za                                                                                                                 Drapery is very common in Parisian apartments. They add grandeur, softness and a certain timeless elegance to a room. Whether it is a light, transparent fabric for a more airy and contemporary feel or a heavy, colorful fabric for a more rich and traditional style; if you want Parisian chic, think about adding floor-length curtains.

5/ A formal dining area

Design: Double G/ Source: noiretblancunstyle.blogspot.com                                                            After all, France, is the country of fine food and wine, so it only makes sense to have a room or an area where you can spend hours eating, drinking and talking endlessly with your friends and family… And Parisian do keep the French tradition, even if they have a small apartment, they will most likely have a dining area to entertain their guests.

… Just some additional pictures to illustrate the above, I just can’t share enough!

           Source: http://www.homelisty.com

Source: http://frenchyfancy.com/un-interieur-parisien-so-chic/

                                          Neo-gothic converted workshop  – Source: http://www.architectes-paris.info/les-10-plus-belles-renovations-dappartement-de-paris/

Design: Sarah Lavoine/ Source: Houzz.com

   Source: decorationetdesign.fr

… And my personal absolute favourite; it is the embodiment of my points above and so quintessentially Parisian:

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Design: Ando Studio/ Source: http://blogs.cotemaison.fr/archiboom/2014/04/13/un-appartement-design-a-saint-germain-paris/

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

 

What’s new in the kids rooms?

Following the design trends of 2016, pastel colours make for a peaceful baby and child rooms; they bring softness and a childish vibe to any style . Minimalism brought by the Scandinavian designers, also enters the children’s space, and with the right pick of pillows, carpets, and other objects of decor, the room remains very cosy and playful.

Minimalist bookshelf sold by Beluga.com – source: Elle.fr /

  Pastel VW play tent – source: http://fr.smallable.com/5351-vw-collection ($101.25)

 

Scandinavian-style kid’s desk – source: Normann Copenhaguen (http://www.normann-copenhagen.com)

 

Scandinavian-style kids furniture – Source: Normann Copenhaguen (http://www.normann-copenhagen.com)

 

Pastel nightlights by La Tete dans le bocal – Source: joliplace.com

 

Minimalist, practical, space-saving changing table by Charlie Crane – Source: Shanael.com

 

See more scandinavian wall stencils designs

 

http://www.archiproducts.com/it/notizie/50452/tornare-bambini-con-lago.html