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Dreamy Bedrooms
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Your
bedroom is a private, personal retreat where you can
shut the door on the world and be yourself. When planning
colour schemes for this space, aim to create a warm,
mood-enhancing look that whispers relax, take it easy,
wind down... |
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Your
bedroom is the first and last place that you see
each day—a private sanctuary of your very
own. It's also the place where you spend about a
third of your life; it should revitalize your spirit
each time you awake. Because
they are private spaces, bedrooms allow more flexibility
than other rooms in regard to colour, style and
décor, making the decorating opportunities
for these rooms almost endless. Just
remember, above all, the atmosphere you create in
your bedroom should be harmonious and comforting.
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Base your design thinking
around colours, textures, fabrics and objects that
make you feel calm, serene and secure.
Don't
neglect the practical side in planning out your
bedroom. The most well thought-out colour scheme
won't overcome piles of clothes (due to insufficient
storage space), stacks of books and magazines, exposed
wires, unflattering lighting, or cold floors.
The
bedroom is also the place for the things that are
most dear to you—whether that's art, photographs
or personal mementos. |
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While
bedrooms can look great in deep,
vibrant
colours, for a peaceful, restful
atmosphere,
quiet, muted colours are generally
the
best choice. |
Muted
colours are soothing, comforting
and
calming, lending themselves well to
sleep and relaxation. |
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Cool colours
such as blues, greens, and lavenders, are perfect
for bedrooms. Psychologically, these colours are
calming, evoking deep-seated feelings of peace and
tranquility.
As
an added bonus, painting with cool colours (especially
the lighter values) can make smaller rooms appear
slightly larger. Cool colours appear to recede visually—making
rooms painted in these hues seem more spacious and
airy.
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Tip:
When using warm colours
in your bedroom, opt for the lighter versions
of these hues—pastels, or warm whites,
rather than deep, dark shades. Soft, subtle
colours tend to encourage relaxation, while
deep, vibrant colours tend to stimulate and
invigorate. |
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Although
cool colours do tend to be the most satisfying choice
for bedrooms, warm colours—when used properly—can
also be used to create a peaceful, serene environment.
For
a warmer look, use soft shades of subtle, buttery
yellow, misty peach, or sweet, delicate pink to
create a restful, soothing ambience.
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| Neutral
colours are also an excellent choice for bedrooms.
Neutrals are very soothing—quietly elegant,
these subtle hues are calm and understated.
Using
neutral colours also offers a lot of flexibility
for décor. Since neutrals go with everything,
it's possible to make subtle changes—bedding,
artwork, and window coverings, for example—to
give the room a new, updated look, without having
to repaint the entire room. |
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The
ceiling is looked at more often in the bedroom than
in any other room. Decorating this area is an excellent
way to give your bedroom a complete, well-designed
look. To give the room a soft, serene atmosphere,
add a subtle tint of the wall colour to your bedroom
ceiling. Use a shade lighter than the wall colour
to make rooms with low ceilings appear more spacious.
Use a shade darker than the walls to make rooms with
high ceilings appear more intimate. |
Luxurious
fabrics, rich with inviting textures, soft,
sumptuous pillows, indulgent throws, down-filled
comforters and luxurious, high thread-count
Egyptian cotton sheets. not only are they
romantic, they'll also offer you a heavenly
night's rest! Tip: A simple, inexpensive swoop
of fine white netting or tulle can create
an intimate canopy effect that's easy to put
up and take down, whenever you desire. Just
fit a small cupook
in the ceiling and attach the netting with
a drapery ring.
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Bedrooms
are highly individual, allowing for more personal
and expressive décor. Because of this, they
are an excellent place to experiment with a decorative
faux finish, wallpaper or borders. |
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Mood lighting
is essential. Switch out that uninspired ceiling
light for a shimmering chandelier—as well
as providing wonderful illumination, it's also lots
more fun to look at.
Tip:
Replace your regular light switches with dimmers,
so bright reading light can be transformed into
soft, dim lighting at the flick of a switch.
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Romance involves all of
the senses—touch, taste, sight, sound and
smell. Music, lightly scented candles, fresh flowers,
perfumed sachets, even a bowl of fresh berries—all
can be instrumental in setting the right mood.
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| Tip:
As you turn on the bedside light, put a drop of lavender
oil on the bulb to impart a soft, alluring fragrance.
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