Around the House, About Town with Donna

Making your house a home can be a challenge for some. Doing that in a foreign country can be even more intimidating. We turn to Donna Kelley,of Kelley Interior Designs to not only help us figure out how to make our homes beautiful but also share her insider tips on where to find the best pieces in Barcelona.

Bedrooms, Boudoir, Dormitorio

The official definition of a bedroom is “a room with a bed”, for sleeping in” (Webster New World Dictionary) but we all know that it is much more than that. Few spaces show your style and personality more clearly than your bedroom. Your style may be sophisticated, cozy, feminine, urban chic, shabby chic or whatever strikes your fancy-it is your private haven so make it your own.

When planning the décor of your bedroom it is essential like always to combine the aesthetics with comfort and practicality to get the best results.

If we take into consideration that one third of our life is spent sleeping it is very important to get this room just the way we want it. Of course the primary objective is to achieve a restful room in which sleep comes easily. How do we achieve this? Materials are of utmost importance.

Using warm flooring like wood or carpeting can help. Ceramic or marble floors are beautiful and while they are easy to clean they provide a cold jolt to any morning when stepping out of bed.

Besides the decorative elements to create the atmosphere we want it is important to invest in a quality mattress, pillows and linens. Cotton or linen sheets let our body “breathe” as they absorb the perspiration. Natural fabrics can also be used for the window treatment, whether they be linen curtains or bamboo blinds. They will create a cooler feel than heavy velvets or synthetic fabrics.

Obviously the main element of the space is still the bed and what a variety of beds we now have at our disposal!! Headboards can range from nonexistent to creations made of just about any material imaginable. Let’s take a look at a few of these options.

Headboards

Tufted Suede cloth headboard. Fabric covered headboards can have many different shapes.

You can be creative on a shoestring budget. Buy a wooden or plastic trellis at your garden center and create an original headboard for your daughter’s room. By leaving it with a varnished finish it could also be used as a rustic headboard in a boy’s room or in a master bedroom.

A wood panel attached to the wall with suspended shelves.

Urban chic. Tall tufted Ultrasuede headboard.

Night tables

Don’t be afraid to mix and match. It is absolutely not necessary (not even recommended) to buy an entire matching bedroom set. The unexpected is always more interesting. Try mixing antique pieces with modern. Contrasting textures and finishes make for interesting décor.

If you have the space, place an armchair or a small sofa in your bedroom and you instantly create a private cozy space for reading or listening to music.

Seasonal colors/fabrics

Few rooms can be transformed more quickly or more cheaply with fabrics than bedrooms. By simply changing the duvet cover or bedspread and cushion covers you can completely change the look of the room. Try changing the color in your bedroom according to the season. You will want lighter weight blankets and bedspreads for the spring and summer anyway so try using brighter colors or prints in the textiles and enjoy a totally new look.

What about color on the walls?

Colors: neutral, tranquil, deep warm tones. Bright orange may work in some rooms but it will not induce a restful sleep. Silver blue, light shades of green and creams are some peaceful tones you may want to try.

Usually the color of the window treatment is lighter than the wall color. Darker color curtains do not necessarily keep the light out for sleeping. Try black out blinds behind your curtains instead to darken the room only when you need it. Among possible wall finishes are paint, Venetian stucco, wallpaper and fabric.

Clutter? No thank you.

A restful setting is based on order and harmony. That means leaving clutter outside the bedroom door. Good storage is a must in a bedroom to keep all clutter behind doors or inside drawers. Cabinets, dressers and armoires can house an assortment of items. Many beds can provide storage in side drawers as in the photo on the left or with the end of the bed that lifts for under-the-mattress storage.

This study doubles as a guestroom with a sofa bed.

(compliments of Paula Dietz) A young teenager’s bed doubles as a seating area for her friends to chat and listen to music. The headboard module holds extra linens.

Next month’s blog will be about children’s bedrooms. Please send in your questions and suggestions for this topic and others.

Sources

Beds and mattresses

Coco Mat http://www.coco-mat.com

Palau del Descans http://www.palaudeldescans.com

Hästens http://www.hastens.com

Headboards

Tapicerías Cusó http://www.cusotapissers.com

Most upholstery shops

Bed linens

Perla Gris http://www.laperlagris.com

Zara Home http://www.zarahome.com