Thursday, February 5, 2009

Remodel A Simple Chic Bedroom

Bedroom chic reflects the need for rest and quiet.


The word "chic" can be used in many contexts. "Shabby chic" suggests making the best of what you have; "model chic" can describe someone whose elegance restricts the ability to smile. "Bedroom chic" has made some interesting changes in recent years. No longer is an ornate bed heaped with print-on-print fabrics the must-have item. Twenty-first-century bedroom chic reflects an intense weariness with over-stimulation of all kinds. Other rooms may still "make a statement." Chic bedrooms are nearly silent. Learn the strategies that will bring your bedroom up to recent chic standards, then relax, rest and enjoy.


Instructions


1. Remove or provide storage for all bedroom items with strong, visually stimulating qualities. This includes bright prints, intense colors, gleam, glitter and heavy textures. A chic bedroom has quiet colors, simple lines and lots of bare space. Keep ornaments simple and few; one spectacular plant is better than a collection of many. The same applies to collections of objects or photographs. Less is definitely more in the bedroom, and a chic room is visually restful.


2. Provide adequate storage for all the items you need to keep in your bedroom. Open bins or cute baskets for bangles, socks and electronics belong in a well-arranged closet or out of the room. Consider unobtrusive built-in storage if you can afford it. Better a single large armoire in a classic style than several unrelated storage pieces.


3. Create and stick to a limited and calming color scheme. Create your room as a sanctuary for someone who spends all day dealing with all the colors and movement of computers, television and advertising. Colors can be warm or cool but should coordinate closely (black, cream and soft green; peach, soft sun yellow, ivory and dark brown wood tones). Unmatched furniture can be coordinated with stain or paint.


4. Keep textures simple and natural. A frequent layered look depends on two quilts or blankets of the same fabric, texture and pattern, in different colors. The textures of natural materials play a subtle role in decor. Driftwood might appear, but not in extreme knobby shapes; linen or jute is more likely to appear in an unadorned curtain fabric than in an elaborate woven or macramed piece. Glass objects, mirrors and lighting fixtures are tailored and clean. Chic is simple in the extreme.


5. Bare and polish wood floors or unify the room with wall-to-wall carpet in a shade included in the color scheme. Another choice is to combine a bare floor with islands of simply textured area rugs. Aim for materials that appear both luxurious and utilitarian at the same time.

Tags: chic reflects, color scheme, your bedroom