In his book, "IdeaWise: Basements and Attics: Inspiration and Information for the Do-It-Yourselfer," Matthew Paymar makes the point that because an attic is a separate entity from the house itself, it doesn't have to be consistent with the style of the rest of the house. You can have fun creating a completely unique living space for your small attic bedroom.
Instructions
1. Create adequate light for an attic bedroom. This is an essential step in decorating what may be a naturally dark area. You might need to add a window to the end of a room or a dormer before you begin the actual decorating process. Recessed lighting fixtures are effective because they take up little space. If you decide on a lighting fixture with a fan, make sure there is adequate headroom. For table lamps, select shorter ones with neutral-colored shades.
2. Decide on a theme for the room in preparation for painting the walls and bringing in furniture. For example, you might like to pick up on the "artist's garret" idea and decorate the bedroom accordingly. You might also go with a "man cave" theme or a Victorian chamber. A children's bedroom could take on a fairy princess or sports theme. If the bedroom will serve as a guest room, think in terms of the ultimate comfort of a bed-and-breakfast accommodation.
3. Create a color scheme that will enhance your chosen theme. Start with a background color, painting both the walls and ceiling to give the room an illusion of added height. You might even consider carpeting the room in the same color as the walls, unless you're going for a more rustic look. For the artist's garret, you want stark white walls and ceiling, leaving the wood floor as is; in fact, if the floor is already in poor shape, go ahead and plop on some blotches of colored-paint on it. A dark brown cork floor contrasted with tan paint creates a masculine look.
4. Choose furniture to complement the room in both size and color. Keep in mind that there may be little headroom in some areas so furniture will need to be arranged accordingly. A dresser in a nook will work as long as the drawers can be pulled out far enough. If you want sleeping space for two, consider a trundle bed. A monochromatic color scheme works well in a small space -- or a small pattern without a lot of busyness. For example, you might go for bed linens striped light pink, pink and rose or an upholstered chair with a tan and brown plaid.
5. Accessorize the room according to your theme. Go for a few sizable accents rather than lots of small ones. For example, for the artist's garret you might frame one large abstract painting, set another unframed one with the same colors on an artist's easel. Also, store rolled-up guest towels and magazines in empty paint cans. For a Victorian chamber or a little girl's fairy princess room, drape the attic eaves in pink net and pin on fabric flowers. But, in a small space, less is definitely more. Be careful to not overwhelm the space.
Tags: artist garret, attic bedroom, color scheme, example might, fairy princess