Saturday, July 18, 2009

How to design an oversized bedroom

While it can be a great joy to have an oversized bedroom, such room can be a huge challenge to decorate. It may be difficult give a large space the cozy feeling necessary in a bedroom. Here are some ideas to make your oversized bedroom more conducive to sleep, rest and relaxation. Keep it simple: Just because the room is large does not mean that you need to fill it with lots of things like exercise equipment computer systems. These things do not promote rest. All you really need in your bedroom is a bed, the bigger the better. All other items are expendable.

Get it off the wall: In a very large room, there is no reason to place your bed against the wall. Put it in the center of the room facing the windows with the best view. It is preferable for the bed to be facing a direction so someone entering the room would not be able to see the bed, but only the headboard. You can add to more privacy to the bed by placing a large armoire or dresser with the back of it to the headboard. If the back of the dresser shows through the headboard, you can upholster the back of the dresser with fabric, to coordinate with the bed. Sleigh beds adapt well to this placement because they have high headboards. Canopy beds would work as well because you can use fabric hanging from the bed poles as a screen. Folding floor screens can be placed at the head of the bed if you do not have a dresser or armoire that will fit in the space. For side tables, find pieces that look good from all sides like round tables instead of traditional nightstands. You can also choose to purchase a headboard unit designed for such a placement. Side tables are usually attached.

Break it up: Break the room into two or three zones, sleeping, lounging and dressing. Creating a sleeping area is obvious. Place the bed and side tables in one area of the room. For the lounging area, add sofas and chairs to the bedroom for an area to sit and talk, or even furnish an area where the children can feel comfortable. If you find you are sharing your bed with children, and want them to transition into their own beds, make sure that your bedroom sofa or lounge chair is comfortable. You may even want to add a day bed to your room. This way they can sleep in your room, but not in your bed. Once they can sleep without being next to you, transitioning them to their own bed will be easier. For your dressing areas, you can place your dressers, armoires and mirrors grouped together and add a bench or chaise that you can sit on when dressing. You can separate the room for more privacy if you wish. To do this, add a folding screen to block the view to your dressing area or use a two-sided bookshelf. The shelves can display beautiful items on the side facing the bed, and clothing related items on the other side.

Super-size it: Buy big furniture. A big room calls for big furniture. Get a California king bed with a double pillow top mattress that sits high off the floor. Add a set of bed steps or stools so you will not have to pole vault into the bed. Instead of traditional side tables, use three or four-drawer dressers on each side of the bed. Placed next to a large bed, they will look like night tables. You can use the drawers to eliminate clutter around the bed as well. Instead of a bench or regular chest at the foot of the bed, as they will tend to look like miniatures, place a low dresser without the mirror. You will have a super sized footlocker in which you can store spare bedding. Another option for the foot of the bed is a cabinet in which a television on a hydraulic system is housed. This way the TV is seen only when it is in use. Instead of traditional dressers in a room of this size, you might opt for a full wall unit or built in cabinets instead. Take advantage of the shape: Many large rooms are also odd shaped rooms. Use the shape of the room to your advantage. You can place one of your room zones, like your dressing area out of sight in an L-shaped room. Alternatively, you can tuck your sleeping area into the nook of a T-shaped room.

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