Friday Five: Elements of a Relaxing Master Bedroom

In Decor + Design, Interiors, Lifestyle + Wellness by Tori DalyLeave a Comment

Architectural Digest Architectural Digest

Say what you will about the Kardashians but one thing they know how to do (other than make a bajillion dollars) is create lust worthy master bedrooms-with the help of talented designers of course!

The master bedroom should reflect the mood you want to create but the ultimate goal should be for your master retreat to be relaxing and by selecting + combining the right pieces you can achieve this. Here are five elements that will make your master the place you want to escape to recharge:

1. Layered Lighting

As mentioned before in other blog posts, lighting is one of the most important elements for being able to create different moods in a room. Natural light energizes, while recessed lighting on dimmers, decorative lighting + task lighting, as well as strategically placed candles throughout the room, will allow you to play with different amounts of lighting to get the right feeling. Bonus points if you choose bedside lighting that has 2 or 3-way switches for additional lighting options.

2. Textiles

This includes bedding, drapes, rugs + bedding accessories. Choose soft wool or cotton rugs, luxurious cotton bedding with a high thread count, and throw pillows + blankets you want to cuddle up with. We often underestimate the importance of tactile senses but if you’ve been sleeping on cheap, itchy linens just make the switch and you will definitely notice the difference.

3. Ying + Yang

Creating contrast is important in any space because it adds depth and dimension and keeps everything from looking washed out. If everything is too light or too dark the eyes work overtime because there is no place for them to relax. Having pops of contrast creates interest + keeps the eye moving around the room. But be sure the contrast isn’t too great because this too can cause eye fatigue.

Not only is it important to contrast color but also blend feminine + masculine elements. If you have hard, dark, heavy furniture (masculine) lighten it up with soft, neutral colored bedding, a plush rug + even a small beside floral arrangement. Metal or hard-lined glass lamps can be softened with silk shades.

4. Color

Along with contrasting colors, the overall palette you choose will set the majority of the tone for your room. However, if you have minimal natural light, try to avoid a large amount of dark items like furniture (this is our current situation…blah) and bedding. If you have a dark floor + dark walls, lighten it up with white bedding and neutral rug. If you have a lot of natural light + lighter colored walls, opt for darker furniture or bedding accessories like throw pillows + blankets. When choosing colors, stick with roughly three color families that complement each other and use them in a ratio of 6:3:1 so that the base color is used in about 60% of the space, the next color is used for larger accent pieces and the third, preferably in higher contrast, is used in smaller accessories.

5. Reflective Surfaces

Mirrors, glass + crystal will reflect lighting in the room and can add a bit of elegance. Choose to incorporate this element through lamps + light fixtures and accessories like mirrors, decorative trays, vases + clocks.

When it finally comes time to update our bedroom (tomorrow??) this is the color scheme I’m going to aim for: gray/green walls (specifically this Sherwin Williams Oyster Bay), ivory rug + bedding, with gray + deep purple/fig colored accents for fall + winter (and blue accents for spring/summer). Since we have dark furniture and dark floors I want to lighten everything else up significantly. And I really wouldn’t mind having this bed. Sigh.

Wall Color // Bed // Rug // Chandelier // Lamp // Lamp Shade // Throw Blanket // Purple Throw Pillow // Fur Lumbar Pillow // Sham + Duvet

What feeling do you try to evoke in your bedroom?

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