Bedroom Freshen Up

Every once in a while (ok, maybe more often in my case), it's time to freshen up a space.  That was the case with a dear friend of mine who lives in Atlanta.  We have been friends for a very long time.  I met her when I was practicing law in Atlanta - long before my husband and children!  In fact, I can make myself cry if I think about her and how infrequent our visits have become over the years.    

Recently, she called me and in addition to catching up on all sorts of things, we discussed some changes she wanted to make to her Master Bedroom.  She and her husband had purchased a new bed and she was struggling with bedding ideas that would compliment the bed and still go with the wallpaper she put up a few years ago, but was still loving.  So, I came up with a couple of options for the bedding that would freshen up the feel and tie in with the existing wall colors and paper.  

First, here is a picture of the wallpaper sample.  The wallpaper is on an accent wall and the other three walls (including the wall that the bed is on) is painted a pale green(similar to the green in the wallpaper).

It's a little hard to see (I scanned in the sample), but it is a Chinoiserie with accents in rose, pale blue, pale green and muted gold.  The print really jumps off the black background.  Also, it is impossible to see in this scanned picture, but the paper actually looks hand painted.  Very elegant. 

Here is a picture of the new bed (sans the footboard).

I think when you have a lot going on in a room (like wallpaper in a dramatic color), it is important to create some neutral space for you eye to rest.  In this case, the coverlet is a neutral tone.

http://www.westelm.com/products/lexington-quilt-and-shams-b549/?pkey=cquilts-blankets

Then for the pillows.  Here is the impact.  I created two options for her (simply because a girl needs choices)!

Option 1 

I like this one best.  The watery blue velvet pillows in the back just exude cozy elegance.  And the accent pillow in a printed linen pulls out the least prominent color in the wallpaper - this prevents that "matchy matchy" effect that you sometimes see in a space.  You know what I'm talking about, it all seems to go together, but there is no depth to the space (most often it's b/c the room matches too well).

Option 2 

Of course I had to do this one (since pink is the color of the year for 2011), but I confess, I am not a big pink person.  It is right up there with purple on the dislike scale for me (except in a little girl's room).  But I do think this is a very pretty look with the wallpaper.  The pink fabric is a linen and the accent fabric (which looks a bit stretched in this picture - I had to do this to give you the feel of a long pillow on the bed) is oh soooo scrumptous.  It is a silvery blue cut velvet with a creamy background.  It would add so much chic texture to the bed - I can hardly stand it.  

This is as far as we have gotten.  If she wants drapery panels for the space, I would go neutral and then maybe add a bit of tape on the edge of the panels in the accent pillow color to tie it all together. 

All this, mind you, has been done long distance (it's amazing what you can do these days with computers and some amazing online sources).  If you would like for me to help you with a space (regardless of where you live), contact me! I will gladly give you my rates and how it would work! M.