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Bedroom & Dining
Room Design Ideas
Some of the best-looking and
most-interesting rooms in the history of interior design have
been bedrooms.
It is through these settings that we can gain important insights
into the social history of various periods and countries. A
lot can be learned about 18th-century England by looking at
a painting that shows the opulently draped bed and paneled
walls of a country house from that era. Similarly, a drawing
of an alcove containing a feather-quilted bed helps us piece
together the lifestyle of a 17th-century Dutch burgher.
In the same way, clues are being left today for future historians
who will be curious about how the American middle class lived
at the end of the 20th century. They will note, for example,
that the master bedroom has come to contain much more
than just the matrimonial bed. And they will probably deduce as
well that this room was often the most heavily used in the
entire home, with the possible exception of the kitchen-dining
area.
Indeed, for many young families, the master bedroom
has become an after-dinner gathering place. Older couples frequently use
it as a favorite area for reading or watching television.
If that's how a master bedroom actually functions, then it
makes sense to design it in a way that will accommodate these
kinds of activities. One option is to separate the
bed area from the rest of the room, either by installing a partial wall,
or by adding some type of visual screening. This can be something
as simple as a bookcase, a decorative screen, or even a furniture
arrangement.
A wall between two small bedrooms can be removed, thereby forming
a single large and comfortable room. A partial barrier 2 feet
deep can then be added, allowing a bookcase to be housed on
the sitting room side and a dresser and storage cabinet to
be incorporated into the bedroom. The partition is thick enough
for a TV to be installed at the corner. And when placed on
a swivel base, the set can be viewed from either the bedroom
or sitting room.
Both parts of the space must be designed in a way that
emphasizes their unity. Colors and patterns should be similar. In this
case, the color scheme consists of dove gray, yellow, celadon
green and apricot, since the intention was to make the entire
space look more like a bedroom than a family room.
In deciding on a design, thought must also be given to the
frequent use that this room will receive. The carpeting in
the two areas should therefore not only be similar, but might
also feature a small pattern that will minimize the appearance
of soils and wear.
Keep silk and damasks as well as pastel colors in other parts
of the house. An active family room/bedroom needs sturdier
fabrics and more defined colors.
A mural for the dining room
It is possible to find mechanical reproductions that emulate
the scenes that once were created by hand. Companies such as
Van Luit, Zuber and Twigs, to name just a few, have reproduced
some of those old favorites.
The original hand-painted paper was intended to create an
illusion of spaciousness in a typically small interior. Because
of its fragility, the paper usually was applied only above
the chair rail.
In cases where a room had several doorways and windows, only
a single wall was decorated with the hand-designed paper.
The other walls then would be painted in the same color as
was used below the chair rail.
There's another option available to you as well. Actual hand-painted,
Chinese-style wallpapers are being produced by contemporary
artists for Gracie & Co.
The patterns used in today's mechanically made and hand-painted
papers are both based, in many instances, on originals preserved
in museums. Some of them can be seen at the Winterthur Museum
and Gardens in Delaware.
These types of vertical designs gracefully lead the eye toward
the top of the wall, thus visually enhancing the height of
the space. # # # # #
SolveYourProblem.com : 2007
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