Top New Jersey Designer shares tips on how to design a dream bedroom
Sarah Elizabeth
Designing bedroom for us means learning as much as we can about how our clients want to feel in the space, and how they live. Like the rest of their home we want to gather as much information as possible, including their favorite color palettes, design elements they gravitate toward, and if they like bold patterns or a more neutral palette. All rooms in a home should flow and have a common thread or ribbon as I like to say, throughout them, so nothing feels “random”. No two projects are ever alike, and some clients may come to us with a vision, or even a favorite item like an area rug they’d like worked into the design - while others ask that we come up with a scheme as they aren’t sure. In that case, like designing other rooms in a home, we come with a collection of favorite fabrics that we may use for their drapery, upholstered bed or headboard, a reading or accent chair, and even long bolster pillow for their bed, like the above bedroom we designed for a client’s second home. Here we pulled green tones to bring the outside in, complimenting the surrounding pine forest, combined with vivid textiles as a nob to our clients’ love of fashion.
As a top New Jersey interior designer, we have designed everything from primary suites, to children’s rooms and guest rooms throughout New York and the tri-state around. Here are some of our favorite bedroom designs with examples of what we cover in this post.
design checklist & things we look for we use when designing a bedroom:
Is there a place for wallpaper, whether an accent wall, the ceiling, or the entire room?
What is the mood of the room, restful, harmonious, spa-like, moody, energizing, unexpected?
What is the color palette, whether neutrals like an ivory paint color, or would like clients like more color brought in?
What lighting designs can we utilize - sconces or hanging pendants for around the bed combined with a statement ceiling fixture is the combination we like to use whenever possible.
Is there room for a large dresser for additional clothing storage? Most times this is combined with a walk-in closet, and a great place for favorite objects, photo frames, vases, with artwork or a mirror centered above it (or TV if desired).
Is there space for a reading nook?
wHERE TO START WHEN DESIGNING A BEDROOM:
When designing a bedroom we start with the design phase, designing a cohesive floor plan that tells us what furniture items are needed, while also working on preliminary mood boards, furniture, flooring and fabric options. We note any furniture or items the client would like us to work into the design, as well as work on any built-in designs or millwork, as well as electrical work whether we are adding wiring for sconces, a ceiling fixture, any recessed lighting, or more outlets for example.
interior design TIPS TO CREATE A LUXURIOUS bedroom:
Use lush carpets. Its the first thing your feet touch as the beginning or end of a day and should feel soft and luxurious.
Add multiple sources of lighting most importantly sconces around the bed to for reading and mood lighting. At the end of the day having the subtle light from a sconce rather than overhead lighting creates a more relaxing environment. If you cannot do wall sconces a pair of lamps with a 3-way switch does the trip.
Most clients do not want a television in their bedroom but in some bedrooms, mostly in second homes, we have added picture televisions which now have wonderful frame options.
Paint the walls a flattering color thats also soothing. For some that might be a moody dark blue where they feel cocooned, while others it's a subtle ivory or off white. We also use pink tones often, as even the slightest hint of pink create a flattering glow in the room.
Add a soft throw blanket to the foot of your bed. While adding color and texture, it’s also great to add another layer on cold evenings or curl up in while reading in bed or in a stollen quiet moment during the day. Pro tip: I like to rotate my throw blankets not just in and out of the closet during different seasons but also rotate them between rooms to change up the decor.
interior Design tips to enhancing a bedroom using current furniture:
If for example a client has hired us to redesign their entire home and has a guest bedroom or kids room they'd like finessed more than entirely redesigned there are go-to tricks to finishing the rooms:
When using what the client already has as far as bedroom furniture, sometimes it’s just about moved the bed and rug around so that the room flows better. It’s amazing how much simply moving a bed to the correct wall, and laying an area rug starting just in front of the nightstands does for a space.
Add custom window treatments - we come up with a color palette to use on the drapes thats harmonious with the rest of the room - normally we do custom roman shades inside mounted, with a pair of drapes over them for max privacy and black out for sleeping.
Update the bed linens - this also does wonders for a room, think new duvet cover and throw blanket for end of the bed, paired with fresh white linens. It’s amazing the different this simple update can do!
Reposition the area rug like stated above - or add one. Many times a well made or even heirloom rug has been passed down to our client, or the clients’ first large purchase as a married couple for example - so meaningful for them. Instead of laying the rug under the night stands and bed as may seem natural, lay the rug so the end starts just in front of the night stands. That way the room looks larger, and the rug covers more area space, and simply looks purposely placed. It may mean turning the rug 90 degrees so the length runs the length of the room, or vice versa depending on the room shape.
Add a wallpaper accent wall. We do this often when the clients are happy with the wall color, and just want something that pops or feels elevated, whereas a wallpaper accent wall, most times on the headboard wall, make a small investment a large impact.
Put up sconces to flank the bed. This doesn’t have to mean cutting up the wall to hardwire sconces as there are so many great looking plug-in sconces out there and if you are low on outlets you can get creative with an extension cord under the bed, or even have a handyman hide cords in conduits.