Bedroom

Stress Free: Minimalist Bedroom Design Ideas

A minimalist design style is a good choice for a bedroom, since the space needs to be relaxing. When it comes to minimalist bedroom design ideas, one design style to get inspiration from would be Scandinavian. They use a lot of whites and greys and decorate the spaces with textures, plants and wooden items. Even if you go with a minimalist bedroom design, you can still style the room how you want – rustic, shabby chic, bohemian, etc. There are just two main things to keep in mind when creating that minimalist bedroom – 1) get rid of clutter 2) color management.

Designing with Color

The bedrooms in the mood board above mostly use neutral tones. Such as grey just like the bedroom in picture (1), tan, or white (2). These would be popular color palettes for a minimalist bedroom. This doesn’t mean you can’t use a color like red or teal to decorate the room. But if you do, you need to focus the color scheme down, and make sure everything in the room sticks to it.

Say you want to go with a purple or grey bedroom color scheme. You’ll need to take out pieces in the bedroom that go against the color scheme. A red pillow is distracting and ruins a purple color scheme. Bold colors that stand out in the room take away from the minimalist and zen feel of the space. You want things to blend in as much as possible, and nothing to dominate.

Visual Clutter

What is visual clutter? Visual clutter are pieces in the room that distract you and take away from the overall design scheme of the room. You want to create a clean design, and have the eye continuously moving around the room.

Avoid using bold patterned items like floral curtains and bedding. When it comes to the curtains you want them to blend in with the room. So look for a color that blends well with the wall color.

This is what makes built in cabinets and closets great. Not only do they make efficient use of the bedroom space, but they will be designed to blend in with the design of the room. Taking up less ‘visual space’.

Since the bed is the biggest piece of furniture in the bedroom and takes up the most amount of space, it plays an important part in the styling of the room. Here you want to go with a minimalist bed design. A platform bed is the way to go – just like the one in picture (3). Most platform beds don’t take up any extra space other than the mattress that sits on it. They don’t have decorative and curved headboards or footboards – making them ideal for a minimalist bedroom.

Bedding also plays a big role in the styling of the bedroom. Invest in good looking, and well designed bedding. Simple textured fabrics do well in adding style to the room. Check out the beds in pictures (4) and (5). See how the colors blend together, and there is a textured design.

Getting Rid of Physical Clutter

You have to get rid of clutter if you want to create a truly minimalist bedroom. Some people like to take their time, day by day slowly get rid of the mess and items in a cluttered bedroom. Other people like to do it all at once – grabbing large garage bags and chucking everything out and organizing all at once. Another way to go about it is to pick a room, storage closet, or a separate space in the house where you can chuck all the unnecessary items into. This quickly lets you create a clean and clutter free bedroom – and you can deal with sorting out the clutter pieces later.

Figure out where the clutter problem areas are in your bedroom. Then figure out ways to curb the clutter. Bedside tables can be places where a lot of clutter can build up. One easy solution is to get clutter bowls and trays. By simply grouping items into these trays or bowls, you quickly clean up a space.

For a step by step guide, have a look at my post here: Stress Free Living: How To Declutter Your Bedroom

Storage Ideas

Try and store everything away. Books, clothing, dirty laundry – keep it all out of sight. Have storage boxes under the bed, but only if they can’t be seen. Having a hook on the back of the door isn’t such a great idea since it can be seen. But a hook on the inside of the closet door works.

If you have open closets, you might want to find ways of closing these off since they add to the visual clutter of a space. Closet curtains or doors will work.

Lighting Design

Modern homes use recessed ceiling lights because they are hidden away in the ceiling – seen in the bedroom in picture (6). This creates a clean and elegant look. Ideal if you want to create a minimalist bedroom style.

Another lighting tip is to hang your bedside lamp on the wall, and have the light switch integrated into the wall. What this does is leave more bedside table space and gets rid of the wires.

Decor Pieces

When it comes to decor pieces in a minimalist styled bedroom, you want to go with as few as possible. 2-3 meaningful and well thought out pieces will do the trick. In many cases, a lot of the items you have around the bedroom, from the bed and bedding to storage pieces, will act as decor pieces if you invest in good design.

Look for textured items. I talked about textured bedding above. Other textured items include wicker storage baskets, plants (7), a wooden stool. Go with abstract art pieces that are either monochrome or black and white (8). 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10

Room Guide: Modern Bedroom Ideas and Designs

I find it quite hard to define the modern bedroom style. It really just comes down to clean lines, plain textures, and avoiding anything really decorative. If you have one piece, like a lamp shade, that is any bit decorative or from a style (vintage, traditional, shabby chic) you really move away from the modern styling. When it comes to modern bedroom ideas, the two biggest factors in creating the style and look would be the lighting design and the type of bed you use.

Color Palette: Modern Bedroom Colors

Popular Color Choices

Neutral colors are the popular color palettes for a modern bedroom style. White, grey, and tan. Look at the bedrooms in pictures 2, 3, and 10 in my color palette post here: Bedroom Color Ideas: Paint Schemes and Palette Mood Board. These color choices help create a minimalist style. A grey color scheme would be recommended, just like the bedrooms in pictures (1) and (2) above. Have a look here for more grey bedroom designs: Grey Bedroom Ideas, Decorating Tips, and Design Pictures.

Adding Color

If you want to add some color to your walls, go with a bold one – a deep shade. Light pastel colors will create a more shabby chic and traditional styled bedroom. A deep red or a deep blue would work. Use this on a feature wall. A feature wall is one wall that is painted with the color of your choice. In the bedroom this one wall is the one up against the headboard. The rest of the walls in the room are painted in a neutral color like white, light grey or tan. This feature wall will stand out and become a focal piece, adding color and style to the room – just like in the bedroom in picture (4).

Design Ideas and Styling Tips: Avoid Patterns

You want to avoid using heavy and bold patterns when creating a modern bedroom style. Clean and simple designs are the way to go. So avoid having patterned wallpaper, patterned curtains, and bedding. Instead go with simple textures. An example would be to avoid floral wallpaper designs and instead go with a linen texture. This can be done with wallpaper or with a simple painting technique: Textured Wall Painting Ideas: From Faux Wood to Linen Effects.

Simple Yet Stylish Modern Wall Decor Ideas

So when you are decorating your bedroom, remember to stay away from bold patterns if you want to create a modern look. Simple textures work best – check out the simple textures of the bedding in picture (5). Color blocking is also a great way to decorate and add style and color to the room. Color blocking is when you mix and match solid colors. For example – a blue duvet/blanket mixed with purple pillows – with a darker shade of blue for a headboard.

Modern Lighting Design

I believe that lighting and the style of the bed you choose will be the 2 biggest things that will create a modern bedroom. Modern homes are well lit, so the more well planned lighting ideas you can incorporate into the bedroom the better.

Modern Bedroom Lighting

A must have in a modern bedroom are recessed ceiling lights just like in picture (6). Recessed lights are fitted into the ceiling, hiding the entire light fixture. This creates a sleek and modern look. Cove lighting is another ceiling lighting idea to consider (The Beauty of Using Cove Lighting: Design and Ideas).

In the Headboard

An added luxurious touch would be to add headboard lighting (7) (8). This creates a nice soft glow in the room, and can be used for reading. Again, recessed lights are the way to go – clean and modern.

Lamp Styles

It is really hard to say what style of lamps to use. A lot of the bedrooms in the mood board look really modern, but the lamps they use are more traditional and take away from the modern styling of the room. Avoid cone shaped lamp shades as these are completely traditionally. Drum lamps are better but are still a little bit traditional. The chrome/metal lamp in picture (9) is a good choice for a modern bedroom – but does lack a bit character.

See if you can hang bedside lamps to the wall – just like they do in hotels. If you can get the wiring in the wall too, this will eliminate any wires beside the bed – creating a cleaner look. By doing this, you also save bedside table space.

Closet Lighting

Adding closet lighting is a nice modern home feature to have. This can be done in a number of ways from having integrated puck lights fitted to the underside of shelves, to lamps fitted to the top of the closet. For ideas and a mood board have a look at my post here: Closet Lighting Ideas: From Wireless to Walk In.

Going Green

How about having a solar tube fitted in the bedroom? These are more common in hallways, closets, and bathrooms, but they can work in bedrooms too. Solar tubes are tubes that are fitted from the top of the roof to the ceiling of the room. In the day they bring in daylight – saving you electricity. You can get solar tubes that have an LED light fitted in them so that they can also be used at night.

Modern Furniture in the Bedroom

The bed takes up the most amount of space in the bedroom. Because of this it is a focal point – making it an important piece in the whole styling of the room. Along with the lighting design, the type of bed you use are the two biggest factors in creating a modern bedroom.

Here you want to avoid any decorative styled bed. If you look at the pictures in the mood board, all of the beds are simple in design. They don’t have a footboard sticking out. The headboard is simple. The bed kind of blends in with the rest of the room – it doesn’t take up any extra space other than the space of the mattress. Traditional beds such as a four post, canopy or sleigh bed, take up a lot of physical and visual space in the bedroom.

A good choice for a bed would be a platform bed, which is what most of the beds are in the mood board. A platform bed does not require a box spring. The low down design, and being able to see under the bed, makes the room feel larger and more spacious.

When it comes to bedding, opt for solid colors and simple textures. The bedding in picture (10) is a good example of simple and modern bedding design.

Minimalist and Clutter Free Design

Simple and clean design is the way to go in a modern bedroom. This means keeping the space clutter free and minimalist looking. Try and keep items stored away in draws and closets. If you tend to put a lot of small items on a bedside table, get a clutter bowl or tray to group items.

When it comes to cabinets and closets – built it is the way to go. They make the best use of the space in the bedroom, and they will be designed to blend in with the design of the room.

Design Tips for Modern Closet Doors

Try and keep decor pieces to a minimum. Some ideas include a plant, abstract painting (better if it is monochrome), and black and white art/photograph pieces. You don’t see many decor pieces in the bedrooms in the mood board. This is because the bed itself is a major decor piece, along with the well chosen textured bedding. It really is the main decor piece in the bedroom, and sets the tone and style of the space.

A Clutter Free Home: Modern Decor Ideas

For a step by step plan on decluttering, have a look at my post here: Stress Free Living: How To Declutter Your Bedroom

image credits: 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12

February 4, 2014 in Bedroom

Room Guide: Master Bedroom Ideas and Designs

I’ve written a lot of mood board posts that go into detail on a lot of the different master bedroom ideas and design sections below. I hope you don’t mind bouncing around a bit to the other posts on the site – the different mood board posts will really help give you some good design ideas and more photos.

The Color of The Room

What paint color you use on the walls is really a matter of personal taste. But if you want to make the bedroom feel bright and spacious then go with a light color. If you have a large bedroom and want to make it feel cozy, romantic and secluded, go with a dark color. For a range of master bedroom colors and paint ideas have a look at my post here: Bedroom Color Ideas: Paint Schemes and Palette Mood Board. And here is a collection of the different bedroom styles I’ve posted about (from Bohemian, to Vintage and Shabby Chic): Bedroom Style Ideas.

Designer Lighting Ideas

Lighting plays an important role in any bedroom. It can turn an ordinary looking room into a designer one. In a master bedroom you have more space to play with, making lighting even more important. Here are some lighting ideas to consider:

For elegant lighting ideas, have a look at cove lighting just like in picture (1). This creates a soft glow, adding a luxurious touch in a master bedroom. To find out the specifics on what cove lighting is, ideas on how to use it, and for more pictures, have a look at my mood board post here: The Beauty of Using Cove Lighting: Design and Ideas
Another lighting idea that is ideal for the master bedroom, is a chandelier or a mini one.
Dimmer switches are always great to have. They allow you to switch from more cozy and romantic lighting, to brighter lights instantly.
Take inspiration from hotels when it comes to bedside lighting. Instead of having a table lamp, look to fit lamps to the wall and have the light switches fitted into the wall. Having lights on both sides of the bed helps frame the space in the room, and by having them on the wall you save bedside table space and get rid of the wires.
If you live in a cold climate, a fireplace in the bedroom is a luxurious touch. For more dream features have a look at my post here: Dream Bedrooms: 6 Amazing Features.

For other relaxing bedroom lighting ideas have a look at my mood board here: Relaxing Bedroom Lighting Ideas.

Furniture Ideas

The Bed

The bed is the main focal point in a bedroom. This is because of how much space it takes up. So the style of the bed you have, and even the bedding you use, will play a big role in the styling of the room. So pay attention to the style of the bed, even the color of it. For a romantic and grand looking bed go with a canopy (2) or four poster bed:

Romantic Ideas: Canopy Bedroom Designs

There are also modern looking beds, with clean lines. But for more decorative, and larger bed frames, there are French styled and sleigh beds:

Other Furniture Pieces

Have a bench at the foot of the bed just like the bedroom in picture (3). This will help make changing clothes a lot easier. And if you have a bench that opens up, it can also be used for storage.

Full length mirrors are a must have in a master bedroom. It is another item that will help make changing clothes more convenient.

The Benefit of a Master Bedroom: Closet Space

One of the benefits of a master bedroom is the amount of closet space you’ll have. If you are doing a complete remodelling of the bedroom, or are constructing your home – see if you can build in a walk in closet. Yes it is a luxury to have, but it also gets all the closets out of the bedroom – making for a more relaxing space.

Even if you have closets in the bedroom or a walk in, adding lights to the shelves is a nice touch. Relying on a ceiling light usually doesn’t cut it, as the light won’t reach each shelf. Having lights added to the underside of each shelf, or even at the back makes everything a lot more convenient (Closet Lighting Ideas: From Wireless to Walk In).

What To Do With Extra Space

If you have a lot of space in your master bedroom then why not have your own little nook. This can be a reading nook overlooking a window, a sitting area (4) (5), or space for a daybed. It is a relaxing space that you can use in the day. Creative Bedroom Ideas: From Reading Nooks to Hanging Chairs.

Divide up the layout of your bedroom if you are tight on space in the rest of the house. You can have a home gym , nursery, or even a home office in the bedroom (6). The key is being able to close off this space and hide it when it is not in use, to keep the bedroom a relaxing place. One way to do this is to use DIY room dividers like curtains or book cases – have a look here for more ideas: Ideas Mood Board: DIY Room Dividers. Area rugs also help define different sections in a room.

For home office ideas in the bedroom have a look at my mood board here: Bedroom Office Ideas, Tips, and Designs. There is also the option of turning a closet into a home office space: Creating a Workspace At Home: Closet Office Ideas. 1/2/3/4/5/6

Bedroom Color Ideas: Paint Schemes and Palette Mood Board

Wall Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Steel Wool 2121-20.

For more grey bedroom design ideas have a look at my mood board here: Grey Bedroom Ideas, Decorating Tips, and Pictures

Wall Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Hampshire Taupe 990 (some people say this modern color ends up a bit darker than in the photo)

Wall Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Brandon Beige 977

Wall Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Southwest Pottery 048

Wall Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Templeton Grey HC-161

Wall Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Woodlawn Blue HC-147

For a Bohemian style bedroom, go with a dark hue like the Newburg Green HC-158 seen above – or go with white/cream walls. For design ideas have a look at my mood board here: The Free Spirit: Bohemian Bedroom Ideas.

Wall Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Steel Wool 2121-20 (The photo makes the walls look blue, when the paint is more grey)

A really popular bedroom color choice is black and white. For more design ideas have a look at my post here: Black and White Bedroom Designs and Decor Ideas.

Wall Paint Color: Benjamin Moore Linen White 912

For purple bedroom designs and ideas have a look at my mood board here.

For orange bedroom ideas, check out this mood board.

For pure black bedroom design ideas, check out this mood board.

For black and gold bedroom ideas, have a look here.

For all white bedroom room designs and ideas, have a look here.

For red bedroom design and ideas, have a look here.

For red and black bedroom ideas, look at my mood board here.

For green ideas, have a look here.

For blue bedroom ideas, have a look here.

For pink ideas, have a look here.

And for teal bedrooms, check out this mood board.

In the color palettes above, you can see that the color scheme of the room is not just made up of the paint color on the walls. Everything, from the furniture and floors to the art pieces and bedding, is taken when creating the color palette. So think about this when choosing the color of your room. Will the color of the furniture clash with the new color of your walls. If you really want to style your bedroom with one main color, say blue, then will you need to take out decor pieces that go against this (like an orange pillow, or red art piece)?

Dark vs Light

Choosing between dark or light bedroom color ideas will really make a difference in how the room feels. A dark wall color will make the space feel intimate, romantic, secluded and cozy – which is ideal for a bedroom. A light color choice will make the bedroom feel bright and spacious – ideal for a small bedroom. It is all a matter of personal taste.

Wall Choices

Another thing that is a matter of personal taste is how much color you want in a bedroom. Some people would love to have all of their walls painted in purple. For others, they might find it overwhelming. Here are some options you have when painting and styling a bedroom with a color:

Paint all the wall in the color you want
Paint only one wall with the color you want. This will be your feature wall. In the bedroom this is usually where the headboard is. The rest of the walls are then painted in a neutral color (white, off white, cream, grey)
Have all the walls painted in white or a neutral color. This creates a blank canvas for you to decorate the bedroom with the color you want (through the bedding, pillows, curtains, area rugs, paintings, etc.)

Master Bedroom Color Ideas

There is no right or wrong color when it comes to master bedrooms – it is all a matter of personal taste. If you have a small room and want to make it feel large, then go with a light color. If you want a more luxurious feel to the room – then a darker color will work best. Have a look at my mood board here for other design ideas: Room Guide: Master Bedroom Ideas and Designs.

Guest Bedroom Paint Colors

For a guest bedroom, sticking to a light color would be a good way to go. It’ll make the space feel bright and welcoming.

Bedroom Paint Ideas for Kids

For a boys bedroom, a dark color works well. Just like the deep blue in the picture below. Remember you have the painting options mentioned above. If you think having all of the walls in a deep shade will be overwhelming, then paint one feature wall and have the rest in a more neutral color like white.

Wall Paint Color: Adriatic Sea CSP-660

For a girls bedroom, bright pastel shades will look good. Think shabby chic – mint, pastel yellow/orange, or pink. The same applies here too – paint all of the walls in a color or create a feature wall.

Wall Paint Color: Turquoise Mist 695

For more kids bedroom color scheme ideas, have a look at my post here: Color Schemes: Kids Room Paint Ideas.

In The Real World
Be carefully when choosing your bedroom wall colors. The pictures you see above, and anywhere else online, are great for inspiration. But solely relying on the images and paint colors online can be a big mistake. For starters, different computer screens show colors differently. Also a paint color will look different on different surfaces and in different light. So it is best to go out and get paint samples of the colors you like and see online. Take them home and see how they look in your bedroom. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12