Bedroom

Closet Lighting Ideas: From Wireless to Walk In

The types of closet lighting ideas you use will depend on the type of closet you have. There are free standing closets (like the PAX closet from ikea), built in, tiny room with a door, or full on walk in closets. One thing is for sure, no matter what closet you have, is that you want the light to hit all of the shelves making it easier for you to find your things.

The FASTEST Way of Adding Closet Lighting – DIY Wireless and Battery Powered

The fastest way of adding lighting to the shelves in your closet is to use battery powered lights. Instead of having to drill holes and wire the lights, you can simply stick a wireless light in there. These lights have an adhesive on the back of them, so they simply stick to the sides of the closet just like in picture (1), to the top (2), or anywhere you want inside the closet.

There are two types of wireless closet lighting fixtures that you can get. You can get the magical motion sensor lights just like the ones below – when you open the closet these lights will automatically turn on. Another type is the tap pucks, you turn them on simply by tapping them.

The wireless motion light above and more like it can be bought on Amazon here

The good thing about these DIY wireless lights is that they are so quick and easy to install, and cheap. The downside is they are not permanent features – you have to replace the batteries/lights and they don’t add that luxurious touch to your closets.

Putting in Those Wires

Getting wired closet lights is a good way to go. You can even get them wired up to a door jamb, so that when you open the closet door, the lights will automatically come on.

Some ideas and solutions include using wired puck lights to light up individual shelves. Another option is to have lamps fitted to the top of closet pointing in as seen in picture (4), or track ceiling lights where you angle the individual lights to different areas of the room, one being into the closet (5).

IKEA has the BESTA shelving range that is made to have integrated lights fitted into them. There is also the PAX closet system, these too can have IKEA lights fitted into them – these lights will automatically come on when you open the closet door (6).

You can even find closet railings that have LED lights imbedded in them, just like in picture (7).

Walk In Closet Lighting Design

For walk in closets, you will also need the display lights to light up the shelves mentioned above – puck lights, directional lamps, or track lights. You can even get creative and fit lights behind the shelves, and add a soft glow – just like in picture (8).

Walk in closets will also need ambient lighting, so general ceiling lights (like recessed ones) (9), wall lights, or pendant lights (10). Solar tubes are great for day time lighting. These tubes are fitted into your ceiling and bring sunlight into your closet. You can even get tubes that have an LED ring, so they can be used at night.

If you have any countertops or an island, these would be good places to have a light. Like a table lamp, plugged into a electrical socket that is in the island. Or a pendant light that hangs down from the ceiling right above the island.

December 20, 2013 in Bedroom, Lighting, Storage

Dream Bedrooms: 6 Amazing Features

Here are some dream, yet realistic, bedroom features – no shark tanks or slides to pools, though that would be cool.

Relaxing Spaces: Some dream features on peoples’ lists include adding additional relaxing spaces to the bedroom. Picture (1) shows a swinging day bed, or how about hanging a hammock? While being surrounded by books tucked away in a corner, and looking out of a window makes for a relaxing reading nook anyone would want to have (2).

Walk In: How about a room full of shelves and mirrors, with stools and an island counter. Letting you store, organize, and display all of your clothes, shoes, and bags in their own private room (3).

Look Up: Having a double height ceiling creates a grand and luxurious bedroom. Having a higher up ceiling makes room for other great features. Like chandelier or cove lighting. You can also have different structural elements like a dome, or show off exposed beams like the bedrooms in pictures (4) and (5)

Romance: In any bedroom the bed is the focal point of the space. Having a larger bedroom allows for a centrepiece bed like a canopy one just like in picture (6). Another dream feature, for those living in colder climates, is having your own fireplace in your bedroom (7).

A Step Away: How great would it be to have a bedroom that steps out onto a swimming pool deck (8)?

Living Art: The most classic of dream bedroom features is an amazing view (9) (10). This has to be the number one dream feature, it is for me. Waking up in the morning to an amazing sight, and it all changes as the day goes on and turns into night. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10

October 3, 2013 in Bedroom

Romantic Ideas: Canopy Bedroom Designs

Traditionally, canopy beds would just be a bed with a frame around it. These types of beds are great for larger bedrooms, as they a) create a focal point in the room, and b) make the bed area feel more secluded and intimate. You can take these types of beds and style the room in so many different ways. You can even recreate the same romantic and secluded feeling without a canopy bed.

The easiest way of adding drapery to a canopy bed is just like in picture (1) – by hanging them over the top of the frame. Another way is to have them hang down and use tie backs to curtain them off (2). You can also turn the drapes into curtains so the bed can be open and airy during the day, and closeed off at night – just like the queen size beds in pictures (3) and (4). Picture (5) shows a normal king size bed, but curtains have been attached to the ceiling to create that canopy effect.

You don’t need to have a special canopy or poster bed to create that secluded feeling. Another way of creating that intimate and romantic mood is to hang a canopy just above the headboard (6). Or go for the bohemian look in picture (7) and use a hanging net to create the canopy. Pictures (8) (9) and (10) show drapes and a bamboo mat hanging over ordinary beds and furniture.

Wrapping string lights around the frame of a canopy bed is a romantic touch (11). If you use modern LED string lights, which produce less heat than normal ones, you can even wrap thin fabric/drapery around them to create a soft glow. 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11

September 27, 2013 in Bedroom

Home Style Shopping Guide: Vintage Bedroom Edition

Since the Vintage Bedroom Decor Accessories and Ideas post become quite popular, I thought it’d be helpful to put together a post of places where you can buy the items that make up a vintage styled bedroom. So here it is, the shopping list:

(1) In the ideas post we showcased a birdcage that was acting as a book shelf. The one pictured above is being used as a decorative plant display and is available here

(2) Restoration Hardware have these Pool Locker Baskets that are great for storage – link

(3) These glass bottles from Mella on Etsy can be used to display a single flower stem

(4) Amazon is the best place I’ve found for vintage wall clocks. The one pictured can be found here. But they have a whole range of vintage style clocks from wall clocks, side table ones and alarm clocks which can be found here.

(5) The Georgina bedding set from Anthropologie fits perfectly into a vintage styled bedroom

(6) Laura Ashley has a nice collection of vintage styled lamps. The Webber Table lamp pictured above can be found on Lighting Universe.

(7) Traditional clothing pegs can be used to hang up photos and can be found here.

(8) The framed vintage key from Restoration Hardware is a bit expensive but it does look great. Etsy has a lot of antique keys, but none of them framed well – a DIY project maybe?

(9) The horse and lady art print can be printed to different sizes and can come as just the poster or in a frame – from Zazzle.

(10) Other vintage bedroom accessories include vintage maps and bird prints. The one pictured above is a 1777 American colonies map and can be bought here. The same store has vintage world maps along with maps of Europe, Africa, Paris and whole bunch much more, along with classical bird prints – store link.