Photo Courtesy Marianne Simon Design

Since we are continuing to work from home, we want to make sure our clients have their dedicated rooms or spaces functioning properly and efficiently when working and resting. Our master bedrooms should be an oasis of some way, shape or form to escape the everyday meetings and work we do. Let’s take a look at a few suggestions for decluttering with the goal of transforming master bedrooms into the retreats we want to experience every night!

As we have mentioned in previous newsletters, a fresh coat of paint works wonders in updating a space and giving it that fresh new look. When painting a master bedroom, it is wise to stay away from strong jarring bright colors. Let’s leave those colors for media rooms, game rooms or even powder rooms. Your bedroom should feel tranquil and bring you a sense of peace when you enter the space. Good colors to use would be soft neutrals such as the sample shades below. If you prefer to have a little bit of color think about soft greens, blues and grays and slightly deeper tones of those shades. A soft shade of pink is even good for that romantic, traditional feel.

Image Courtesy: Sherwin-Williams

Neutral shades and tones of gray combined with natural elements such as grass cloth wallpaper or textured fabrics convey a more dramatic feel. Whatever colors you are attracted to, they should make you feel at peace and calm in your master bedroom.

Photo Courtesy: Becky Owens

Adding a variety of textures to your space adds visual and tactile interest as well as giving your space that designer look. We always like to combine textured fabrics and wallcoverings with more sleek and smooth or soft textures and finishes.

Proper window treatments are, for example, a great way to add texture, color and pattern to your bedroom. We prefer to layer our window treatments with window shades, either woven woods or roller shades and either drapery panels or a valance or cornice to complete the designer look we all love. Window treatments are not only beautiful, but they also provide the privacy needed in a bedroom. Beautiful window treatments can also have room-darkening capabilities to provide much needed restful sleep. Window treatments should coordinate with your selected bedding, consisting of comfortable fabrics with soft textures and a few decorative pillows for accents.

The furniture in your bedroom should be kept to those pieces that are a necessity and not be filled with pieces that are not of any true function or need. Ideally, we need a bed and a couple of nightstands with lamps. If you have the space to add a few extra pieces to fill the room appropriately, that is great! Think about a bench at the end of the bed  as shown in this next photo or include a couple of upholstered chairs with an ottoman for reading the morning paper or your favorite magazine. Keep your workout supplies, laundry needing to be put away and work items out of this space. Purge anything that does not truly belong in the bedroom. Your master bedroom should not be a dumping ground for items that you haven’t put away yet. Decluttering your master bedroom not only looks tidy, but it also invites a more serene space for rest.

Not having a TV in the bedroom is highly recommended. Experts have noted that a TV in the bedroom keeps us up later at night and can interrupt sleep cycles. Honestly, TVs are just not pretty to look at and flat surfaces should be kept clean. For instance, the surfaces of your nightstands and dresser should be kept clear of clutter. Nightstands should have at least one or two drawers for storage and, if you do have a TV in your bedroom, the nightstand is a perfect place to store the remote controls.

Photo Courtesy Table + Hearth

Another tip to achieve a master bedroom that’s decluttered is to review and purge clothing that is not worn. You will be surprised at the amount of space that will become available. I must admit, I need to work on this myself! Rather than laying clothes on the bed or seating in the bedroom, a closet with proper space for hanging clothes and storage space for your shoes is ideal. I like to keep my shoes (my weakness) in individual clear shoe boxes, so I am able to see what I have and what I need to remove. Similarly, I keep my sweaters folded in storage boxes as well. Nice and neat!

Image Courtesy: Design Idea

An area rug is also a great way to add texture, color and pattern to your bedroom. It provides comfort under foot when getting in and out of bed and also provides a bit of sound absorption by eliminating any echoes as well. When purchasing a rug, remember to make sure to get the appropriate size for your bedroom. The rug should be placed perpendicular underneath the bed just in front of the nightstands, leaving a “walkway” for getting in and out of the bed. This allows you to comfortably get out of bed in bare feet without the shock of the cold floor! The image on the right from Design Idea offers great visual depictions of queen and king size beds mixed with various rug sizes.

Lighting is another key element for a clean and decluttered bedroom design. Lighting creates the right mood and feeling. When used correctly, it shows not only an interesting room but helps you function properly as well.

Photo Courtesy: IES Light Logic

There are three different types of lighting — all shown in the above photo from IES Light Logic.

1. Ambient or general lighting in the form of recessed lighting or a beautiful chandelier is one type.
2. Task lighting is for reading or performing specific tasks.
3. Accent lighting like sconces or small table lamps are the third.

As designers, we love layering these different types of lighting in creating our vision for a particular space.

Finally, accessories in a bedroom add that finishing touch to complete the room. When shopping for accessories, keep in mind the colors you have used in your space and look for slightly more bold colors and textures to use. Decorative frames for family photos and special items purchased from travels are always a great way to add that extra special touch to a room.

So, when you are creating that wonderful retreat to escape to at the end of a long workday, remember these designer tips. They will certainly help you relax in your space and prepare for the next day. If you like, we can guide you in creating a wonderful space as well!

If you found this article of interest, you may also like “What Every Bedroom Needs“.