Creating a Focal Wall Behind the Bed

Do you want your bedroom to make a statement? In a bedroom the focus should be on the bed as it is the feature of the room.  When designing a master bedroom, builders often create one long wall to accommodate a king size bed and nightstands. If you tour older homes there may not be such an obvious place for a bed in the room. This is also the case for standard bedrooms.  Creating a focal wall in a bedroom will anchor the bed in the room.

This bedroom has a decorative wall of wallpaper behind the bed. This creates visual interest for your eye to focus on. The pattern in the wallpaper behind the bed adds a design element that gives the room some interest and personality. Neutral bedding and carpeted floors keep the eye on the feature wall.

When it’s time to change the look and feel of the room, changing out the focal wall can be a lot less expensive than replacing the furniture in the room. If wallpaper is too strong of a design statement for you, consider using paint to create a focal wall behind the bed. You can coordinate the wall and linen colors or use a contrasting color for the walls to help it really stand out. Pattern, color, and texture can all be used to create a fantastic feature wall.

Sometimes the best place for a bed in a room is in front of a window. The old rules of design said you should put a bed in front of a window, but today’s design rules are more adaptable.  If you do put a bed in front of a window, use the curtains to frame out the bed and window to create a focal wall.

The Pleasure of Reading in Bed

Master Bedroom photo from the Rancho Mirage model in the Oasis at Queen Creek community.

Master Bedroom photo from the Rancho Mirage model in the Oasis at Queen Creek community.

When you’re planning your bedroom, consider creating a space for reading in bed. For many people, spending time reading is a good way to get relaxed enough to fall asleep, and it’s so much nicer if all you have to do is turn off your light, put down your book and lie down.

To start, look for a padded headboard or one sloped for leaning against. This headboard adds drama to the master bedroom while the padded insert creates a good start to a comfy place to read.

Include some large pillows on your bed. These add style to your bedroom and provide the perfect elements to make a cozy place to curl up over a good book.

Think about lighting also. The matching lights on the nightstands give each person a direct light source for reading. The overhead light would also work, and with a remote to turn it off you don’t have to get out of bed when you’re ready to fall asleep.

If you are a regular bed reader but your partner would prefer to just fall asleep, consider investing in a tablet. You can read e-books on a back-lit surface without a light that might bother your partner at night. And if you are looking for your next book, library e-books are available 24-7 online.

While you’re planning your perfect reading spot, think also about how your bedroom will look. This combination of grey and navy is crisp and sophisticated. And the tray provides a perfect spot for a late-night cup of tea or a snack.

Make your bedroom work for you, in function as well as looks, and it can become your haven at the end of the day.

Master Bedroom Lighting Creates Relaxed Environment

While this master bedroom is spacious and inviting, the feature that makes it stand out is the lighting. This is an area that is often ignored when decorating, but its impact is significant.

This room, the master bedroom from Fulton Home’s Tehama model at Victoria Estates, actually has four lighting options available, along with a number of variations. The first choice is natural light. With plenty of windows, daylight would find this room cheerful and appealing.

In the evening, the ceiling fan provides a broad base of overall lighting with one flip of the switch. For a cozier look, keep that light off and take advantage of the spots on the ceiling. This type of lighting is softer and can be used to or provide a little minimal light. Dimmers on these lights give the owner even more options for light levels.

Finally, lamps on either side of the bed offer task lighting for a reader and add personality with the light patterns on the walls. Thanks to the variety of lighting options, this room can be brightly lit to make it easy to clean out drawers or make the bed. But it can also set a mood or just provide a comfortable space to watch television or read for a while before going to sleep.

Whatever room you work with, giving yourself a choice of lighting options makes the space more versatile. For example, spotlights can highlight artwork or just provide a little more light to brighten up a dark corner. Lamps can make a large room cozy by keeping the focus on one area. They also add a decorative touch. Lighting is as important to your décor as furniture and accessories. Like this bedroom, the more lighting options you create the more control you have over a room’s look and mood.