Take it Easy

Who will make the bed and how many pillows will be on the bed are usually the two most important questions when planning a master bedroom makeover. In the world of decorating bed making is one of the most hated tasks of the day. When a customer has strong opinions about the amount of pillows that will be on the bed, there is no choice but to comply with the request, otherwise all the pillows will remain in a stack on the floor. So then, the challenge becomes how do I make the bed look great with only two pillows? Let’s take a peek into the master bedroom of a Bridgeport Model to see that we created a wonderful easy going retreat ever though I was only allowed to use two pillows on the bed, somewhere in the heart of The Villages.

• Paint
This master bedroom was painted Rainwashed 6211 before we installed the floor. The green based blue kept the room light and blended with the view outdoors. The house sits on a preserve with lots of lush greenery and a heavy helping of blue sky beyond the large picture windows. Also, the master bedroom in this model can be seen from the living room so it is best if the paint goes well with the rest of the house which in this case is Rainwashed.

• Windows
Since everything in the room had to be easy and low maintenance, we trimmed out the windows in large molding and added headers to the top of each window. Once finished, the windows became large white picture frames to show the vast preserve beyond.

• Flooring
Hard surface flooring is the best for easy living, so we installed engineered hardwood throughout the home and the master bedroom. I always suggest the master bedroom flooring should match the rest of the house; this lends itself to a cohesive look with the rest of the home. Also, with hard surface flooring in the master bedroom, there will never be a walk pattern to the bathroom. A rug can be laid beside the bed or under the bed for bare feet if you are afraid that having hard surface flooring will make the space feel cool.

• Rug
We chose a 5×8 rug that would add some visual texture to the space. The rug is wool and naturally resists stains. Also, the rug is easy to move for cleaning. The print on the rug looks like a sea urchin in a sea of green blue water.

• Benches
The homeowners like to have at least two places to sit down and put on shoes or perch things in transition to the closet or craft room. The bedroom is such a large space and having some benches in the space made it a little homier.

• Two Pillows
The homeowners made it clear that there would only ever be two pillows on the bed. They did not retire to be making the bed all day and that meant two pillows and no more! We chose a Tommy Bahama Set with a subtle print that blends well with the large art above the bed so that the focus is on the art rather than the bedspread.

• Art
The picture above the bed is titled, “Pathway to Palms” and was taken at Smathers Beach in Key West. This pathway is a famous destination for weddings and it is a beautiful pathway to the beach. The large picture pulls the attention to what is above the bed rather than putting the focus on the bedspread.

• New bed
The homeowners wanted new bedroom furniture with straighter lines. They found a bed that had a platform and a foot board which allowed them to get rid of the bed skirt. Bed skirts are also another major complaint because they can bunch up. If you have a bed skirt there are corkscrew pins at bedding retailers that once installed in the corners of the box spring will keep the bed skirt in place forever! The finish of the new furniture is a brown based grey and looks very nice in the space.

• Good Reading lights
The lighting had to be good and it had to be big. The lamps are higher than most people would choose but they provide good, high reading light as the main function. Also, the height of the lamp looks really good with the larger art above the bed and finishes the look nicely.

• No TV
The homeowners did not require a TV in the space but they did want more storage. We placed an eight-drawer chest on the wall opposing the bed, which was the only wall left and hung a beautiful mirror above the chest. The wall looks great when walking from the craft room addition out to the rest of the home and we achieved more storage.

P.S. –Attention all club presidents! We give free decorating seminars. It is lots of fun and very informative. Call and schedule your club today. Also, we are on-line check out our web-site at www.ruthdyer.com and you can always e-mail us at ruth@finishingtouchfl.com. Call Ruth your full-service decorator at 352-804-2056.

Before and After Pics Below