Inspiration for a Cottage-Style Bedroom

Photo: Thinkstock

The quest for shelter is one of the strongest human drives. When we imagine a place to keep the rain out and the warmth in, most of us picture the quintessential cottage, a small abode lit with a crackling fire, a soft place to sit and, at the end of the day, a comforting place to lay our heads down in easy slumber.

Cottages are scattered about in our collective consciousness, filled with memories of summer twilights, simmering soups on the old stove, cats curled on the window-seat and perhaps a tiny bedroom in the attic. Whether it was Grandma's house every Fourth of July or that memorable weekend house in the Hamptons, the cottages in our memories provide a benchmark for how we want our own everyday lives to feel.

Over the centuries, painters have been captivated by the unsung nobility of peasants and their way of life. Using their amazing talent to convey color and light, the masters, particularly the Dutch and the Flemish, depicted a highly idealized vision of the country life, showing thatched cottages with small windows and an entryway brimming with flowers and animals. Even today, modern painters attempt to capture the allure of a cottage in pastoral settings at various times of the day, with the ancient peasant-dwelling as their inspiration. And in these shared images and memories, you too can find inspiration for cottage style decor in your bedroom.

By Erika Kotite

Source: Well Styled Home Magazine

White Christmas Décor

Try casting aside traditional holiday colors for a heavenly spell.

The holiday season is about revisiting memories and creating new ones. Here, we illustrate how to embrace your traditions and introduce new, simple twists that focus on a wintry palette.

It was the Victorians who, in the mid-19th century, popularized fanciful Christmas decorations. They styled their home with delicate bulbs, mistletoe and sparkling tree-toppers. Decorating with a white and silver palette is not only fitting for the season, but also a refreshing alternative from the expected red and green. Traditional Christmas bauble is also replaced with elements such as rosary beads, angel wings and religious statues.

How to Get the Look:

·         For your living room:

o   Paint an antique mantelpiece white. It will strike a serene pose that could soften Scrooge.

o   Pair an old arched window, found at a salvage yard or flea market, with white angel wings and a string of antique rosary beads.

o   Camouflage a wall with tattered scripted paper from antique books to hide the holes; add a touch of sparkle with mercury-glass candleholders.

·         For your bedroom:

o   Fragrant paper-white narcissus is an easy bulb to grow and adds a festive touch in like-colored pots on a windowsill or tabletop.

o   Dress up an antique French armoire with a fresh bouquet of Christmas roses.

o   For a dramatic look, adorn an antique silver bedside tray with candles, pink roses, juniper twigs and winter greens.

o   Embellish plain candles with rustic string, crystal beads and medallions. Overall, the setting is ideal for the true romantic.

·         For your kitchen:

o   Combine simple styling, shimmering candles and natural elements for a serene, wintry effect.

o   Add silver accents for sparkle and sophistication.

·         For your office:

o   Achieve a nostalgic, vintage look through the inclusion of old books and photographs, antique silver pieces and angel wings hung on a weathered window.

o   The silver and white color palette exudes a classic, understated elegance.

How to Make a Modern Romantic Bedroom

“I believe designing should be approached with passion and abandon,” says Mari Robeson, designer/owner of Mari Robeson Home. From her custom fabrics and signature banners to her interior design projects, Mari hits the mark with a spirited, romantic style. “It’s a marriage of my graphic design with my interior design,” she says.

It all starts with how she approaches the work. Mari is open, allowing inspiration to arrive organically. It can come from a piece of vintage wallpaper or tile, her garden, an old movie—even her three daughters’ whimsical drawings, which inspired her new “Elovephant" fabric design.

When working with her design clients, she looks for inspiration by discovering what they love. “I ask a lot of questions. As a designer, it’s my job to help bring their dream to fruition, while guiding and educating them about style, scale, color and so on,” Mari says. “Even when I have clients who have no idea what they want, there are clues all around them. They may have a piece of art they love, [for example]. I can build an entire room around that.”

Redecorating or designing a bedroom is no different. “It’s very important to surround yourself with things that bring you joy. When you open your eyes in the morning you want to see objects, fabrics and colors that make you happy. That's how you'll begin your day,” Mari says.

For children’s bedrooms, she shares her thoughts on her blog, marirobesonstyle.com: “I believe that a child’s room is their little corner of the world, and it should be absolutely magical and divine.”

But Mari wasn’t always this confident. Growing up in a family of engineers, economists and genetic scientists, she questioned the value of her artistic gifts early in her career.

“I used to think maybe what I did as an artist wasn’t very important, maybe I should become a doctor and save lives,” she says. But one project finally convinced her otherwise. A client, who had questioned her choices throughout the design process, was literally speechless when it was complete. “I heard the word ‘wow’ more than I ever had before. In that one moment I realized that what I did for a living mattered. When anything is thoughtfully designed it has the ability to change lives. Since then I've seen it many times,” she says. “Cultures are defined by art and architecture.”

If you want to quickly update your room, Mari suggests you focus on accessories and pillows. “Changing the color of your room changes everything. Pillows and accessories can change a room in a flash,” she says. “Of course it all starts with a good bed, and I believe that investing in a quality set of linens is worth every penny.”
She also feels that working with a good designer will save you time and money. If you do, make sure to ask for references and view the portfolio, and most importantly you should feel comfortable with that person, she says. “Working with a designer is a really enjoyable experience. Designers have a Rolodex of resources and should help your project move along in a cost-effective, timely manner,” she says.

Working with someone like Mari who has a passion to find what is best for the client will make all the difference, too. “My design philosophy? To simply bring beauty and joy where ever I can,” she says. “Be bold. And never question your first instinct.”

Photo courtesy of Thinkstock.com

Color and Pattern Basics

Q: How can I mix and match colors and patterns without overwhelming the eye?

Photograph courtesy of Thinkstock.com

A: San Francisco interior designer Tineke Triggs of Artistic Designs for Living offers her expert tips, emphasizing balance to keep from weighing down a your bedroom decor: “A typical design mistake is to employ multiple solid colors into a design without any patterns; however, you also have to be careful not to have too many different things competing with each other. You don’t want too much of any one pattern overtaking a space. For example, you don’t want to have all stripes, all florals or all damask patterns. Choose one floral, one stripe, one solid and one trellis or damask in complementary colors, and then distribute them evenly throughout the space. Additionally, use big prints to make bold statements in just one or two smaller pieces, such as a throw pillow or a chair, which can be easily replaced if you decide that you don’t like them.”

By Rebecca J. Razo

Tips for a Mod, Romantic Look

Follow interior designer Mari Robeson’s tips to get a snazzy bedroom.

Romantic Bedroom

1) Make sure you have an ultra comfortable bed, and invest in good linens. Keep it cozy with a fluffy duvet cover and lots of pillows.
2) Black and white mixed with one other bold color will keep it graphic and modern. Picking a warm wall color will keep it cozy.
3) Always have fresh flowers, candles and a good book or two to read. They set the mood to relax.
4) Reinvent a traditional piece of furniture by painting it a bold  color. It will make a familiar piece feel modern and fresh again.
5) Start with a pillow or fabric that you love, and build around it
as your inspiration.