Now, more than ever, suppliers are putting a greater emphasis on the bedroom. There are limitless options of furniture, accessories, bedding and wallpaper to chose from, all meeting our desire to feel at peace at the end of the day. Now, like with any project budget is everything, so I’ve broken down the bedroom down into five manageable sections. Follow these tips and you can begin building a collection of items that will create the bedroom of your dreams.

Colour
Before starting any project, be sure to have a colour palette in mind. It could as easy as starting off with a piece of fabric that you love or bedding. Preferably choose something with a pattern so that you can choose the colours from it and use it as a point of inspiration for drapes, pillows, etc. This will ensure that you are coordinated and staying focused. I suggest you keep the base neutral though and use simple white sheets and pillowcases.

You can play with colour and patterning with your duvet cover and shams but keep the base as neutral as possible, it will give your room a hotel-like crispness.

Bed
This is obviously the main to having a bedroom but it’s where many people go wrong, namely with scale. You want to make sure that the bed is an appropriate size for the room. Many believe the “ideal” is to have a king size bed so they can sprawl out and want to purchase it no matter what. Be realistic about the amount of space you have as the last thing you want is a bed pushed into a corner and you having to climb over your partner to get out of bed.

Platform beds have also been on-trend but this, again, is not for everyone. A bed is a huge investment and you want to purchase one that is high quality and will blend with any décor, should you move or change up the other items in the room. Four-poster beds are also popular, but again think about scale. If your room can’t accommodate heavy, scrolled posts try more transitional styles in chrome and darker woods, a more simplified form of the classic four-poster.

Focal Point
Like with any space, a focal point is a must in the bedroom. You need something that your eye is drawn to as you enter the room. I tend to make the wall that the bed sits against the focal. This way, your bed is not competing with another large focal point. I am a huge fan of wallpaper and think it is the easiest way to add some texture, pattern and drama to a space. Wallpapering the wall that the bed sits against is a perfect as it makes that whole wall a focal. It is dramatic and chic!

Another great way of creating a focal point is through the use of a headboard. Now, if your bed comes with a headboard, the work is done for you; however, if you don’t have one then it doesn’t take much to create your own.

A piece of mdf or wood that is the width of your bed and about three feet high (sitting at the top of the mattress), some cotton batting and fabric is all it takes
to create your custom headboard. This is a great inexpensive way of getting a custom look to your bedroom.

Bedside Tables and Lamps
These are a must for any bedroom. Even if you can only get away with an end table with a lamp on one side and a floor lamp on the other, you must have them. There is no use in just using the overhead light that most bedrooms are fitted with. Bedside lamps are perfect for reading and also provide a nice soft glow. Bedside tables are great for extra storage but scale is also something to consider. You can’t have tables that are too big or too small in proportion to your bed and you want the tops of the tables to be in line with the top of your mattress or a little lower.

A big trend is using two different style of tables or even using small dressers as side tables, but this calls for a lot space and a keen eye for what works. I would suggest doing the same side tables on either side to keep this simple but do not buy a whole bedroom set. Your space doesn’t need to look like a show room, so have fun and mix and match your pieces.

Window Treatments
Windows can often be harsh with just blinds. A great way of softening up the look is through drapes. Most people are under the impression that these can be quite costly. Not the case, the expense comes with the highly decorative window treatments with swags, folds, and headers. That was in the 80s and we need to let them stay there.

Simple store bought panels can go a long way in creating some softness to the window. If your windows already have blinds, then there is no need to do drapes that will cover the whole window, two panels on either side will suffice. These are also a great way of introducing some pattern to your space or colour. If budget is not an issue, one of my favorite things to do is a whole wall of curtains. This creates a look that is hotel chic. Hardware that is installed on the ceiling with a track system allows the drapes to be drawn easily. This also creates the illusion of a larger window.

No bedroom should be left un-decorated and treated like a catchall for unused items. If you keep these five things in mind, you will find it a lot easier to decorate and you will see that the whole space will come together and look unified.

Happy Decorating!

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Alykhan Velji
Having a successful design career for the last several years, Alykhan Velji has definitely made a name for himself on the Alberta design scene. Coming in as one of the top three finalists for HGTV’s Designer Superstar Challenge in 2006 and then landing a role as a Stylist/Design Assistant on The Style Dept. also was a great boost to his career.
As well as having his own design business, Alykhan Velji Design, Alykhan has been featured in many local and national publications, offering his expertise on design and trends. Finding inspiration in his travels and keeping abreast with the design industry’s new and innovative trends ensures his design esthetic is always fresh, all the while remaining original and timeless. In its fourth year as a design firm, Alykhan Velji Design specializes in both residential and commercial projects.     
www.alyveljidesigns.com