There once was a time when there were no laptops in bed, televisions on dressing tables or piles of unfinished laundry, scattered about the spaces where we sleep. Once upon a time, at least in our imaginations if nowhere else, bedrooms’ primary purposes were to set the scene for sleep… and another word starting with ‘s’ that we’ll leave to your imagination.

From an aesthetic perspective, it’s actually fairly easy to bring an air of joie de vivre into the bedroom — a little bit of French influence goes a long way, particularly in a small space. Consider an antique bed, a fur throw, some luxe drapes, or really, anything that hints of an evening in Paris with delights to be savored.

Let’s be honest: there’s nothing more sensual than an aura of relaxation… so, what better room to infuse with little luxuries to help us unwind (and unwind) than the boudoir itself?

Photo credits: Viciously Cyd (Tumblr), Global Atelier, Elle Decor, Better Homes & Gardens and Home Klondike

 

We all grew up with loving special elements in our childhood bedroom. Whether it was a Spider Man poster on the wall or a wrought iron bed that was given to us by our grandmother, vintage kids’ rooms are back in style.

With the growing popularity of reusing and repurposing, vintage collecting is one of the ‘newest’ ways to make beautiful use of antique or vintage finds. In kids’ bedrooms the idea of embracing the heritage of older toys, or even making the new look like old, is whimsical and nostalgic. Here are tips to help bring vintage finds to life in your child’s bedroom.

• Choosing a theme: It’s always easy to choose a theme that will tie the entire room together. You can choose a time period like the 50’s with classic cars, and soda shop and drive in decor, or more subtle thematic ideas such as color and patterns. The fun part about vintage decor is there is no set decor plan and this is what children can relate to. Find a nostalgic quilt and draw colors and ideas from it. Use stencils, framed children’s artwork, and even old comic books to get your creative juices flowing!

Photo credit Feminine with Edge

• Get your child involved: Vintage decor is a great way to teach your child about history and learning the origin of toys, crafts, and other fun decorative items in their room. If you are lucky enough to have grandparents around – ask them to sit with your child and talk about their childhood and how they decorated their room. Have your child visit yard sales, antique shops and thrift stores for decor that is great to hang on the wall and to learn from in the process.

Photo credit: Seventeendoors

Bring vintage finds into your child’s room and see how their face will light up! From furniture and bed linen to toys and wall art – repurposing or even using recycled finds can turn into an instant decorative piece of your child’s room for life. They will remember what a wonderful room they had and you will cherish the memories they spent making them!

Photo credit top: Pinterest

Few brands celebrate the changing of the seasons in quite the same way Anthropologie does. Known as much for its artful and ever-changing window displays as it is for its carefully-curated style and home offerings, the boho chic retailer has released its featured items for summer 2012.

The colors are deeply sumptuous, the fabrics are soft and natural, and the effect is as airy, ethereal and culturally aware as the store’s name implies.

From the deep eggplant hue and rippling surface of of the Catalina quilt to the rugged island aesthetic of the jute hurricane lamp, the summer collection scampers whimsically all over the color wheel, stopping momentarily in brights, pastels and neutrals alike, incorporating solids and patterns into a breezy melange of instant summer classics.

Whether it’s falling asleep while reading a steamy novel or drawing the curtains to keep the midday sun at bay, the decidedly feminine brand wants to be a part of your sweet summer nights… and blazing hot days, too, if they can help it.

Photo credits: Anthropologie

Today’s link roundup focuses on perhaps the greatest room in any home: the bedroom. It’s where we rest, relax, rejuvenate, and — most importantly — dream. So, off we’ve shuffled on a sleepwalking tour of the web to gather and share links to the dreamiest points of inspiration we could find.

First up, the good folks at Apartment Therapy want to ensure the quality of your REM sleep with their recommendations on blackout roller shades (above). Next, Furniture Fashion shares a roundup of 10 breathtaking rustic beds, from in-the-rough juniper slabs to dark, regal walnut canopies and this DIY project using weathered wooden doors:

Design*Sponge asks us to behold the power of paint with its series of before-and-after photos of great home projects, like this refurbished dresser with colorblocked drawers:

Hail to the Queen!  The gracious hostess of The Inspired Room takes us on a tour of a unique Union Jack bedroom…

…CribCandy shares a possibly egg-inspired bed in a box that literally looks as if it’s hatching (metaphor, party of one, your table is ready)…

…and over at Bodie & Fou, there’s a roundup of bedroom images sure to either lull you to sleep with their sublime lines and palettes, or perhaps wake you up with inspiration to recreate something similar in your own boudoir.

Sweet dreams, and happy weekending!

Photo credits: Apartment Therapy, Furniture Fashion and Design*Sponge

We’ve all heard the conversational trope, “It was like I’d been living in greyscale, and suddenly everything was full color.” While technicolor living is arguably preferable to an existence devoid of zest, there’s something to be said for a calm, cool bedroom in which to fall asleep.

Whether we dream in black and white or color, no one seems to know for sure, but today’s roundup of grey and white bedrooms is, to put it simply, as dreamy as can be.

Captured in a photo series by Decorology, these sublime combinations of texture and hue lull us into a relaxed state simply by looking at them; the serene palette and thoughtfully-considered accents are things of beauty, perfect for giving us our first and last glimpses of the world each day as we cleanse our emotional palates and start again, refreshed.

Photo credits: Decorology

Contrary to that beloved Kermit the Frog song from childhood, it is easy being green. With global consciousness on the rise, words like “organic” and “sustainable” are beginning to emerge in discussions about design and decor, and the effects of applying such topics to real life can have immediate effects on our health and well-being; it’s not just about the generations to follow, but also — perhaps surprisingly to some — about the here and now.

A bamboo bed

Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing source materials used in plant-based (i.e., wooden) furniture, taking only five years to mature. When grown in a conscientious manner geared toward sustainability, this renewable resource is a smart option for the environmentally-conscious shopper in the market for new furniture.

Organic linens

Both mattresses and bed linens can be made of organic materials rather than synthetics, which can give off VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, which — despite the word ‘organic’ in the name — can be irritating or even harmful after prolonged exposure.

100 percent organic cotton sheets and duvets are found easily through many retailers large and small, while mattresses made of natural fibers are also readily available on the open market. To take things a step further, certified organic laundry detergents and gentle soaps abound through brands like Seventh Generation and GreenShield to extend the practice of using organic resources all the way through both sleep and spin cycles.

Soy candles

Unlike candles made with paraffin, soy candles are healthier for not only the people burning them, but also for pets who breathe the air around them. Paraffin is essentially a petroleum waste product that, when burned, releases carcinogens like soot and benzene into the air that can, in turn, settle on a home’s interior surfaces as well as make their way into our lungs.

Soy, a natural alternative, releases no such toxins, literally letting us breathe a little easier. An added benefit: soy candles last up to 50 percent longer than their traditional paraffin counterparts, helping us save money while we’re saving our internal organs and releasing fewer chemicals into the environment around us. Could be a savings worth considering.

Photo credits: Pottery Barn, Furniture Home Design, Earth Linens, Soy Delites

 

Your bed is one of the most used items in your home and it only gets replaced in most people’s homes once or twice in a lifetime! Believe it or not buying a bed is a lifetime investment and if you are in the market for buying one, do you know what to look for?

From pricing, to firmness and size, to health issue considerations, buying a bed is a big deal. Here are tips to ensure you make the right choice for you and your bedroom.

• Prioritize what is important: Beds are similar to appliances, you can invest in the best or you can pay less and get lower quality but save money. Everyone has different price points they feel comfortable with and knowing how much you can afford should be considered before you start bed shopping. The next consideration should be the size of your bedroom and how much you and possibly another person – or a family – may need! While you may love a California king size bed, your small apartment bedroom may not accommodate it. Once you have prioritized what’s important to you, it’s time to go shopping.

Photo credit: Notes on Design

• Know the competition: Buying a mattress and then considering the headboard and footboard may need to be separated in your shopping trips. The mattress shopping spectrum can be a feat in itself. Research prices, firmness levels, health related varieties, sizes, and warranties. If possible try them out! Lay on as many mattresses as possible to ensure you are getting exactly what you want. If you buy online, ensure there is a trial period to test in your home or research the shipping policies to send it back if you are not satisfied with the mattress. While buying a bed may seem like a lot of work, your body will be rewarded for it every evening.

Photo credit: Design Stiles

Before buying a bed, know what is important to you. If you share a bed with a partner, kids,  or pets, keep this in mind before you purchase a bed. Knowing your lifestyle, budget, and size requirements are essential. For those of you with health concerns – allergies, body aches, limited mobility and more – research beds that will help you alleviate many of these concerns. Buying a bed shouldn’t be a stress. Follow these tips for years of happy sleeping.

Photo credit top: Apartment Therapy

We all remember the tale of Goldilocks and the three bears, in which a wandering little girl tries out all three beds in a home inhabited by bears, eschewing the ones that are too big and too small and ultimately settling on one that’s “juuuust right.”

In today’s shrinking spaces, some furniture can seem too big while some bedrooms can seem too small, and striking the balance presents a bit of a challenge. But designers like Nate Berkus and corporate giants like IKEA are working right alongside small artisans selling their wares on Etsy, for instance, to give us endless options for filling our small spaces with things that make us smile.

Berkus, for one, practices what he preaches in his 500-ish square foot apartment in New York; every inch of his bedroom has to count, and with wall-mounted shelves and a headboardless bed, it does:

IKEA, of course, knows its way around a tightly-budgeted home and shares a few ideas for bedrooms smaller than a couple hundred square feet:

Those searching for DIY inspiration need look no further than the Small Cool series from Apartment Therapy — a recent design contest the popular site opened up to its readers, with glorious results like this:

In the end, to coin a phrase, it’s not the size that matters. It’s all about what you do with it.

Photo credits: IKEA (x2), Oprah.com (Berkus) and Apartment Therapy.

For today’s link roundup, we’re lounging in the boudoir for some much-needed downtime. Drift away with us as we take a sleepy stroll around the web for dreamy inspiration…

First up, there’s Furniture Fashion‘s roundup of 10 beautiful modern beds, with lots of attention paid to platform beds, as well as the built-in nightstand that comes part and parcel with Paola Navone’s gorgeous grey concoction, featured above.

We have to admit, we’re rather taken with this boat-inspired kids’ bed from Pottery Barn, which ever-so-conveniently happens to be on sale this week at a $300 reduction:

Now, to call this next link “bedroom related” might be a bit of a stretch, but we’re going to use the breakfast in bed defense. Look! Furniture waffles! Design*Sponge shares an adorable waffle iron, debuted by Ryosuke Fukusada and Rui Pereira at Milan Furniture Fair. It makes little furniture-shaped breakfast pastries. Need we say more?

If you’re in the market for a high-end, contemporary bed, check out the selection at Bonluxat, favoring sleek Scandinavian design and attention to detail…

…and last but not least, Decorology sleepwalks through a whimsical series of beautiful bedrooms sure to give us sweet dreams.

Photo credits: Furniture Fashion, Pottery Barn and Design*Sponge.

The term “Southern comfort” exists for a reason; as a general rule, Southerners take their simple luxuries seriously. From comfort food to shabby chic decor, the hallmarks of Southern hospitality show up in homes all over the world as transplants make their way around the globe, settling into new frontier but keeping their aesthetic sensibilities about them.

Achieving a laid-back air of country decadence is, not surprisingly, a fairly easy thing to do.  Mixing floral patterns and going for a white-on-white palette with allowances for rough edges, for example, are two basic approaches to take.

Exposed wood beams never hurt, nor do vintage dress forms, monograms or gingham, and when all else fails, well-considered antiques can always do the talking… with a Southern lilt, of course.

Photo credits: Country Living

For most parents, the nursery is the place that will embody their newborn’s personality throughout their first years and they want it to be inspiring, playful, and not look like everyone else’s. While pastel colors, pinks and blue have been safe color palettes in the past, there is a design push for originality and unique nursery ideas.

Recently, black and white have become a popular color palette for the nursery and, surprisingly enough, it can be playful and fun! Look at these inspiring ideas for bringing the dynamic color duo into your child’s nursery.

• Bold contrasts for baby: Aside from the fact that black and white make the perfect contrast in interior design color schemes, they are also the perfect combination for baby’s growing eyes. It has been said that high contrast colors such as black, white, and red are perfect for baby rooms, and bold patterns can help babies distinguish shapes and objects easier. If you prefer the lighter side of black and white, couple them with grays and neutrals to give the room balance and dimension. From bedding and furniture to wall decor and area rugs, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Photo credit: Style Room

• Pairing black and white with color: If you are not sold on the totally black and white nursery, how about adding a dynamic color to the mix? Turquoise, bright yellow, hot pink, and even tangerine orange can be combined with black and white to act as accents for a shot of color. The beauty of using black and white is that it’s gender neutral, and once paired up with a dynamic color you can instantly add feminine or masculine touches to your baby’s room. Remember, the room can match your design style or can be a dynamic statement for your home. Let the nursery be a new experience for you and your baby.

Photo credit: Project Nursery

Black and white nurseries have evolved with modern and minimalistic lifestyles that wish to add a dynamic design aesthetic and still keep baby in mind. Bold patterns, strong geometries or coupled with colors, black and white has a place in your nursery with planning and creative thinking.

Your baby only gets one chance to have a nursery, so make it a place you and baby will love spending hours in!

Photo credit top:  Decor Pad

Here at Interior Complex, we see innumerable bedrooms with designs ranging from bucolic and sweet to progressive and cutting-edge, but while many are memorable for their beauty, distinctiveness or inventiveness, several simply can’t be forgotten for reasons we’d rather show you than simply tell you about.

We’ll start slowly with a room that requires a bit of a double-take to truly appreciate it. The Dylan Bed (above) from Cattelan Italia is more an optical illusion than an actual tempting of fate where gravity is concerned; although it appears to float, suspended in mid-air, it actually doesn’t. Could have fooled us, though.

Then, there’s the mouse trap bedroom, which albeit humorous, makes us wonder about the safety of the bed’s inhabitant. One little tremor and art just might imitate life, trapping the sleeping “mouse” inside:

For those who really, really love to swim, there’s this bedroom shared via Natuba and repinned numerous times across Pinterest pages everywhere: a bed perched in the center of a swimming pool.

Last but most certainly not least, we walk the plank to this pirate ship-themed bedroom. It’s not an installation in a museum or a display of creativity in the lobby of a design firm; rather, it’s an actual bedroom inhabited by a boy in Minnesota who was six years old when his parents reached out the Kuhn Design Build to build it for him. Ahoy, matey… that’s one heck of a bed.

Photo credits: Natuba, Smosh, FresHome and Kuhn Design Build.

It’s simple but true: necessity is the mother of all invention. For people in long-distance relationships who could certainly use as much help feeling connected to their loved ones in real time, even with miles between them, Scottish interactive design firm Little Riot proposes a solution.

“Pillow Talk” is sold as a pair of pillows that give both members of a couple the opportunity to feel a simulation of each other’s heartbeat based on each person’s actual pulse as it beats. Both people wear an armband with sensors that pick up the rhythm of their heartbeats, which then translates into subtle, real-time beats in one another’s pillows, even when they’re thousands of miles away.

Each pillow emits a soft glow to connote the absent partner’s presence, helping couples feel close to one another even when they’re far apart. The Pillow Talk prototype is said to have moved into development and is expected to hit the market in summer 2012.

Photo credits: Little Riot