It may look easy enough — what do you actually need in your bedroom besides the bed? However a master bedroom can be as complicated as a living room or living area to plan and lay out, largely due to precisely that one huge feature: the bed. Make the process easier with these tips from design pros.
Robin Pelissier Interior Design & Robin’s Nest
Placing the Bed
Deal with the bed first. “The bed is like a giant wolf that does not want to budge,” says Minneapolis designer Lucy Penfield. Nashville designer Kippie Leland suggests attempting to get the head of the bed on the wall opposite the bedroom’s entrance. Do not fret too much if that signifies your headboard will be facing windows — that the positioning is more significant. Leland also suggests avoiding having the negative of the bed create a visual barrier if you’re walking to the space (though it may be inevitable in certain spaces).
Austin, Texas, designer Allison Jaffe enjoys to place beds opposite the door but always makes sure that the bed is not right up against a wall or on the diagonal. A diagonal position takes up unnecessary space, and it is hard to tuck sheets on a bed that’s put against the wall.
Penfield suggests thinking about your bedroom priorities. Would you like to look out a window? Or do you wish to confront the TV? How do you prefer to enter the room? Private preference should, above all else, make the last call in the master bedroom. “This is your escape and your feel-good everyday space,” she states. “So often this will be the last room we have asked to design — create it the very first and spoil yourself.”
Tiffany Eastman Interiors, LLC
Buying Nightstands
What size nightstand do you need? Easy figure out what you want to keep on top of it. Would you like to have a pile of books, a bottle of water and a reading lamp at hand? Decide on with a bigger surface. But if you prefer a more minimalist path, something bigger with drawers may fit you better.
Kerrie L. Kelly
Jaffe enjoys to get nightstands that sit at the height of the mattress when the bed is completely assembled — about 27 to 28 inches high around 30 inches for extra-fluffy beds. Stylewise, both she and Leland suggest thinking creatively. A nightstand is excellent to work with as an accent of color or texture. “I feel that the room is more interesting when each nightstand has its own character,” says Jaffe. “Provided that the nightstands speak to one another or relate to one another in the plan, then you’ll be bold and select something different for each side.”
If you opt for a wall-mounted light as opposed to a conventional table lamp, Penfield recommends waiting until you understand the elevation of your mattress and headboard before hardwiring the fixture.
How to Bring Off Mismatched Nightstands
Fredman Design Group
Traffic and Chairs Areas
It’s tempting to have as big a bed as possible, but ensure that it does not feel overwhelming in your room. “Most master suites can take care of a four-poster mattress,” says Jaffe. “But if in doubt, select a queen.”
Size and place your bed so there’s space for additional furniture. “A pair of nightstands and bed crammed wall to wall gives no visual relief,” says Leland. Want an excess seating area in your bedroom? You do not need a ton of space. According to Leland, a seating area can be as little as 4 by 4 feet for one chair and a little table. In case you’ve got the space, a loveseat and two end tables can normally fit in a 10- by 5-foot location.
Jeremy Harnish Designer Finishes
Jaffe suggests ensuring you’ve got at least 2 ft of walking room around the perimeter of the bed, particularly if you’re adding a different seating area nearby. Do not cram in additional pieces if you do not have the space. Ensure that you are able to get to the bed without maneuvering about a bunch of furniture or shimmying through a narrow walkway. “Negative space is just as vital in a bedroom as it’s in a painting,” says Leland. “Your eyes will need to rest every so often.”