The Finishing Touches
We spend a lot of time in the bedroom, but it’s often one of the last rooms we decorate. Whether it’s trying to find the right rug or deciding what to put on the wall or the great debate of fan vs. chandelier, decorating your bedroom can be a big task. So we invited HGTV Design Star Runner Up and “Fan Favorite,” Britany Simon, into our studio to help us pull together all the elements that make a bedroom beautiful, from floor to ceiling.
Personalize Your Space
Once all of your big bedroom choices are out of the way, it’s time to get down to accessorizing. It’s one of the most important steps that is all too easily overlooked. “Adding the final touches is what makes your bedroom you,” says Britany. “It’s the best way to personalize your room.”
The best accessories are ones that have been collected over time for a more organic feel, the designer says. And any objects you display should say something about who you are and what you like. “For example, I have a lot of design and photography books, because I’m interested in those subjects,” says Britany.
Accessorize with Confidence
Some of Britany’s favorite accessories—items you’re likely to have in your home—include stacks of books, bowls and vases and other small decorative objects. It’s even better when your accessories are also functional, such as a brass bedside clock or a pretty dish for holding jewelry you take off at night.
“Also, don’t be afraid to mix traditional and modern pieces,” she adds. The blue-and-white Chinnoiserie bowl on the bar cart/nightstand is a perfect example. It works with the room’s color and adds a bit of vintage flair at the same time.
When styling a dresser, nightstand or shelf, Britany relies on two basic rules to achieve a more visually appealing vignette: vary the size, height and weight of your objects and arrange items together in groups of threes or other odd numbers. On our bedside desk, Britany creates a lovely composition with a curvy lamp, a tall vase with flowers and a structural stack of books topped with a bright box that adds a welcome color pop.
Dress Your Walls
If Britany had only one piece of advice, it would be to consider the scale of your wall décor as it relates to the wall space. “Scale is my number one pet peeve!” exclaims Britany. And for good reason: getting the scale right creates harmony, which is definitely a feeling you want in your bedroom.
Never fear, there is an easy way to determine the proper scale in any space. Britany’s rule of thumb is to fill an empty wall that is half of the ceiling height and half of the wall width. In our bedroom, Britney chose the mirror above the desk based on its size—it fills the space beautifully.
Creating a gallery wall is a fun way to show off artwork, family photos or a mix of the two. “The great thing about it is that these are items that are meaningful to you,” Britany says.
Stick to a few tried-and-true methods when hanging your collage and you’ll love the end result, promises Britany. If you want to mix and match your frame colors, keep the elements inside the frames the same (such as all black and white photos). However, if you plan to display various elements, like typography, artwork and photos, go with the same frame color for a thread of continuity. You can also add contrasting shapes and sizes to your grouping for an edgy look. But if you want a display that visually appears as one large grouping, hang the same or similarly sized frames or mirrors.
One last thing to keep in mind when accessorizing a space? Don’t expect to get it right the first time, the designer warns. “I always take a step back and look. It’s okay to arrange and re-arrange until it looks like you, so be flexible.”
Do you love this bedroom as much as we do? Do you have your own bedroom decorating tips? Share your feedback in the comments below.
