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Master Your
Bedroom
Subtlety, efficiency and
environmental consciousness
are among the latest design
considerations
By
Cassandra Wentworth
 When it comes to interior design, the bedroom has a distinct responsibility. Its purpose is to soothe its occupant(s) and create a space that allows them to unwind, find comfort and rest. Three prominent design trends are helping remodelers create this effect.
1. Subdued lighting: Jeff Morris, of Canonsburg based Case Handyman & Remodeling, says adding subtle lighting to a bedroom is a popular client request. “Wall sconces are being used to spray light down a wall as
opposed to beaming it into the room,” he says. “While ceiling fans are still popular, lighting from ceiling fans is not. It can be too cluttered. People want clean, crisp fans with no light on them then adding lighting in other ways.”
It’s also important to control sunlight flow in a bedroom. The easiest way to manage daylight is with blinds. Specially made
screen shades can provide light relief and also help improve indoor air quality.
2. Muted, clean lines:
In bedrooms, as well as living and dining rooms, brown has been the dominant design hue for
the past several years, a trend that color forecasters like Rhonda Kifer, of the Interior Design Society, predicts will continue through the next year. In 2008, greens, golds, purples and oranges will also emerge as front runners. Perhaps surprisingly, Asian design, with its clean lines and minimalist appeal, will influence almost every room, she says.
This theme can be easily incorporated into any room with strategic placements of natural area rugs combined with Oriental artwork, lamps or screens.
3. Conscientious design: The biggest bedroom design trend remodelers predict for 2008 is environmental consciousness.
In this day and age, decorating is all about going green. “It’s not just a trend, it’s a lifestyle,” says Kifer. “Consumers once thought green products could not be beautiful, like it would somehow look sterile. Now we’re seeing that the consumer is becoming more educated.” Organic materials, such as bamboo, cotton and linen, are emerging as popular design materials for floors and draperies. Natural greenery is also in high demand.
Design product companies also are getting in on the movement. Drapery Company ADO now
offers a five-year washability guarantee on all fabrics, meaning clients can skip the dry cleaner and avoid using all those chemicals. Energy efficient products, such as energy-saving light bulbs, are becoming popular, despite their higher prices.
Regardless of the desired style, Kifer suggests potential remodelers review three considerations: function, lifestyle and suitability. Then ask: What is the function of this room? What is my lifestyle like? And will the materials selected suit the function and my lifestyle? “For functionality, think about how you’ll be using the space,” she says. “Will it be used for TV viewing? Reading? Will there be music?” For lifestyle, homeowners should consider how many family members will use the space, whether pets will be allowed and eating and drinking permitted. When considering suitability, remodelers should think about the wearability and maintenance of the products they’re choosing. “They are all based on each other,” she says. “If you address all three issues, the job will go much smoother and the design goal will be achieved.”
“At 40, most people need twice as much light to see as well as they did when they were 20.
Fortunately, there is a wide range of designfriendly options to satisfy the needs of aging
eyes. In the bedroom, reading lights and controls can be installed in the headboard so
that light can be directed to shine directly on the reader and not on the sleeping partner.
Further, if the reader falls asleep with the light on, the partner can turn off the light without climbing out of bed.”
Renee Cardello Snyder, Cardello Lighting
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Home Remodeling 2008
