From the Floors Up

5 Habits to Keep a Consistently Clean Bedroom

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Because bedrooms are our personal spaces, they often become quite messy and unorganized. However creating habits can keep a bedroom tidy. Here are 5 habits to do just that!

 

1. Make Your Bed

Every room looks cleaner when the bed is made, even if the floor is messy. The best way to do it is to make your bed every single day as soon as you wake up. Not only will this help your room look and be cleaner but it will also be rewarding every night when you crawl into your nicely made bed.

 

2. Put Away Clothes You Didn’t Wear

Often bedrooms will become messy because when we are picking out an outfit, we don’t put away or rehang the clothes we chose not to wear. If you don’t do this, you will have a mess of both clean and dirty clothes on your floor that will create chaos. Simply putting away the article of clothing as soon as you decide against it will save you lots of time.

 

3. Use Your Laundry Baskets

If the laundry bin is out of reach and hard to access, then you will be more likely to simply throw your dirty clothes on the floor after a long day. Put the laundry basket somewhere easy to access and close to where you usually get undressed. This will encourage you to put your clothes in the bin as soon as you change.

 

4. Take Dishes Down

Although it’s unconventional many of us do enjoy food and beverages in the bedroom. It’s easy to cast the dishes aside and forget about them because they aren’t in the kitchen. However these items will make a room look very dirty and unorganized. As soon as your finished eating or drinking, immediately take your dish to the kitchen.

 

5. Keep Work Out

Another way bedrooms tend to get messy is because of work papers, books, etc. Not only does this make the room messy but it also brings the stress of daily life into a place of rest. If possible, store papers and books in your office or kitchen. If not, organize your papers either into your briefcase or closed drawers. So long as it’s out of sight and out of mind.

 

Essential Steps To Make The Perfect Bed

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Oh how beautiful the beds in catalogs are! You know, the catalogs they send that feature page after page of the perfect looking bed. The one that is so inviting you wish you could jump right into the pages and land on the glorious pillows and covers. But once you’re done perusing the photos, and you walk into your bedroom you think, “Well, at least the sheets are clean and the bedspread isn’t wadded up on the floor!” It’s time for a change. Take that ideal bed out of the pages of a catalog and make it your own. We’ve got the few tips you need to pull it off like a pro. Here’s how:

  1. Buy good sheets! Yes, we know, they aren’t flashy and fun like a new comforter, but you simply cannot have the perfect bed without good sheets. You likely already know about thread count, but it’s not the only important factor. Buy high quality, natural fibers. No synthetics. Find a cotton blend that is excellent quality, such as Egyptian, and combine that with a decent thread count. Your bed will feel just like a fancy hotel, and the bonus is that good cotton sheets will also wear in and get softer over time.
  2.  Own at least two sets of sheets for your bed, when you’re budget allows for it. They’re like clothes for your bed and you don’t own just one outfit right?
  3. Purchase three more layers: quilt/coverlet, bedspread/comforter, duvet. It’s so fun to do this part of the shopping!
  4. Once your sheets are on the bed, lay the quilt or coverlet on top.
  5. Then, fold the top sheet and quilt back, 1/4 at the top.
  6. Next, fold the duvet in thirds and lay it across the bottom of the bed. Pretty!
  7. Buy pillows. Don’t hold back. Buy good ones, and buy pretty ones. It’s a bedroom for goodness sake! You need: Pillows in pillow cases, euro shams, and decorator pillows. Stack from back to front – pillow case, sham, decorator. Two rows for a queen bed and three rows for a king bed.
  8. Mix up textures and patterns. Give your bed a 3-D look by using obvious texture. Such as, a faux fur pillow and a ruched bedspread. If you mix patterns, use different scales. So, for instance, mini gingham and a medium scale paisley. One is a smaller pattern than the other and this makes it look interesting!

How To Use the Elements and Principals Of Design To Decorate Like An Interior Designer, Part 6

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Part 6 — Texture

Once you’ve determined concepts such as form and shape, as mentioned in Parts 4 & 5, it’s time to add elements that appeal to our tactile senses. Texture in design is defined as the characteristic physical structure given to a material or object, also known as the visual quality of a surface.

In simpler terms, it’s the way we imagine something feels just by looking at it; as well as the experience of actually feeling it, such a fuzzy rug under your feet. Furthermore, it helps draw the room out of 2D into 3D because the human eye equates texture with depth. Texture is possibly the most sensory experience in a well decorated room, yet it is also one of the most overlooked elements of decor.

The room in this photo is a superb example of texture. Let’s explore all that’s going on here. It could be argued that the metal surfaces are the first to demand your attention. Yet, there is something also very appealing about the plush blanket. This is one of the most enjoyable aspects of textures. They play very well off of each other.

In this case the bronze gleams, conveying elegance and a resistance to touch because one doesn’t dare smudge it with finger prints. Conversely, the fleece blanket is inviting and provides the much needed element of comfort that is so important in a place of rest. The headboard appears to be vinyl, a unique material not often found in most homes. In this room it works well because it actually increases the formality of the room.

You might be curious about how it feels, but not quick to test it out if it’s not your room. Whereas, the pillows encourage one to lie down and stay awhile. Last, consider the effect of the flooring. Notice that the designer chose carpet which maintains an air of cozy comfort in the room, and again gives balance to the harder surfaces.

Isn’t amazing how much can be accomplished with texture? Don’t make the mistake of a lot of homeowners by overlooking it. It’s not only incredibly effective, it’s an element that truly transforms a room from “furnished” to “fabulous!”

Next read Part 7 – Pattern

Don’t forget to go back and read Parts 1 – 5

Small Spaces Series – How To Decorate and Design a Tiny Bedroom Part 4

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SPACE

As mentioned in Part 3, minimizing the amount of space your bed frame requires is an excellent method for designing a tiny bedroom. You have two options. One is to leave the space open so the room feels light and comfortable. The other option is to maximize the recaptured space by placing something more functional where the footboard used to be. (Go back and read Part 3 – Beds – if you want more detail.) Don’t be hesitant to try other types of furniture at the end of the bed.

For example, if you have a long, narrow room, try positioning a desk at the end of the bed. If the desktop is big enough, you can set your television on one side of the desk, facing the bed. Then create a visual wall by leaning a few tall framed photos against the back of the television. Slide a chair under the desk and you have a workspace. When your work for the day is done, simply walk around the desk and jump in bed and watch TV. Warning: This might be best for kids’ rooms. Most adults would love to take a midday nap, and the temptation may prove to be a challenge!

Another effective way to manipulate space is to create depth using mirrors. They open the room up psychologically because they reflect the entire volume of the room. Be sure to hang them in areas where they can work their magic. If they’re facing an area that no one ever occupies, then no one will get to enjoy the effect. They should face into the room.

Finally, increase space in the room by using furniture with rounded edges. They call it “cutting corners” for a reason. Angled corners take up a lot of mid-level area. Rounded corners on furniture are easier to navigate too. We’ve all had the thigh bruise from the sharp corner of a dresser. Curvilinear lines also contribute to the visual sense of continuity and this makes a room appear larger. They eye keeps moving around the room instead of coming to a stop at every hard edge

GO BACK AND READ:

PART 1 – DECORATING TINY BEDROOMS – INTRO & CORNERS

PART 2 – DECORATING TINY BEDROOMS – WINDOWS & COLOR

PART 3 – DECORATING TINY BEDROOMS – BEDS

NEXT READ PART 5 – DECORATING TINY BEDBROOMS – ORGANIATION & SHELVES

Small Spaces Series – How To Decorate and Design a Tiny Bedroom – Part 1

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Ah, yes, the joys of tiny spaces.  They are among the most difficult rooms to design and decorate. Sure, you can opt into the classic solution…COZY. But what does that really mean? Cramp the space and fill it with quaintness that ultimately ends up looking like clutter. If it’s a room meant for relaxation, that’s not the worst solution. But very few people have the luxury of a home large enough to dedicate one whole room to simply ‘being.’ We need spaces that function! To that end, we hope you enjoy this six part series about how to bring a tiny bedroom to life.

 

CORNERS

Easily one of the most under used parts of a room, so don’t leave them bare. Fill the space with function and form, but avoid using them for large furniture. Such as, putting a dresser in a corner with one side pressed to the wall. The right angles might fit well, but from a visual perspective it’s akin to creating a dead end. Instead, create a space. Think about ways to make a specific use for the corner.

Our suggestion is to tuck a chair in the corner so it’s an area in the room that can be enjoyed. Opt for a chair that has some space underneath. It will double as a bit of extra storage if you use a simple basket. Next, use the vertical space of the walls on either side of the chair. On one side you could mount a full length mirror. Everyone can use one, and it will also serve to make the room look bigger. On the other side, mount several shelves for storing and displaying items. Hang the bottom shelf low enough to function as a side table for the chair. Set a lamp on it for reading, and a few coasters for drinks to be set on.

If you don’t have enough floor space to place a chair in the corner, purchase multiple floating shelves that are L-shaped. They tuck in the corner at the perfect right angle without creating a dead end. From a visual perspective, the eye will naturally scan from one side of the shelf to the other. This creates a sense of continuity. Using L-shaped shelves also gives the space a built-in feel that makes the room seem more substantial.

NEXT READ PART 2 – DECORATING TINY BEDBROOMS – WINDOWS & COLOR

From the Floors Up

From the Floors Up blog was created with the goal of providing a destination for consumers, designers and those interested in the flooring, design, and kitchen and bath industries. Here you’ll find, current, accurate and informative information that is always just a click away!

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