Giving the Bed a European Look
For some people, the bedroom is a necessary room, but not
a place they spend much time. Therefore, they put little emphasis
on decorating it. Still other people consider their bedroom
their personal retreat from the world. For them, comfort and
personal style are essential. If the bed is just a place to
sleep for you, then ignore this article. But if you like to
sleep in luxury and style, consider giving your bed a European
look. This is called a European design because a century ago,
the higher class homes in European countries often featured
over-the-top, ornate beds that made heavy use of pillows and
canopies. This trend has carried over to the States, so that
even today, you'll find bedrooms in stylish homes that try
to duplicate the look with stacked pillows and billowing drapes,
all in a variety of colors. If you'd like to enjoy this atmosphere
in your own bedroom, here's how.
Key
to this concept is the use of pillows. First set three European
pillows behind two regular pillows. The European pillows
should be sitting upright. Now stand a rectangular-shaped
pillow between your two regular pillows. You can also add
a couple smaller pillows on both sides of the rectangular
ones, to add a little extra pizzazz. When you're choosing
the pillows for this project, you could go with needlepoint
flower styles as well as embroidered pillow casses and ruffled
shams.
If
you still want to go with th European flair, but something
a bit more casual, put two regular pillows at the bed's
back. Next, put a 26 inch European pillow between the two
regular pillows. Turn it with one corner facing upward.
Then, place a boudoir pillow and one smaller pillow. As
a final touch, use loose plaid bedding, to create a clean
yet relaxed look.
As
you're creating your European bed, don't be afraid to experiment.
Traditional rules don't apply. Contrary to what you've heard,
it's okay to mix stripes and flower designs. It's more important
to focus on color instead of patterns. For instance, a room
that features a lot of whites, pinks, greens and mauves
might use some big, plush pillows in a white, pink, move
and green plaid or stripe design. And you could get some
small pillows with flowers using some of the same colors
to add a final touch.
Now
that you've finished with the pillows, let's work on a canopy,
which is another important part of creating that European
feel. There are a couple of ways to do this. Either you
can build your own canopy, or if you don't have a canopy
bed, then buy some canopy holders. They should have directions.
You will install these holders onto either the wall or ceiling.
Then you will drape a sheer curtain panel through the ring.
The drape then flows around the bed's front and brushes
the floor. White or ivory sheers are good for creating a
glamorous, luxurious look and feel. Darker sheers (even
velvet ones) create a more elegant atmosphere.
But
remember, just as with the pillows above, don't be afraid
to experiment. Be careful that your colors match, because
matching color schemes generally don't change. However,
there are always new design ideas, and new uses of fabric,
for you to play around with. This is really what will set
your room apart from others that might use the same fabric
or pillows. Remember: Just because somebody else hasn't
tried something doesn't mean you shouldn't. You might just
create that new style that everyone else will want to mimick.