Welcome to my bedroom transformation! My husband and I wanted a peaceful, calm retreat where we could relax, breathe in healthy air and I could practice yoga. We wanted all this on a tight budget and without harmful impact on the environment. Using my own organic window coverings and bedding I was able to create a room that is stylish, without being trendy. I know we will be happy with our bedroom for many years.
When designing a bedroom, I always start with a floor plan. Measure the bedroom and plot it on graph paper – don’t forget doors and windows. Decide which furniture you “must” keep and measure it. I like to make furniture templates out of graph paper, so I can experiment with their placement. Since the bed is usually the biggest piece of furniture, find the best place for it first. Beds can be placed on a wall, under a window, or on an angle in the corner of a room. Decide how you want to use the room – is it purely for sleeping, or do you want a comfy chair to read in, or a desk to work on?
The more symmetrical your layout is, the more calming and restful it will be. I have used matching night tables, painted a matte black, to provide contrast against the walls, but not overpower the bed.
Once you have your furniture layout in a pleasing design, it’s time to come up with a colour scheme. Warm colours like oranges, pinks, reds and yellows are energetic – possibly not what you want for a peaceful retreat! Neutrals and cool colours like blue and green are more restful.
Make sure your room has a focal point. In a bedroom, this is usually the bed, or it could be a bright painting over the bed. Design the rest of your room to compliment the colours in your focal point. Nothing else should overpower this piece. I have used a dark chocolate brown upholstered head board and throw to draw the eye to the bed in this room. I have kept the walls and window coverings neutral, so that I can change the colours of my bedding at any time and not worry about them “clashing” with the walls.
I have used all natural and organic fabrics in the room. The bedding is made from organic cotton sheets and pillowcases and the duvet cover is made from a hemp/cotton blend.
The headboard cover is made from 100% hemp herringbone, as is the bed skirt. I made the headboard cover removeable by sewing elastic around the edges, so that it can be washed.
The bed throw is reversible – silk on one side, hemp on the other.
My window coverings are also organic. The hemp roman blind is lined to block out light and provide great insulation. The pleated draperies are made from hemp/tencel and can provide privacy while still allowing some light.
Across the room from the bed, I have hung a mirror that I found abandoned. I painted it the same black as the night tables (2nd hand store finds). Below the mirror is a floating “box shelf” I had my husband make out of leftover building materials (we’ve done a lot of building and renovating!). I painted this black as well. It is perfect for yoga “props” and accessories.
Two slipcovered hand-made cubes provide a comfy spot to sit – and can hide extra blankets. They also make a great spot to perch extra bed pillows at night!
In accessorizing the room I wanted to bring some natural elements in. Instead of buying artificial or dried plant material I decided to use the branches we were left with after pruning our cherry tree! Smaller branches were used again on one bedside table, to balance the look.
I love candles in a bedroom and this refinished shelf (a garage sale find that has been waiting for a use for a few years!) was a great way to showcase some blue and clear glass candle holders. I use soy candles with a beautiful vanilla scent, and they glow beautifully!
When accesorizing, remember to group objects together that have something in common. It may be their colour, their texture, or their function. Groups of 3’s work well, and also varying heights of the objects grouped together.
I hope I have inspired you to create your own eco-friendly and budget-friendly bedroom. With a little imagination and careful panning it isn’t hard to do.
All of the window coverings, bedding, pillows and slipcovers in these pictures can be found in my shop. The pictures in this article all belong to NikkiDesigns – please don’t copy them without giving the source.
What a useful article–I got many tips on refreshing my tired bedroom look–and inexpensively and ego friendly. I love the idea of using the cherry tree branches.