Primary Bedroom Design | Creating Space for Rest
Primary Bedroom Design | Creating Space for Rest
“Rest and be thankful.” ― William Wordsworth
Team CB is taking an extended Midwinter Break right now, so we have been reflecting on what it means to build rest into not just our schedules, but also the spaces we design.
THE INTIMACY OF INTERIORS
It is a tremendous honor to be invited into the process of design. Our focus is the interior, and as such our work is uniquely intimate. It is not uncommon for us to be given free access to all the nooks and crannies of a client’s existing space as part of our initial discovery phase. We regularly tour bedrooms, investigate bathrooms, riffle through closets, and inventory personal collections. We ask questions about function, values, and aspirations; we talk about family, money, and future plans. And perhaps the most intimate projects are those focused on the spaces where we find refuge and rest.
THE BEDROOM
Bedrooms tend to rank lower on homeowner priority lists when it comes remodeling and furnishing, but we spend upwards of a third of our lives in these rooms, so it’s important to consider these spaces thoughtfully. We believe a well-designed interior contributes towards one’s overall well-being, and the bedroom is an opportunity to foster a sense of serenity, calm, and refuge. Below are a few design elements to take into consideration for your sleeping spaces.
COLOR
We love a moody room, and bedrooms present a great opportunity to, “embrace the dark side,” so to speak. Currently in vogue: adding texture and depth to your walls with rich natural wallcoverings, or painting walls and millwork in deeply saturated paint colors. Some hues we’re into right now:
Farrow & Ball, Inchyra Blue
Sherwin Williams, Mindful Gray
Farrow & Ball, Downpipe
Benjamin Moore, Texas Leather
Farrow & Ball, Studio Green
TEXTILES
Investing in linens and bedding that spark delight is a great way to layer in a personal touch. A handmade quilt or beautifully patterned coverlet can add texture, softness, and color to your space. Our approach to decorative pillows has become more reductive over the years, and right now we prefer just one or two accent pillows or a long lumbar for a pop of color or texture. Check out Society Limonata, Coyuchi, Kufri, and Greige for new textile inspiration. For something more bespoke, consider vintage textiles for your soft goods – 1st Dibs, Chairish, and Etsy all have extensive vintage collections for your scrolling enjoyment.
LIGHTING
When it comes to lighting, we always prefer the soft glow of a decorative lamp to the harsh downward glare of an overhead fixture, and keeping lighting controls within arm’s reach of the bedside is a no-brainer. If you’re going for wall sconces with extension arms, pay close attention to the fixture joints and adjustability to make sure you can get light right where you want it (we may have learned this lesson the hard way – oops!). Soft warm light is appropriate for the bedside, opt for a 450LM bulb with 2700K color temperature, and consider adding dimmer switches if you need to pump up the illumination levels to 800LM for nighttime reading.
STORAGE
Nightstand heights should generally fall within a few inches of the top of your mattress, and we think a drawer or shelf is essential for stashing away your bedside necessities (like fruity lip balm, celebrity gossip magazines and miracle anti-aging potions). If you’re feelin’ fancy, custom nightstands can be specified with power outlets incorporated into drawers for overnight out-of-sight device charging.
LAYERS
The way musician Jamila Woods described her creative process resonated with us:
“I think of music as creating a space. I like to put things in that are comforting to me and are nostalgic. To me, that's what sampling does in songs; it's making deeper layers for people who know where it comes from, but also referencing another part of my history and my memory or a memory that I have.”
History and memory are the nostalgic elements that foster a sense of place and comfort. Art, accessories, and decorative objects are all elements that provide opportunities to transform a room from practical to magical – so don’t overlook the critical last 10%!
A beautiful bedroom composition by Studio Ashby mixing vintage and contemporary elements.
Design: Studio Ashby | Photography: Kensington Leverne