10 Ways to use Pantone's Colour of 2014

The news is out and after much  guessing  by designers the world over Pantone has declared Radiant Orchid as the colour for 2014.

2014 Pantone Colour of the Year

 It seems to leave people a little speechless.  Now I am a purple lover and have hits of it around my house, but I lean toward the bluish purples.  Even my front door is BM french violet. I have lavender  front porch cushions  etc.  I wear lots  of purples in clothing.   But this is more pink.

It is a far cry from last year's emerald. 

 If you bought into emerald last year here's a combination of the two.... 

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Certainly colourful.  Notice how white is used to quieten this scheme.

But how to deal with this vibrant pink purple.... 

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 Play it safe and use it to add a  jolt of colour in flowers... Beautiful and temporary.

 

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Invest in a little leather that can be moved from room to room.  

Paint a piece of furniture or a mirror.

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Throw in a daring light fixture. 

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 Buy an accent chair in this lovely hue and connect it with a patterned pillow. 

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Mix it up in lovely patterned bedding. 

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Or on a ceiling or headboard.  Notice the leather ottoman from a previous shot.

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Now we are getting daring with drapes, a bold geometric pattern and peonies.  The dark furniture provides a rich backdrop for this scheme.

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Or have the full meal deal with walls, bedding, drapes, pillows and art.  Thankfully the white offers the perfect foil for the vibrancy.

Did you notice any trends in how it is used? 

And good- bye with one of my paintings that works with this lovely colour

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Margaret Ryall ( In Between) mixed media on canvas, 12 x 36 inches , private collection

Where do I put my bed?

 Some  bedrooms are so small that you have no option other than placing the bed in front of a window. Even in large rooms sometimes putting the bed in front of the window is just the right placement for it.  So much for "design rules".  It's all in how you do it!  

In some rooms that are narrow you can dress the window across the wall ending up with wall to wall drapes providing a soft backdrop for the bed.  When the headboard is upholstered you have the option to layer various fabrics for a totally soft look.  This solution can also rectify a window that is off centre.

Vanessa De Vargas

houzz

 But sometimes a room is so small and the window is so off center you have to just accept it and line the bed up with  the window and bring balance in other ways.

Elements of Style

An attic room is often a challenge to decorate because of the slanted ceiling and often lack of usable wall space. There's nothing like a pelmet and drapes to provide a picture like canopy for a bed. This room works  well because everything is so symmetrical and the window draperies frame the bed perfectly.

Elements of Style

 If you need  proof that  you don't need expensive draperies to make this look  work - here it is.  The Roman shades do the trick and the strong verticals point at the bed and support the perfect symmetry of the placement .  This is not a place were two different night tables and lamps would work. 

 Decor Pad 

The gentle curve of this headboard softens the look of the bed against all the horizontal and vertical lines.  The vegetation outside serves as a gigantic landscape painting. If I were designing this room I would have played up the green angle  to make the inside an extension of the outside.   

Michael Merrill Design Studio, Inc

Sometimes a window can act as part of a canopy.  This flawless design does everything right. Notice the bedside tables don't match and they don't need to.  This layout is more about strong verticals than symmetry.

 

Choosing bedside tables

I am not fond of bedroom suites  or sets of anything really.  It is so much more interesting to see a well collected room where individual pieces have been thought out  with each piece adding individual notes to the overall design.  The minute you decide not to buy a  complete set you  have to start thinking about what, how many, how high, what colour,  etc.   Wonder no more!  Here are pointers that will help you choose interesting and design friendly furniture for your bedside. 

How High?

Your bedside tables  should not be so low that they look dwarfed by the bed  or so high that you have to reach way up to turn on a lamp. When your tables are the same height as your mattress (my preference) they provide a pleasing visual line all the way across.

Abbeyk, Inc.

These mirrored cabinets make great bedside tables.  They reflect the colours around them adding additional interest and provide plenty of storage.  The height makes them easily accessible from the bed with tops wide enough to hold lamps and other objects.  Although they are large they do not look large because of the mirrored surface - a great addition to any decor.   
 

The most important thing to consider is the scale of the table when compared to the bed. If you have a king size bed you need a larger bedside table ranging from 20" - 40" wide.

A table should not be dwarfed by a bed.

 Tracy Murdock Allied ASID

When you don't have much space it if often better to go without a table .  In this situation the table isn't functional because there isn't any room to place anything on it. 

 A three drawer chest usually works out well as a bedside table for beds that have a higher headboard.  It would not be visually pleasing to have the top of the chest and the headboard the same height.

 

via  Decor Pad

 via decor pad

Atypical Type A 

Habachy Designs

Modular furniture usually has a  bedside table lower than the mattress but the lines of the platform integrate the tables into a cohesive unit.

Do they have to match?

Not in my book.  I think it looks more interesting when bedside tables don't match, but it is more difficult to know what to put together. 

 Stonewood, LLC

If you  choose matching bedside tables consider using a padded headboard to break up the matching wood tones.

 

HGTV

HGTV

I like to pair a rectangular table with a round table especially if the bed is near a corner on one side. 

AB Home Interiors 

 In this room one of the bedside tables is a  desk which could also convert into a dressing table. Multi-functional furniture provides many options in a smaller home.

What else could I use? 

Centsational Girl

The covered table has been around for years but with a glass top it continues to look soft and elegant when paired with more traditional  furniture.

Michelle Hinckley

Shelves attached on either side of a bed is a real space saver in a small room. 

Seaside Interiors 

Trunks and suitcases make great bedside tables.

HGTV

A coffee table  is a great idea.  I like the way the three photos mimic the three pillows on the bed.  This type of repetition helps to control the scale of the coffee table.

The Urban Un-Martha 

In a country home a high chair does not look out of place as a bedside table.

Another great option for an informal look is a small kitchen table  with folding sides.  I like the way the lines support the slanted lines of the roof. If I could change one thing I would have a lamp with a little more volume and height.

Nora Schneider Interior Design

Attaching peeled logs together once cut to a standard length makes a very interesting bedside table.  Depending on where you live this could be a very inexpensive solution especially for a more rustic/cottagey decor.

10 Design Solutions for Small Bedrooms

Are you wondering how to make the most of those small bedrooms you have? Sometimes it's as simple as re-arranging furniture, changing  colours or adding built- ins.  Here are 10  suggestions to make the best use of a small bedroom space, but don't stop there.   Many of these ideas can be used in other rooms too.

Build in around the window

miami interior designer Linda Fisher

Using a window to centralize the layout  of the room and building in around it is an efficient use of space.  It is also very visually appealing because it produces a symmetrical layout.

  tineke triggs

Another version of built-ins add seating space and the trundle bed provides an extra space for overnight guests. 

Symmetrical placement

Kerrie L. Kelly

Long narrow rooms seem to be a common problem in bedrooms.  This room again uses built -ins to frame the bed thus creating extra storage space and the perfect place to highlight a piece of art. Using the length of the room for the bed enables a very symmetrical layout which allows for access to both sides of the bed. Walking in to a room and looking over the length of the bed also makes the room look longer and more spacious.

Compact and serene with one wallop of design on the floor. Do you think removing the rug would make the room look even more spacious?  I particularly love the way the small window has been made the focal point with wall to wall draperies. 

Use the walls

Michelle Hinckley

No place to put a bedside table... just hang one on the wall.  

Move furniture to the edge of the room 

The Lettered Cottage

 Pushing furniture to the far edge of a room works well in some cases.  The addition of the large stripes visually expands this room.  Keeping the colours neutral with very little contrast also adds to the spacious look. This is little more than a large closet, but it is so inviting.

houzz

Another central layout that uses the edge of a room effectively. 

Build it up

  allchildrensfurniture.com

This seems to be such a safer solution than regular bunk beds.  The design also allows you to float it in the centre of the room. Lots of storage space is created as a result of the steps and centre placement.

Build it into a corner

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Stonebreaker Builders & Remodelers

Using a corner to lay out beds is a very efficient use of space. I've seen this work effectively with two twin beds as in the photo above,  but never two bunk beds!  

Float the bed 

Lisa Adams, LA Closet Design

No closet space?  Don't let that stop you. Float the bed in the middle of the room  with a high headboard and install a closet system behind it. 

Use space at  the foot of the bed

Janell Beals - Isabella & Max

This is a creative use of space for a desk. It builds on the central layout of the room and keeps everything accessible .  Benches, chairs, trunks, a small bookcase etc.  are other possibilities. 

Use glass creatively

Jacobs Design, Inc.

A wall of glass covered closet doors expands the overall visual space of this room.  The see through headboard is another good trick.  To make the room look even larger keep all the colours light. Your eye automatically sticks on dark colours and stays there.  They have become an unwanted centre of interest.

Use furniture as a divider

momoy

This room is a fantastic  example of excellent use of space from the built- in shelves and drawers to the desk used as a divider. The large mirror also increases the visual space in the room.