Thursday, March 19, 2009

Dreamy Bedrooms

bedroom
What's the key to a perfect bedroom? White linens soft from years of gentle care? A bedspread from India? And a stack of photography and gardening books mixed with literature and pulp? Or....

pink bedroom
Something pink and pretty, with pops of vibrant color? (And a fireplace! Perhaps the ultimate bedroom luxury?)...Or...

red bedroom
A room saturated with color, like the inside of a lacquered jewel box?
I guess I've been thinking a lot about this lately because I've been getting so little sleep! I get so involved with projects and before I know it, it's well past midnight. It would be lovely just to curl up...

75

and fall into the most restful and deliciously wonderful sleep....


(PS: Photos by James Merrell.)

17 comments:

Joanna Goddard said...

i always wanted a canopy bed :)

Anonymous said...

"White linens soft from years of gentle care? A bedspread from India? And a stack of photography and gardening books mixed with literature and pulp?"

ABSOLUTELY my definition of bedroom bliss.

Throw in there my husband and I'm never leaving!:)

Anonymous said...

Absolutely amazing. My favorite, by far, is the first room. The gently florals mixed with the clean white linens produce am at once calming and pastorally serene atmosphere. great post girl!

Darrah said...

Aww I want a dreamy bedroom like that! I may never get out of bed though! What beautiful pictures as well.

Giulia said...

All the photos are lovely. Perhaps because of my changeable nature, I could switch off amongst them. But then I realize: I've been in the same bedroom since 1991. Though it has changed some in details (it was painted in late 1998 in a custom terra-cotta w/pinkish hues by a late artist-friend & I panic if I see any patching needed; running out of the paint), it's pretty much the same.

Well-worn soft white linens; piles of books, magazines, notebooks under side tables, in a large, wide IKEA basket. Oh god I want to go clean it now. I've had a huge piece of remnant fabric tacked to the large window & floofed up with not-easy-to-spot tacks & a staple gun "until I can find what I want"; an unfinished oil painting of me as a four-year old; Bonnard, Picasso, Flaming June prints (I forget the painter's name)--I was told these were "girly" by an idiotic man; framed photos of gardens I took in southern Italy; family photos; jewellry on plates from all over the Mediterranean.

A framed needlepoint rose that I rescued from the laundry room...by someone's Aunt Willa Jane (I just looked...I love that). My grandmother's old steamer trunk; a small vintage oval needlepoint roses rug I found here in DC when I was 21. And more. I'm thinking I'd better go in there & restore order now.

But you know what? The most vital thing to me is that Julie, the ginger & white pink-nosed cat, is passed out on the bed. On an old, well-worn white nightgown (she doesn't want me to put it away).

That...& this terrific guy with whom I had a near-miss last June & again in October. I wrote to Joanna about him & we agreed: it was Austen-like & so-not-funny when it happens to you. What I mean is, it would be awfully nice if he showed up because Julie & I do miss having a (good) guy around. There I said it. Finally.

xo, Susan

Anonymous said...

Add the fireplace to the first room. . .and maybe an English-style drink tray and you've got perfection.

Rachael said...

I love this blog. sigh....everything about it :)

Dionne said...

I like a mix of all these rooms. I like the clean palette of white, but with pops of bright colored accessories. And then maybe a feature wall in a contrasting color.

Kasey said...

...you know me and white bedrooms.

Char said...

I wanted a canopy bed until I had one...then I didn't want it anymore. I just want soft bedding to snuggle and love...

Liv Bambola said...

Delicious! I could lose myself in any one of those rooms.

It's strange how we always aim for a neat & tidy room but the one's that appeal to us the most are somewhat umkempt, but not messy.

=) These make me want to crawl back into bed.

Sue said...

Makes me want to get up off the couch and go get comfortable in bed....You also have to have ironed pillow cases...that's a must!!

Unknown said...

Oh that top photo is on of my all time favourite interior design pics! I have it on the wall of my studio. I love all those bedrooms so I'd go with a mixture of all of the above. Got to heart James Merrell!
Sophie x

Sara Christine said...

Those deep red walls? THAT is where I want to be!

Sarah Athow-Frost said...

I love the first one, the bed stead is beautiful. Our bedroom walls are white, but on one wall, where I have a beautiful french-style cream dressing table, we painted the wall a soft metallic gold, like the colour of an antique picture frame. We also used dark chocolate browns and duck-egg blues for the cushions and trimmings. I always feel so calm and relaxed there, its like the room inspires me to act gracefully. Your bedroom is your sanctuary!!

Anonymous said...

My favorite bedroom happened years ago. We were touring Switzerland and made it to our b&b high in the mountains very late at night. We were exhausted, so up the stairs we went and straight to bed. When we awoke, in a comfy bed, covered with a big poofy down comforter, we sat up and saw this:

http://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/naomihowell/gallery/alps_july_05/

English Muse said...

A poofy bed in the Alps sounds amazing!! i wish i were there right now!!