Bedroom Design of Beauty and Tranquility

Bedrooms should not only reflect your personal sense of style, but also convey well-appointed comfort.  Perhaps because bedrooms are the most personal rooms in people’s homes, the topic of how to design the perfect bedroom interior is one about which I have much passion.  

My design experiences have allowed me to create many bedrooms for clients, and no two have been quite alike. Rightfully so, each bedroom should exude relaxation and beauty specific to its inhabitant and intended use. Good bedroom design means the space should have its own physical characteristics well-suited for its restful purposes, while simultaneously showcasing aesthetic beauty.

I recently completed the redesign of one of the bedrooms in my own home. When I began the process of recreating a guest room on the second floor, I knew instantly I would take my inspiration from exquisite homes and fine hotels I had visited in Paris. With this creative perspective in mind, I set out to design my guest room for friends and family members who would utilize and enjoy the room.

With a pale royal blue and soft yellow color palette, I chose regal, Louis XIV style furnishings and accents. Stemming from the well-known king’s reign, the construction of The Chateau de Versailles resulted in one of the largest, most extravagant and cherished European homes. The interiors were rife with imperial furniture known for gorgeous, rounded forms and curved lines.

Among the principal woods used in Louis XIV furniture were walnut and oak as well as other woodland timber with marquetry or inlay work. In keeping with this style, I selected richly carved chairs, side tables, chests of drawers, and other pieces with scrolled legs and, in some cases, gilding or gold-leaf.

Contrasting textures were used to give design balance to the space. I hung silk blue draperies to juxtapose with a Matelassé blue bedspread. I positioned a light-hued patterned rug atop the guest room’s dark hardwood floor to provide a look of easy distinction between the two. For storage and a subtle touch of modernity, I flanked the bed with two mirrored dressers to add reflective light and a crystal-clear resonance of the room.

Casting warm light upon the bed and a reading area, I affixed a glittering French-inspired chandelier. On either side of the room’s cozy fireplace wall, I decided on brand new light sconces in upright fashion and topped them with French Country style shades. The sconces harmonized seamlessly with the chandelier.

“Possibly my favorite part of the room includes a French-style writing table with gold leafing and two heart-back side chairs that remind one of a Parisian parlor.”
~ Ami Austin

In the end, I had designed a guest room reminiscent of chic Parisian apartments and homes by incorporating the old with the new, marrying colors within a soft color scheme, and creating separate sleeping and sitting areas for guests to experience luxury and beauty as well as my love of Paris- right in the comfort of my own home.

Your design preferences may be similar to or completely different than mine. No matter your taste, and with any kind of space you may have at home, I’d be honored to help you achieve the interior design goals you have in mind, while also offering a helpful measure of creative guidance, new ideas and inspired design. Enjoy seeing photos of other bedrooms I have designed in my bedroom photo gallery.
~ Ami Austin