Suite Dreams

BEDROOMS AS A SANCTUARY

Sleep responds best to coaxing, not commands. And coaxing is a skill set unto itself, that when used deftly, can make the difference between eight glorious hours of shut-eye or a fitful, futile pillow-scrunching exercise spent trying to summon the Sandman.

That’s the philosophy behind creating a principal bedroom that contributes to the gradual winding down from the day’s activities so that you are able to slip seamlessly into sleep thanks to well-thought out design elements that make it happen.

When Changes by Design president and principal designer Tara MacTavish designs a client’s bedroom, the first thing she considers is function. ”Before you get to the beauty you have to make sure that the bedroom works and that comes down to the basics – a good mattress, comfortable pillows, good quality sheets and blankets.”

“Light control is huge because some people are very light sensitive while others work night shifts, so this is a major consideration. Basically your bedroom is for sleeping. We do other activities in there but we have to make sure that people can sleep before we do anything else. Once those elements have been taken care, it’s time for the fun stuff.”

Colour certainly falls within the fun column. “I tend to choose colour schemes for the bedroom by building off what’s happening in the rest of the house,” says MacTavish. “The trend right now is to keep your house coordinated. You don’t have a ‘pink room’ or a ‘green room.’ We try to keep the main colour schemes running throughout the house, but we might change the emphasis of the colour in the bedroom. You can handle a bit darker colours in the principal bedroom because sleeping is the main function, so you don’t need to be light, bright and airy.”

Another part of the fun factor? Wallpaper is back big-time. “You’ll see them in large, graphic prints and with more subtle lines in texture for interest. I like to have the wall where the bed is to be the focal point because it is a bedroom so you want to notice the bed first.”

MacTavish shares a tip from her own hectic life about the amount of toss pillows she’s willing to place on a bed. “There is a limit,” she says. “I have just enough that it looks gorgeous and it’s what I call the everyday bed. But if I’m having guests over, I have some stored away and bring them out to make the room look more luxurious.”

From the ‘less is more’ page of interior design, there is an absence of artwork over the headboard. “That’s a purposeful choice,” says MacTavish. ”I think there’s enough going on in here that we don’t need the art. We’ve got the pillows, the lamps and the wallpaper that adds the texture so I felt it wasn’t necessary. It’s all right to have empty spaces where your eye can rest. If things get too busy or cluttered you start to feel stressed. A clean, de-cluttered space is instantly calming.”

The latest window treatment trend is fullyclosing draperies that meet in the middle as opposed to a decorative panel and blind combination. “We’re also back to the big, bold prints. For years we’ve been doing small prints and textures. The big patterns are coming back but we’ve refreshed them. They are no longer the big cabbage roses of the past but are a bit more graphically impressionistic rather than realistic. We’ve refreshed the colour scheme too with the greys, whites and greens for a look that’s fresh and clean.”

The supporting drapery hardware is chunky. “It’s super-important and it’s like jewelry for your windows. The fabric is the equivalent of a good quality suit, yet it doesn’t quite come together without the special hit of glitter in the room.”

Another conspicuous-by-its-absence element in this space is the TV. There isn’t one. “I feel that your bedroom is meant to be your retreat, where you can calm down to relieve stress.” MacTavish refers to recognized sleep experts and feng shui practitioners who also discourage TVs in the bedrooms to keep the space serene.

Addressing the other activity of the boudoir, MacTavish says, “If you have a partner in life, you need your bedroom to be sexy. Don’t let clutter edge out your partner. It should feel like a very special place for both of you. That’s why it’s important not to make the room too feminine. It has to exude some masculinity to accommodate you as a couple.”

Ensuite bathrooms should flow from the style and colour schemes established in the principal room, she adds. “Walk-in closets also contribute to a clutter-free principal room and even if you don’t have time to put away all your clothes, at least you can close the door to preserve the serenity of the bedroom.”