A Weekend Bedroom Makeover
Use our weekend schedule and handy resources to make your bedroom cleaner and greener in just two days!
November/December 2003
By Lurel Kallenbach
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Now a luxurious space that invites deep slumber and quiet relaxation, Hermine and Jean-Charles’s bedroom is also free of toxins and other harmful elements. The finishing touches on their bed include a comforter, courtesy Suite Sleep; a classic print duvet cover and pillowcases from Indika; and pillows from Pacific Coast Feather Company. A Zen Alarm Clock (available at Gaiam.com) on the heirloom bedside table will chime morning tidings to rouse them serenely from slumber. And stepping out of bed in the morning, their feet will land softly on a natural area rug, hand woven and naturally dyed from Garuda Woven Art (303-442-2096). Their new bedroom will luxuriate their senses while nourishing them physically and spiritually.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY POVY KENDAL ATCHISON
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Greener and cleaner in just two days? You bet!
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Maybe allergies are keeping you from getting a good night’s sleep. Maybe your bedroom’s atmosphere needs sprucing up. Regardless of your motivation, the fact remains: It’s time for a change. If the thought of a room redo is so overwhelming that you’re waiting until the “Trading Spaces” TV crew knocks at your door, read on. We’ve got lists of ideas for quick fixes—from changing the sheets to eliminating electromagnetic fields—that will transform your boudoir in just a little more than two days.
The first step is identifying what needs to be done, then prioritizing according to your budget and how much you can realistically achieve in a single weekend. Is eliminating allergens your goal? Do you want to change the wall color or get new furniture? The more ambitious your ideas, the more you should plan ahead—at least a month in advance, possibly more if you need to custom-order items.
To create a natural bedroom, start with the bed. Perhaps your weekend project will be to clean out junk stored underneath and outfit it with natural, nontoxic organic cotton sheets, and a wool comforter and pillows. Once your bed is a healthy zone, turn your attention to the lights or windows.
“It’s important to have a vision for your bedroom,” says interior designer Cheryl Terrace, who advises clipping magazine photos to help define your personal style and decide on an overall mood. “Have fun and express your personality while designing your space. Let all your senses get involved in the process.”
Color Your World
Nothing enlivens a bedroom’s atmosphere faster than a new coat of paint. Choose low-VOC paints or clay-based textured wall covering—or apply milk paint to create a dreamy, watercolor wash. Interior designer Cheryl Terrace urges you to be adventurous when choosing color. “Most people want cool, relaxing colors in the bedroom,” she says, “but for others, stimulating shades like red could be the perfect energizing, sexy fix.” Here’s how to organize your painting weekend:
DO AHEAD
- Two weeks before your makeover weekend, pick out paint chips and tape them on the wall. If your chosen shade is especially daring, buy a quart of the paint and brush on a larger patch. Remember that color intensifies when it covers an entire wall.
- Buy sufficient paint to apply two coats with some extra for future touch-ups.
FRIDAY EVENING
- Clear the room of furniture.
- Assemble painting supplies: brushes, rollers, drop cloths, rags.
- Prep the room. Remove switchplates; tape around windows, doors, and trim; take down window treatments; cover the floor with drop cloths; apply primer if necessary.
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