Spice up your love life by spicing up your bedroom.
How?
“The right furnishings, textures and accessories can enhance any room, making it more sensual and receptive to a special night,’’ says interior designer Suzan Decker Ross of Decker Ross Interiors in Clearwater. “Soft sensual linens and enticing colors add to the mood and ambiance and can create a soothing sanctuary that any couple can enjoy.’’
Whether you’re starting with a clean slate or pieces that you’ve grown to love, you can create any mood with the right colors, textures and accessories.
“The best colors are the ones you like,” says Suzan. “Those are the ones that help you to feel relaxed, comfortable and sensual, all of which help to create a mood.” Although monochromatic color schemes are popular, many clients also lean toward classic combinations of greens and browns and greens and blues. Greens tend to bring a fresh and light feeling, she says, as well as helping you feel grounded, while blue is a cleansing color.
“Many clients opt for gender neutral colors,” Suzan says. “Warm colors such as paprika, hibiscus red, tangerine and cantaloupe are always good to spice up a room.’’ Color is important, she points out, but cautions “Don’t overlook texture.”
“Soft luxurious sheets, down-filled duvets, plump pillows all add to create a steamy mood and make the bed – which should be the focus of the room – more inviting,” she says.
The Bed Is Ruler of the Room
The bed should be the ruler of the room, says Suzan. Treat it as such. Make the headboard stand out. Clothe it in striking upholstery or let it dominate as a focal point in wrought iron or wood.’’
Proportionately sized nightstands flanking the bed are a great place for a sensual arrangement of candles.
“Adding soft lighting with tabletop lamps, dimmers in the ceiling or even a fireplace in the room can only enhance the romance,’’ she says. “The idea is to surround yourself in sensuality – add soft music, candles, soothing fragrances, even an interesting piece of art.” The master bedroom should reflect the best of both of you – it should be a place where you feel comfortable and sexy, a place that arouses all your senses. Suzan recalls one couple who sought her company’s help in creating a romantic getaway in their home.
Designing for Personal Preferences
Designer, Debbie Wallace, helped the couple – who have two young children – create their own spa-like sanctuary. The design incorporated a relaxed palette of soft, watery blues, creams and soft, sandy beiges that set the mood for their relaxing retreat. Art, accessories and specialized lighting added to the relaxed ambiance.
“They were delighted with their new master suite,’’ Wallace says. Designer Jen Bain-Kravchuk helped a soon-to-be groom create a romantic, sophisticated master textured and linen suite for his bride to be. By utilizing a monochromatic color scheme of taupe and ivory in fabrics, they added feminine touches to a bachelor’s retreat.
Bain-Kravchuk also designed a traditional bedroom for an international bachelor who lives in a Mediterranean-style home. The massive home required a formal look with large scale furniture. By adding silks and sheer fabrics in metallic golds and eggplant color scheme, Jen softened the oversized room and helped to create a sensual ambiance in the formal setting that the client desired.
“These changes don’t have to be big ones, but they all add up to a more inviting look, one that draws you in and helps to soothe you,’’ says Suzan.“Of course, the down side, is (or not) that you might like the room so much, you’ll never want to leave it.’’
Why use an Interior Designer?
A qualified professional Interior Designer can take your project from inception to completion and help you avoid costly mistakes, as well as decrease your stress level. Unlike a buyer who shops haphazardly at a furniture store, a designer can envision and implement an overall design plan to create a cohesive look throughout your home or office. From blueprints to finishing touches, we offer scaled space planning, project coordination with architects, builders, and subcontractors, and then complete the look of your project with art, accessories, and specialized lighting. At Decker Ross, we offer a team approach, always keeping in mind that this is your home or office. We strive to create a space that will reflect your taste, personality and lifestyle. Through domestic and international travel, we stay abreast of the latest trends in color and design and offer our expertise to you through access to more than 1,000 high quality vendors catering to every budget. Our creativity is not confined to office hours. We often find ourselves jotting down an inspiration in the middle of the night! Our design staff offers expertise in all design styles – from Contemporary to Traditional and Coastal to Transitional. Whatever your tastes and preference, we can assist you!
Article written By Beth Dolan for Destination Tampa Bay magazine
Photos by Dorain Photography