…particularly your bedroom? A really quick and easy update would be to change your bedding.  A new comforter or duvet, and new pillows will definitely make a difference in the way your room looks.  It’s a great way to bring new colors and/or textures into the bedroom.

We like local, independent shops Timothy Paul Bedding + Home, Valerianne and Bungalow Homewares (thanks to @borrowedabode and @JennL for the tips!)

Tempe Star SW 6229

“I am about to move into a new home.. YEAH!! I have always dreamed of having my bedroom in a romantic PURPLE. Of course the entire room wouldn’t be purple but my comforter would set the tone for the room. Recently my love and I were looking and decided on 4 colors for our new home. HE decided that the walls in the bedroom can be TEMPE STAR. While I totally agree this color must go on a wall in our home, He crushed my dream of PURPLE in my bedroom or did he??? Help!! I totally need bedroom ideas for both of us to be happy.”

Sarita says…

As a purple lover myself, I know exactly where you are coming from! You are definitely on the right track by not wanting to paint the entire room purple, I’ve made that mistake before. I choose a rich medium tone purple and did my entire room, it was total overkill. Your best bet is using purple as an accent color, perhaps as an accent wall behind your bed. However, we do need to consider your significant other’s likes in this decision, and it seems like he is not too keen on a purple master bedroom (I don’t blame him at all, it is a girlie color and he is a man). So, considering the fact that he wants to go in a completely different color direction in the room with “Tempe Star,” we should try to find ways to incorporate both of your likes. One idea is to use the “Tempe Star” as the accent wall behind your bed and then choose a soft purple-based neutral as the other walls in the room (I like Benjamin Moore’s “Slip” AF-605) from their new Affinity line. This way you both get a little of what you want, and the result is a room that is somewhat romantic and soft, and somewhat bold and masculine.

Regarding your comforter, you mentioned that it will set the tone of the room. Is the comforter purple? If so, you will definitely have your beloved purple in the room, just maybe not on the walls. You could also introduce more purple in the space with decorative accents like throw pillows, a floor covering, art and decorative accessories.

Congratulations on your new home and good luck!

“My Master bedroom has two windows and a King size bed in the middle. Unfortunately, the nightstands are directly underneath these 2 windows. Is it customary to have bedside lamps on these nightstands when the window is right there? They are tall narrow windows.”

Jason says…

Thanks so much for your inquiry. It looks like your bedroom is flooded with natural light which must be great! In terms of artificial light for when it is nighttime, I can see your hesitation in using traditional table lamps and blocking your windows. We often think about light in terms of layers – overhead lighting, table, floor, or wall lighting, and candle light (for entertaining). In a master bedroom, you probably want reading light in bed. This is most effectively achieved with table lamps or sconces and not overhead lighting. It is difficult to position overhead lighting for reading whereby your own head won’t cast a shadow on your reading material. Given your window arrangement, I would recommend hardwired sconces above your headboard and to the extreme left and right (just inside the windows) that can be aimed at your reading material – something similar to the wall light pictured below. I would also suggest recessed overhead lighting to fill the room with general light or to light specific pieces of artwork. Please let us know what you decide and please don’t hesitate to send final photos.

What do you think?

…add a little 1 x2 molding.  Click here for details.

“Hello Designers,

I’m in the process of re-doing my teen daughter’s room and I was trying to figure out some ways to give my daughter space to display pictures and keep notes that’s not just the typical corkboard and whiteboard combo piece.  There’s nothing wrong with them, in fact its what she has now.  I just figured since we were re-doing her room I could do something more creative, more mature… Thoughts?”

Here’s what Jamie thinks…

There are two DIY projects that I think will help you achieve the look and function you’re going for.  The first would be to mount a corkboard sheet (or multiple sheets, depending on how big you want it) to the wall and frame it out by mounting molding to the wall.  Check your local craft store for the corkboard sheets and your local hardware store for the molding.  The second project requires more of the same molding and some chalkboard paint.  Step one of the second project would be to paint an area of the wall where the chalkboard will go with chalkboard paint (use painter’s tape to help with straight lines).  Then frame the chalkboard by mounting the molding to the wall.  Good luck!

I’m sure you’ll agree that being able to open closet doors without fear of something falling on you is fantastic.  Below we’ve posted the 6th video in Scott’s series about sorting through clothing.  For the rest of the videos in this series, visit the Solutions by Scott YouTube channel.  Happy organizing!

…update your pillows!  Pillows may be a small decor item, but updating them can make a big difference if you’re in need of a design update.  To spice up a living room, study or bedroom, you can recover your existing throw pillows with fun, new fabrics, purchase brand new pillows fro your favorite home furnishings store, or have custom pillows made.  A small project like this is a great way to infuse your existing palette with new colors and patterns.

Planning to do a quick change like this?  We’d love to see before and after pics!  Send them to info [at] budgetfab [dot] com, subject: Design Clique Before and After.

Large, colorful, or carefully grouped artwork can give a room the focal point to define and create a mood.

Smaller, well chosen items (like the photos above the bed) can draw people in closer, creating intimacy in a space.

To keep from hanging art too high remember these two things…

• The center of artwork should be at about eye level
• If hanging a piece above a sofa, the bottom should fall approximately 7″ above the sofa height

How have you used art in your space?

This month Sarita discusses the do’s and don’ts of mixing woods…

 ”One of the questions I hear all of the time is whether or not all of the wood finishes in one space should match. I tell everyone the same thing: absolutely not. It is not easy to mix and match different wood finishes and tones in one space, but it is achievable and it is desirable. A room with all matching wood tones on every piece of furniture will be uninteresting and lack variety. Variety is one of the most important principles of design and should not be underestimated. So, before you purchase that coffee and side table matching set consider picking pieces that complement each other but are NOT the same.

 A few helpful tips for mixing woods:

 1. Do include a variety of finishes and textures. You may want all of your wood tones in your space to be dark, but you can still incorporate variety by choosing different finishes on each dark wood piece. For instance, one piece may have a smooth and shiny finish, and another piece may have a matte finish with a visible wood grain.

2. Don’t do “matchy-matchy.” Stay away from sets of matching pieces, like coffee table and side tables. How boring! If you really like the coffee table then you should have it, but look elsewhere for side tables to go with it. It’s almost like fashion. Isn’t it more interesting to combine a necklace, earrings, and bracelet that all complement each other but aren’t matching? Or shoes that don’t necessarily match the color of your clothing but add a pop of color or fun pattern that complements what you’re wearing.

3. Do choose a primary finish for large pieces and use alternate or interesting finishes on smaller accent pieces like end tables, accent tables, or accessories. The key is to have a unified look that is full of variety, so it’s best to choose two or three wood tones and stick with them. Let one of the tones be the primary choice and choose large pieces in this finish – think media credenzas or dining tables. Then fill in the smaller pieces with your alternate tones and finishes – think small tables, stools, chairs, and shelving.

4. Do pay attention to the wood tones and finishes of the architectural elements of the space. Wood floors, kitchen cabinets, moldings, railings, and doors need to be considered when choosing which woods to select for furnishings. These elements (especially kitchen cabinets in open floor plans) can have a major influence on which woods will work best for furniture. A large majority of wood floors are usually in a light or medium wood tone and work with many different woods. But, there are some wood floors that don’t mix well with everything, for instance red-toned woods or very dark brown or black tones.”