Clever Storage Ideas and Space-Saving Solutions for Bedrooms

As bedroom spaces become smaller, we need to be more creative with storage solutions.

Coming up with storage ideas by using spaces and furniture optimally requires some thought and the best way to approach the issue is to draw up a rough floor plan of the entire bedroom space, including the areas designated for furniture.

Bedroom Storage Ideas (created by Viryabo@Polyvore)

Plan for both vertical and horizontal spaces for bedroom storage, especially if your apartment doesn’t come with a walk-in closet; this way, it’s easy to start thinking and sketching out the kind of units that will work best for your room.

Types of Bedroom Storage

There are two types you can use in a bedroom.

• Standalone storage furniture
• Built-in units

Standalone furniture for storage includes the chest of drawers, armoires, bedside cabinets, storage beds, dresser, wardrobes, tallboy, and highboy while built-in units include fitted wardrobes, built-in chests, and floor to ceiling wardrobes.

Features of bedroom storage include:

• Long and short hanging sections (long hanging sections are good for hanging full-length gowns and dresses, trousers, long skirts, overcoats, etc... while the short hanging spaces are ideal for hanging skirts, blouses, shorts, shirts and the like) with inner lighting
• Open or closed shelves for folded clothing, tees, hat boxes, etc...
• Drawers for undergarments, socks, scarves, odds and end stuff, etc...
• Pull out wire baskets for sundry items, or anything you may wish to store away in an easy to access an airy unit.
• Shoe racks, bag racks, and belt hooks
• Upper storage spaces for large boxes, suitcases (if you don't have ample closet storage), etc...
• Jewellery lock-away sections, travel and other important documents

If you are designing your bedroom DIY wise, consider space for the above when mapping out your sketch. If you are hiring an interior designer to do the job, start off by discussing all your storage requirements him or her.

You can also find bedroom fitters at your local home improvement stores. A designer or fitter should present you with a simple to read and understand plan with working drawings that show how spaces will be divided and allocated.

Integrate Storage Design Ideas with Bedroom Style

Bedroom or closet storage and organisers must be well integrated with the total design concept of the bedroom and its décor. For instance, a heavy rich mahogany wardrobe may be beautiful and elegant, but it will look out of place if incorporated within a room that has an ultramodern dresser and country style nightstands.

Likewise, you wouldn’t want to mess-up your minimalist less-is-more look with a heavy oak bed, an elaborate foot chest, and some heavy ornately carved headboard.

However, it’s good to note that if you are one that has a preference of say an eclectic theme or absolutely love Bohemian décor, then set interior design rules don’t necessarily apply.

Any which way, it’s best to choose a bedroom design that's not only pleasant but also possesses great potentials for a good variety of storage solutions.

Affordable Storage Solutions

If you are on a tight budget and want to organise things inexpensively, go for built-in wardrobe units without the doors. Instead, install roll-up blinds (wood, bamboo, or fabric) or drapes which coordinate well with the room's colour scheme.

This idea is great for hiding everything in a visually pleasing manner and can be applied for dead corners, niches or a wardrobe recess.

Louvred doors that can be found at most local D.I.Y. stores are another alternative. They are lovely, have character, and are very affordable to serve as doors.

Finally, if you live in a tiny flat where your bedroom serves a dual purpose . . . as a living room during the day and as a bedroom at night, what appears to be a wall in the daytime can be pulled out at night to form a bed with a sprung mattress and built-in lighting. This storage idea works great where space is limited like is common in studio apartments or converted lofts.

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Antique Chinese Oriental Rugs

Chinese antique oriental carpets and rugs are beautiful pieces of Chinese art influenced by the religious faith of Buddhists, Taoists and Lamaists.

First woven in China over 2000 years ago, they were made from fine silk with symbolic and figurative imagery used as highly important themes.

Chinese Oriental Carpets - Created by Viryabo@Polyvore

Pattern themes such as 'The hundred antiques', 'The fragrant fingers of Buddha', 'Waves and clouds of eternity', 'mythical dragon', 'the horse', and many of such distinctive patterns were characteristic features of their rugs.

Instantly recognised by their beautiful colours which mainly consisted of blue, apricot, and yellow, an antique Chinese oriental carpet is an embodiment of tradition and culture that also utilises light and soft tones of silk . . . dull yellow, salmon, brown, tan and rose.

Chinese carpets weavers of old used a reverse weaving method typical of antique Persian rugs with its quality determined by the number of knots in a finished carpet. The number of knots in a rug showed the remarkable effort that was put into its weaving.

Skilled weavers sometimes took up to two years to complete a hand-woven silk rug that measured about 1metre X 1.5metres (3ft X 5ft). Machine produced Chinese rugs don’t have knots and the fringe is attached after the carpet is woven.

There was no real oriental carpet industry in China until the mid-1700s

Today, the production of Chinese rugs and carpets have become highly commercialised with the same unique patterns extensively imitated, and fringes are sewn on after weaving.

And because they are highly popular and sought after (they fit into most home décor themes), there are very affordable and sometimes cheap versions in the market with shapes, patterns, and colours made solely to appeal to the western world.

Unfortunately, modern Chinese rug weavers and producers have disregarded old traditions and methods of production.

Antique Oriental Carpets and Fine Rugs

Simple Painting Techniques for Interior Walls

Antique Oriental Carpets and Fine Rugs

From oriental carpets to tribal rugs, the luxurious productions of antique rugs by weavers from the East have always been in demand by western homes and collectors since the days of Marco Polo (a Venetian merchant traveller of the 13th and 14 century) and the development of long-distance travel.

There are six main classifications of antique oriental carpets and each type is usually named after its area of origin or that of its weavers. Out of the main classifications, there are 50 common types of rugs.

 The New York Antique Society regards oriental area rugs as:

• Antique - carpets that are over one hundred years old or woven before 1875
• Semi-antique - Rugs that are between fifty and a hundred years old
• 'New' - oriental carpets and rugs less than fifty years old

Antique oriental carpets and fine rugs are all classified under the following six categories:

1. Chinese oriental carpets
2. Persian rugs
3. Indian carpets
4. Caucasian oriental carpets
5. Turkish carpets
6. Turkoman carpets

Designs on antique oriental rugs symbolise an exceptional variety of artistic expressions found in each village and city from which they originate, with their intricate designs as varied as the weaving centres that wove them.

So whether you prefer the exquisite detail found in centuries-old antique Persian carpets or oriental carpets that feature abstract patterns and baroque designs from Europe, the diversity of antique rugs make them great complements and accents for any interior décor style.

Modern Antique Inspired Oriental Carpets and Rugs

Today, oriental carpet production is highly mechanized and sold in commercial quantities. And though a few carpet weavers still hand-weave as it was done in the days of old, mass-produced floor coverings is what you’ll mostly find in today’s market.

Mass production of oriental carpets (inspired by antique themes) has affected quality with the use of less than perfect craftsmen, cheaper weaving materials and modern chemical dyes.

Today, the few authentic hand-woven antique rugs are mostly found in museums, in the homes of the very wealthy, and with ardent collectors.

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Bohemian Style Decor - Dare to Be Different

Bohemian Style Décor - Dare to Be Different

You will love a Bohemian style décor for your home if you are colourful, adventurous, and a carefree spirit that doesn’t care to stick to the rules of interior design concepts.

Full of rich vibrant colours and lots of exciting patterns, this home décor style may seem ‘chaotic and disorderly but a Bohemian (boho) scheme captures a freestyle that’s purposefully put together to create a warm and inviting ambience.

Bohemian Theme (created by Viryabo@Polyvore)

Boho chic colours include rich tones of red, purple, tan, brown, orange, including black. Tie-dye works well in Bohemian settings as does Moroccan, Southwestern, Gypsy, and tribal-inspired furniture designs that possess ethnic features.

The style which is an interior decoration wonder if put together properly consists of layered-on effects of different textiles with an almost exaggerated collection of paraphernalia . . . heavily patterned floor rugs, colourful pillows; throw covers, blankets, and wall tapestries.

The key to getting the best ensemble is to carefully match seemingly odd-and-end pieces with ethnic and nomadic style furniture made from wood, wicker, animal hide upholstery, ottomans (pouffes), metallic accents of bronze, brass, and/or copper.

Lots of potted and hanging plants, ceiling wood beams, and beaded curtains add an authentic look to the style.

The boho style is for those who live unconventional lives and like mixing colours, patterns and textures without paying attention to any set interior design rules. Boho chic may sound a little frenzied but that is so far from the truth.

So if you are the creative artistic type that loves to explore, experiment, and reinvent things in your home, you’ll find that the Bohemian design is the best style for some part of your home.

Affordable Ways to Create the Boho Chic Look

Dare to be different! Paint some walls in dark colours.

If you have loads of favourite items and colourful collections, express your unique personality and display them.

You can make patchwork pillow covers from your old clothes or fabric remnants and make blinds from woven mats and throw covers from old blankets.

Try to think out of the box and break interior styling rules. You can mix colours and patterns and set-up a rainbow of colours on your bed with plush pillows.

Don’t forget lanterns and some rugs which you can buy cheap!

Mix styles and create unexpected combinations; this is mostly what the style is all about.

On a final note, it is good to note that Bohemian décor is not a style for the minimalist and organized individual. 

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How to Style an Entrance Hallway - Foyer Decorating Tips

Your entrance hallway must be impressive, and you don’t need to break the bank to achieve this. They say first impressions count and this is true. If anyone walks into your home for the first time what they see gives them a clear vision of what to expect in the interior.

When you walk through the front door, your foyer must look and feel pleasant. It must also be inviting and welcoming. The entrance hallway must be styled as nicely as the adjoining room and depending on its size, can be decorated in a minimalist, traditional, or contemporary theme.

So, how do you style a hallway and make it both aesthetically pleasing and functional? Before you go out there shopping for your entrance hallway furniture and furnishings, you need to consider:

1. The space you have.
2. The function your hallway will serve.
3. The theme or style you desire.
4. Furniture and furnishings appropriate for your style choice. 
5. A colour scheme. 
6. Lighting - Do you have ample natural daylight, or not? 
7. The adjoining room(s).

Available Hallway Space

Your foyer’s design concept depends on the space you available. If your hallway is small, you can visually expand its size with mirrors, glass décor, and light-coloured furniture and furnishings. All furniture and furnishing items you choose must be the right scale for the available space. “Lighter schemes will help make space appear larger and spacious. You can paint the skirt boards to match the colour of the floor; a technique that will increase the apparent width of any small hallway.

With larger foyers, you are only limited by your imagination. They are pretty much easier to style with enough space to add an accent chair or two.

 

The Function of Entrance Hallways

Does your home’s foyer serve as a place to dump muddy boots, drip-dry wet umbrellas, or store the kid’s bike? Is it just a space that serves no function except as a thoroughfare? If your hallway or foyer serves for any of these then you need to re-think its purpose and style it up.

Style

Deciding on a theme is not so hard. You can have an entrance hallway styled in a traditional theme, mid-century modern, country or minimalist modern and if you are the audacious type, you may love something more dramatic like eclectic, bohemian, or tribal themes.

Colour Scheme

An entrance hallway should have a warm and inviting colour scheme. You can use rich colours like tones of primrose yellows, rose, and wines. You can use elegant colours like burnished gold or chestnut browns, and for stimulating effects, you can use primary colours, like orange, red, sunflower yellow or bold vibrant pink.

Use colour contrasts for maximum effects. These can be introduced in wall and floor finishes, including colour accents in wall-hung paintings, frames, cornices, and other features like an entrance door’s stained-glass panels, wall decals, coloured glass décor objects and area rugs.

Furniture and Furnishings

Decorate your entry hall by starting with a console table and a framed mirror, a collage of framed photographs, framed artwork, or metal craft. A console table can be a determining factor for your theme if you wish, like a starting point. Choose a small or sleek table for a small hallway if you don’t have much space. The table must fit with the scale of the hallway. Style your console with a table lamp, your favourite decoration objects, and framed photos. If there is room, add an accent chair or two, or a bench. Warm up the style with a runner rug.

Lighting

In most hallways, glazed entrance (front) doors help ‘throw’ in some natural light. If possible, use a front door that is partially or fully glazed. Glazed entrance doors add character to both the building’s facade and the foyer. Remember to consider the security of glazed and partially glazed front doors. If your hallway is dark due to the absence of windows, then consider using artificial lighting that resembles natural light. It will illuminate the space during the day. Pendant lights are great for entrance hallways.

Harmony with the Adjoining Room

Plan your hallway to relate stylishly to the next room or interior space as this will maintain a visual flow. You don’t want to create an abrupt change between the two spaces even if they both possess different themes. Also, ensure there is a transition between colour schemes as this creates continuity in design.

Further Reading:
Decorating Ideas for the Family Room
How to Develop an Interior Design Concept