How to Decorate an All (or Mostly) White Master Bedroom

Using white in interior design is a trend that doesn’t seem to be fading. If you like the crisp, clean feel of an all or mostly white room, here are some tips to bring this natural, beautiful into your bedroom with ease. The Miramont Collection from Bernhardt is an excellent example of how white can work in a master bedroom.

Spaces with a plethora of natural light are the best for using white effectively. When light streams through the windows and is diffused by sheer curtains, the room is flooded with visual softness that creates a comfy-cozy atmosphere.

If you ask an interior designer or an architect which color they think is the most beautiful in terms of light, and they’ll both probably answer white. And although white does present some challenges in proper cleaning, durability, and practicality, when used correctly, it can be breathtakingly bright and beautiful, and can make a room feel much taller or larger than it actually is.

Don’t Be Afraid of the White

Many homeowner shy away from white due to its propensity for showing every stain, blemish, spill, nick or smudge. If you want to use white practically and effectively, you must take into consideration how and where it is applied. It’s best to stick to lower-traffic areas, particularly if soft goods such as rugs and other textiles are the main element in your design. Master bedroom suites, guest rooms, sunrooms, libraries, or home offices are all great places to use all or mostly white designs.

If you love white rooms and want to use it in your great room, living rooms, entries or hallways or dining rooms—high-traffic, high-spill areas—you can do so by choosing easy to clean leather furniture. It may seem counterintuitive, but leather chairs and sofas are good choices for easy cleaning, spills wipe right off, and the wear and tear that comes with age adds character. If you find a white upholstered sofa that you love, be sure to invest in a protection plan that will protect it from spills.

A great example of an all-white designer space that is livable is the master bedroom featured above. With the Miramont Queen Bed from Bernhardt as the focal point, the room is layered with several shades of white that play with the abundant natural light in the space. Beginning with the mix of textures on the bed itself and moving to the use of white-on-white walls, carpet, and flooring, the room includes an equal measures of practical and pretty.

White rooms can feel stark, cold, impersonal, and even one-dimensional. To avoid this effect, layer various shades of white in numerous ways and use an assortment of materials and textures. In addition, combine different finishes such as eggshell paint or walls and ceilings, reflective or high-gloss on furniture, satin on flooring, as well as smooth finishes on accents or accessories.

100 Shades of White

Simply choosing the proper white seems simple, right? However, white comes in more than 100 different shades. Ultra-white induces a modern, purist effect, and is best for minimalist spaces. Beige-whites and yellow-whites work well for traditional rooms and purple-whites are feminine and can create a more formal feeling in the space. Also, blue-white is a popular choice for a calm, cool, and glamorous look.

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What's Your Style: Cool Coastal Home Office from Sligh Furniture

Do you love Jimmy Buffet? Strolling barefoot in the sand? Shell motif on almost anything? Bright, breezy coastal style that transports you straight to the beach could be the perfect style for your home office. Think light palettes with colors drawn from shells, sand, sea and sky. Even better, if this is the look you love, you can pull it off in your home office, even if you are miles away from the seashore, with the Bal Harbour collection from Sligh.

Weathered Woods

Traditionally, coastal style dictates light, weathered wood with a sun and salt kissed patina. Blond maple and ash, whitewashed or pickled woods, and bamboo all fit within the dictates of the style. Beadboard and painted planks are also classic renditions of coastal style. A more modern take is the combination of bamboo, rosewood, and leather found in the Isle of Palms Credenza and Desk from Sligh. This coastal-style piece includes Caribbean influences that provide an authentic, beachy atmosphere.

Clean, Crisp Fabrics

Keep the fabric effortless and unpretentious, such as cotton rugs, linen slipcovers, and sheers or linen panels that catch the breeze as window dressing. Pure white is commonly used, but washed-out pastels and tailored stripes also work with the look. Feel free to use shell or nautical themed fabrics, but beware of straying into kitsch.

Natural Fibers

Natural fibers such as sea grass, straw, and jute in rugs, furnishings, and accessories create natural warmth and add texture to a coastal-themed office. Touches of woven panels and crushed bamboo door fronts as found in the Malibu Writing Desk by Sligh are true to the theme and make your office work anything but boring.

Abundant Light

Light is probably the most important, but most overlooked element of coastal style. Give it some thought: have you ever walked into a beach house that felt dark, cramped, and cluttered? There’s a reason why white is the signature color of coastal interiors: it reflects and amplifies light instead of soaking it up. A coastal interior will blur or remove the line between indoors and outdoors. Picture windows, skylights and glass doors all letting sunlight to stream in.

If your home doesn’t have these features, you can use lamps and sconce to create the proper atmosphere. Simple window treatments won’t subdue the glow and adding a few carefully chosen accents that reflect the light—a mirror on a wall opposite the window or a glass topped table—will keep the room light and bright.

If you want to turn your home office into a beachside getaway with furniture from Sligh, visit a Baer’s Furniture Showroom near you. Take advantage of the free design service and speak with a design specialist about creating your style.

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Couples (Design) Therapy with Tommy Bahama

Combining households can be both exciting and frustrating. You may be in love, you think your compatible, but do your design preferences play well together? You may be imagining a house full of vintage-inspired pieces while your significant other is getting to move in his green leather sofa. Sadly, couples aren’t always on the same page when it comes to home décor. The Ocean Club Collection by Tommy Bahama Home combines feminine and masculine elements into one cohesive style.

It is important to remember that the home you share should reflect both of you. A happy balance can be achieved—one that results in a space that isn’t too feminine or too masculine—if you take the time to decide on a look that you both agree on. Once you’ve done this, you’ll know what you are keeping, what you are getting rid of, and what you are replacing.

Find Inspiration

Create an inspiration board, or at least a file with images of rooms that you like and hope your significant other will also like. Include furniture styles and color schemes that you are drawn to. Get together and go over the images. Discuss what you both like or dislike about each, this is a useful exercise—it will help you develop a mutually agreed upon aesthetic that can become the foundation of your couple’s style.

Buy a Bed

This is an important piece, it is the foundation of the bedroom you will share. Keep in mind that a woman may like a romantic, four poster bed with a canopy while a man might prefer a bed that reflects his desire to come home and put his feet up in comfort. Be practical and considerate, that always pays off. Find some common ground, and choose a style that embodies feminine and masculine elements. The Ocean Club Paradise Point Bed by Tommy Bahama Home features clean, geometric pattern that balances the feminine and masculine in a way that pleases both. The warm wood and rich walnut finish creates visual appeal.

Shop Together

This may seem like a no-brainer to some and torture to others, but in the end it will save you time and heartache if you just bite the bullet and make the rounds for furniture stores together. Keeping your aesthetic in min, you can pick out pieces that fit your needs. When you are both present, you’ll avoid arguments later and find pieces that you both will love.

Personalize It

Make the space your own by adding personal touches. Keep in mind the things that are special to you as a couple as well as those things that are special to each of individually and devise a plan to include those elements in your new space. The bottom line is that this is a space you share, so it should reflect both of you.

To view more pieces in the Tommy Bahama Ocean Club collection and speak to a design professional — it’s free — about how to create your “couple” style, visit a Baer’s Furniture showroom near you.

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Make the Most of Your Master Bedroom with Bernhardt Furniture

Your master bedroom should be an oasis of calm, a relaxing space where you can escape from life’s seemingly never-ending stresses. So, how do you create this space in such a way that it provides equal parts indulgence and functionality? Don’t fret — here are some ideas you can use to turn your master bedroom into your favorite room in your house with Bernhardt Furniture.

Make a Sanctuary

Your bed is the centerpiece of your bedroom oasis. It is the most important piece of furniture in the room so be sure to get the bed you love. Take into consideration the size of your room so that the furniture doesn’t crowd the space and make it seem awkward. The Montebella Sleigh Bed from Bernhardt gives you the look of a Mediterranean country villa in your bedroom. The gently rolling headboard and footboard evoke sprawling hillsides and sculpted moldings add dimension and texture.

Create a Multi-Functional Room

Ideally, your bedroom should be more than just where you sleep—it should be a place where you want to spend all your free time. An easy way to achieve this is to create a seating area where you can hang out when you don’t want to lounge in bed. Do you want to curl up with a good book? You can place a comfortable armchair next to a small table of bookcase. Would rather have a place to binge watch your favorite shows? A loveseat, chaise, or daybed will give you the room you need to stretch out.

Layer on the Texture

Texture plays an important role in how a space feels. You’ll want your master bedroom to feel warm, cozy, and inviting. Using plenty of the right textiles will help you bring a homey feel to your space. Begin with the obvious—the bedding. Layer on multiple materials such as down, silk, or woven textures. Then continue to warm up the room with a throw rug or pillow and blankets in your seating area.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

If you struggle with storage, consider bringing the issue to the forefront of you bedroom design. By incorporating your storage solutions into your décor, you can give your master bedroom a lasting design that wills withstand the test of time. With twelve drawers, the Montebella Dressing Chest and Mirror gives you ample space to store your possessions in style.

While everyone wants their bedroom to feel like an escape from the stresses of life, sometimes it is difficult to balance function and indulgence. Visit Baer’s Furniture to find more pieces in the Montebella Collection by Bernhardt to help make your bedroom as indulgent as it is functional.

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Add Geometric Shapes to Your Home Design with Bernhardt Furniture

Geometric shapes in home design is a perennial favorite, they help create bright, modern interiors while balancing and harmonizing modern interiors. They add a fresh, modern twist to home design. Great interior design combines elements in a room to create a balanced space.

Instant Visual Interest

If you want a room that looks like it hopped off the cover of a magazine, adding some geometric shapes for visual interest is one of the quickest ways to get there. While patterns can play an accent role, they can also take center stage. In a dining room, the table is automatically the focal point, and using it to add a geometric pop can elevate your style from good to great.

A room full of pattern would overwhelm the senses, giving the eyes no place to rest. Instead, one or two design elements, such as the subtle geometric detail of the table base of the Salon Dining Table by Bernhardt furniture. The round glass table top finishes the look, exuding elegance and character.

Balance and Harmony

Paired with the table are creamed colored Salon Upholstered Wing Dining Chairs with an Alabaster wood finish, providing luxurious comfort with their softly modern style. Home furnishings placed in a useful, pleasing and harmonious way create beautiful and comfortable interior design in harmony with geometry laws. Geometric forms and shapes, decoration patterns and prints are more than just trends in decorating. Their continual appearance in design demonstrates our fascination with the geometry that balances life.

All interior decorating themes are based on basic geometry. It reflects every day human activities and comfortable homes, using geometric shapes to form balanced living spaces and add grace, interest, and harmony to modern decor. Geometric decoration—patterns, shapes, prints, and forms—create harmonious relationships between human beings and the built environment, stunning interior design, and stylish decorating.

In the world of interior design, geometric patterns are resurging in popularity. If you’re looking to add a touch of elegance to any room in your home, a geometric design element could be just what you are looking for. Geometric patterns and prints provide bold accents that bring harmony to body, soul, and mind, conveying more meaning into modern interior design.

If you are looking for geometric inspiration for your home, check out the entire Salon Collection by Bernhardt at the Baer’s Furniture showroom near you.

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Jazz Up Your Dining Room with Rich Wood from Tommy Bahama

Your dining room table is more than a place to sit and eat a meal. It's the heart of your home—the place where families share their stories and struggles at the end of the day, where best friends giggle over fond memories, where you sit quietly each morning reflecting over a hot cup of coffee and the morning news. The dining room is one of the most treasured rooms in any home—comfortable space that nourishes body and soul. You dining room design should allow special moments to take center stage.

Put Some Extra Spice into Your Dining Room Décor

It is well-known that eating together with family and friends strengthens the bonds that keep a group together. You dining room is where you spend time enjoying heathy conversation along with healthy food. A great dining room table can put some extra spice in the food you serve and some extra jazz into the conversation that surrounds it. The "Ocean Club Peninsula Dining Table gives you enough space to entertain your family and friends in style.

The Asian influence of this otherwise classic table offers your guests the comfort and warmth every dining experience deserves. The rich, warm wood gives your dining room a contemporary look that makes it a great place for entertaining family and friends. The solid, simple yet elegant furniture completes the modern look.

Large floor-to-ceiling windows provide an abundance of natural light, making it light and airy. The view becomes a piece of art, and the white walls and ceiling make the room feel larger. Light wooden chairs with upholstered seats, such as the Ocean Club Kowloon Arm Chair contribute to the airy tone and give your guests comfortable seating with a classic, traditional touch.

Light It Up Right

Lighting is an important feature in a dining room—it sets the mood. Your light fixture should relate to your dining room table, not the room itself. Chandeliers go best with round tables, while linear or modern shapes go best with rectangular tables. Dimmer switches are great for controlling the mood and the fixture should be hung about 30 inches above the table. If necessary or desired, you can add layers of lighting with wall sconces and recessed lights.

Visit Baer’s Furniture for more dining room inspiration and to see the entire line of Tommy Bahama Ocean Club furniture.

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Natuzzi Puts a Modern Spin on Its Leather Sleeper Sofa

A sleeper sofa is probably one of the most versatile pieces of furniture you will ever own. Consider: one modern sofa bed serves as two distinct pieces of furniture in half the space. They might have a bad reputation for being noisy, uncomfortable, and even ugly, but those days are long gone. Natuzzi Editions has put a modern spin with its new line of leather sleeper sofas.

Modern sleeper sofas blend so well into their surroundings, that your guests may be shocked to discover that not only does the sofa convert into a bed, but a comfortable one at that. If you need to turn your living room, spare room or office into a part time guest room, a sleeper sofa may be your best option. The Natuzzi Editions sleeper sofa, with its sleek leather upholstery, gives you a fresh look and modern convenience. Below are a few more tips to help you find the sleeper sofa that will effortlessly transition from day to night.

What Type of Mattress Should I Look for in a Convertible Sofa?

The first thing to consider is whether a fold-down or pull-out model will work for you. A fold-down model could be considered one step up from a futon—the cushions are in fact the mattress. In a pull-out model, the mattress and cushions are separate. Then, consider the sofa’s primary use—sitting or sleeping? If you envision that it will be used more as a sofa, the cushions become more important. And correspondingly, if you think it will be used as a bed often, the mattress should be a top priority.

What Do I Look for in a Frame for a Sofa Bed?

Frame quality is an important consideration. You’ll want choose something that will last long, like steel, hardwood, or something equally durable. The Natuzzi Editions sleeper sofa uses a combination of solid woods, OSB, plywood, particle board with a Masonite wrap and foam covering to produce an easily adaptable style.

Also keep safety in mind, and watch out for pieces that might scratch you or snag the bedding. Size up the space you will have to navigate when the bed is open, and downsize if needed. In addition consider the following:

• Support Bar: Check the support bar, especially on a pull-out bed. When attached with coils, the bar gives with pressure, so that it doesn’t dig into the sleeper’s body.

• Ease of Use: Test out the sofa bed to make sure you can easily open it or fold it down. You and your guests will be frustrated if they are ready to retire and they cannot pull out the mattress. In addition, look for a frame that locks when the sleeper is in position, you or your guests wouldn’t want to accidentally be folded up in the sofa when rolling over in the dead of the night.

• Upholstery: This is when you think more about your sleeper sofa’s use as a couch more than a bed. Choose a fabric, such as leather, that is durable but comfortable, unless the sleeper sofa will be somewhere that doesn’t get a lot of use, such as an office, where you can use a more delicate fabric, like cotton, if you are trying to achieve a particular look.

The Natuzzi Editions leather sleeper sofa will give you the flexibility of a 2-in-1 piece, but even better, your guests will look forward to using it—they can easily pull the sofa out and get a restful night’s sleep. See more from Natuzzi Editions at Baer’s Furniture on Houzz!

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