I saw this ad for USM Modular in a magazine the other day and it caught my eye. I adore USM and specified it for an office project a few years ago. Their units come in lots of vibrant colors. They’re perfect for home offices as well. But in the bedroom? Why not?

There are no hard and fast rules these days. I think I’d accessorize this a bit differently to make better use of the storage and to give it a more residential feel. A long unit like this would (and does) look terrific in a contemporary room of any sort. I’d like to see it used as a buffet in a dining room as well. An added benefit is that it’s modular. If you move house you’ll always be able to find a space for at least part of it in your new digs.

You can see some of USM’s ideas for residential use by following this link. I’m interested to know what you think. Would you

I put together two proposals. My partner in this venture, Sandra Olave, did another. We needed at least three. I thought I’d share my presentations with you.

I’ve been sitting on this idea for a while, hoping to work on a little girl’s room one day. My favorite feature of this garden wonderland are the painted screen doors at the entrance to the room and the bath. Painted screen doors is an urban art form from my hometown of Baltimore. My screens depict trees. The doors feature window boxes (filled with handmade felt flowers and critters) along with a birdhouse.

The rest of the room continues that floral theme. The window boxes sit atop radiators. Caf?© curtains and a canopy on the antique spindle bed are dressed with flowers and floral fabrics. A floral wallpaper continues the flowery fun. I’m painting the ceiling, trim and fireplace in a coordinating color. A desk, similar to the one in the picture will be painted one color on the outside – another on the inside.

I find that this type of presentation is well received. I put it together on Photoshop and have it printed in tabloid size on good paper. It’s visually appealing, neat and clean. I don’t have to have actual fabric samples if I can find what I’ll use on a website. I scan things as well.

I’ll share my Bohemian Teen room tomorrow. Meanwhile, I’d love to know what you think of this room. Would your little girl like a room like this? Can I make a million felt flowers by May 1st, and how much should I sell them for? I’ve got to pay for this room somehow! :-) I can take the criticism. I don’t even know if I’m getting a room. I find out Friday.

Love this scalloped edging on this skirt. The ribbon is a beautiful touch.

They do a good job of mixing and matching sheets with pillows, etc. Again, the detailing is original.

The extra wide lumbar pillow looks great here. And it’s a nice change from the 3 pillows you typically see. Love the ribbon edge on the pillow cases and sheet, too.

I like the idea of mixing up the pillowcases. Buy two sets – each in a different pattern and put them together on the bed. I saw this at IKEA last weekend, too.

I really love a well-made bed. They’re lots of fun to play with.

Do you have a favorite way to make the bed? Share!

There’s something very romantic and comforting about a canopy bed. I’ve selected a few of my favorites here. There are all kinds of ways to create a canopy. Let’s take a look.

This half-caopy frames a bed so nicely. I like the matching fabrics. It’s just plain pretty. And there’s nothing wrong with that, is there?

This is so French, isn’t it? I love the shape of the padded headboard. The informal draping of the bedding makes the bed appear more cozy and less imposing.

What’s your opinion of this mirrored canopy bed? Does it work with the striped fabric? It seems to. What I like, as an idea to save for a future project, is the way the headboard covers the entire back of the bed. I like the tufted aspect as well. This might be a good way to deal with a bed that’s not in great shape – you can hide the bad spots with fabric.

Here’s a way to create a canopy with very little fabric. A flat panel, draped and hung from the ceiling is terrific.

Here’s an incorporation of both ideas. The fabric isn’t gathered in the back. There’s just enough fullness to make this work.

Mosquito netting is so beautiful. It says, “I live in a tropical, romantic place.” Well, to me it does – even if it happens to really be Detroit. At night, all dreams come true.

Keep your upper lip stiff if you want to sleep here. Taker a closer look and there’s a good idea that you cold use in any setting. Why not use a piece of birch ply and faux paint it to look like paneling? Instant headboard. And, when it’s surrounded by the canopy, it becomes a thing of beauty.

Lastly, a light and airy room. This would make a perfect guest room. Except you’d never get rid of your guests!

Okay, so which one is your favorite? Mine is the first. I like the style of the cornice – like the one at the end. It bring out the girly-girl in me. How about you? I’d like to hear from the guys on this as well.

Rule #1: Your color scheme and sense of style should end at a teenager’s bedroom door.

Teenagers are busy finding themselves – a very important thing that is too often overlooked. They often express their ever-changing sense of who they are through decoration. ¬†One day, they’re in love with the Jonas Brothers and their images cover the walls. Just as you’re learning the difference between Kevin and Joe, your daughter is rolling your eyes at you. The Jonas Brothers are so last week! ¬†Taylor Swift has taken over.

The image, above, is a good example. It looks terrific. But what will you do when your daughter decided she hates lilac next year?

If you’re a house-proud parent (and who isn’t), the best thing to do is sit on your hands, grin and bear it. Let your teens’ imaginations and identity searching run wild in the bedroom decor and, most likely, they won’t be running wild in the street. (At least I hope not!)

Rule #2: Set some ground rules and create a budget together.

When I was a teen I repainted my bedroom five times. To keep yourself from going mental and broke, set some ground rules before the arguing starts. Are black walls out or in? Can they paint the furniture? Try to think of things they can’t do, but also things they can. Write up a list together. If there’s something that’s not on the list, have them ask before they paint.

It’s a good idea, depending on the age of your teen, to give them a budget and let them do the shopping. A lesson in budgeting and planning for future change is always in style. Goodwill, Craig’s List and Freecycle are great places to find furniture and accessories at rock bottom prices. Challenge your teens to think outside the Pottery Barn box.

Rule#3: Place color on things that can be changed out easily.

Painting the walls a new color is really inexpensive – as long as he’s doing the work himself.¬† However, new furniture every other week is probably out. Remind your kids that they might not want blood red walls next year (you know they’ll roll their eyes at your total stupidity and develop amnesia next year).

Put the color and the trends on the walls and the accessories. They’re less expensive to change.

Jennifer’s Tips

• Let your teen decorate their own environment
• Set ground rules
• Create a budget – add a little extra for each year
• Use walls and accessories for trends
• Shop thrift shops for cool stuff and things that can be painted.
• If you think your teen as gone a too wild, just close the door when company comes snooping.

Need some more ideas? Here are some of my previous posts on the topic.

• Teen Rooms
• Avoiding Themes
• Design Dilemma for a Pre-Teen

images: PBTeen, Momoy, Top Home Pic

Rule #3 Exp

Most of us will agree that a bed needs a bedside table. We need a place for a lamp, a book, the remote. A really great bedside table needs just one thing (besides style) to meet my requirements. It needs a drawer. At least one. Perhaps more, but at least one.

You need a drawer to stash those private things that we all need handy at night. Medication and condoms are obvious. Your dog-eared copy of Lovely Lying Lips might be less so. At any rate, you need a drawer. Here are 8 styles that fill the bill for me.

1. Wm. Sonoma’s Hudson Table

This lovely style from, Wiliam Sonoma, also comes in a dark stain ($895). I like its simple lines.

2. Ethan Allen’s Maison Chest

A chest of drawers is terrific, if you have the space. This is from Ethan Allen ($949).

3. De La Espada’s Weekender

De La Espada’s 643 Weekender bedside unit is low and chunky. Perfect to partner with a platform bed.

4. Wisteria’s Moorish Chest

At 34.5″ high, I think this beautifully inlaid chest from Wisteria ($2,999) would look great with a tall bed, like the one I’m lying on right now. The mattress has to be high enough so you’re not reaching up too high to access the hot oil.

5. Tealan’s Chinese Antique Table

This is a steal. Tealan sells Asian cabinets that are perfect for by the bed. The even have a drawer. This one sells for $375. You can find some in pairs.

6. Max Alto’s Thronos table

This is lovely in its simplicity. Designed for the Max Alto division of B&B Italia (one of y super faves), Thronos even has a drawer, believe it or not.

7. Shine Home’s Bing Table

I like the Bing side table – a colorful option. I see it in a dramatic bedroom with some large lamps. It’s from Shine Home where it comes in 3 colors.

8. Horchow’s Deco Side Table

For an eclectic, feminine touch, Horchow’s Deco Table is a good choice ($1,199).

My favorites are the William Sonoma table and the Moorish chest from Wisteria. One plain, one fancy. Which one is yours?

Take it away Fiona!

I love to design bedrooms! People really want to get involved in the design and are much more open to expressing their personality in the bedroom. As a designer I love the challenge of meeting the design brief as well as getting the mood and ambience right.

For example, a couple who needed my help approached me. They‚Äôd spent a lot of money on built-ins. Their beautiful Victorian, double aspect bedroom was packed to the brim with wooden furniture and looked like a room in Travel Lodge. They hated it and were devastated. We decided to keep the wood. They couldn’t justify the cost, and I couldn’t justify ripping out brand new furniture. My plan was to work with the existing space by softening the rest of the room so that the wood would blend in and look less harsh.

It was a pretty simple fix. I created a feature wall out of the chimneybreast, fireplace and the two new fitted wardrobes either side using bold wallpaper we chose together. My clients went for a hot pink color. We added gold to the color mix and chose new fabrics for a bed throw, cushions, a window seat and curtains. The warm tones complemented the wood tones, which softened the look of the built-ins.

To finish off, we choose a beautiful chandelier, bedside lamps and mirror to create the right kind of lighting within the room. I also wanted to add something feminine to counteract the masculine feel of all the built-ins. It was amazing how different their room felt when it was done. Best of all, the clients were incredibly happy with the result – and so was I!

Thanks Fiona! The end result does look amazing. To hire Fiona, visit her website. Or follow her on Twitter.

Paul and I ended out discussion with some dirty talk. How to wash the sheets, that is. He’s got a few tips on shopping as well.

DH: Is it important to wash linens with special detergent?

PH: What you have to watch for in detergent is chlorine bleach.  Chlorine bleach kills cotton fabric.  It not only yellows the fabric, but it breaks down the fibers, causing the sheets to have a shorter life. They pill and rip more easily. There are many good detergents on the market. Just avoid any that contain chlorine bleach. Use an oxygen bleach instead. We have a page on our site dedicated to this subject.

DH: I iron my sheets, which has spoiled me forever. What makes an ironed sheets feel so much better?

PH: It brings out the crispness of the cotton or linen of the sheet.  The same way a nicely pressed piece of clothing becomes the person, the nicely pressed cotton or linen makes one feel “extra special” when crawling into bed.  It could also have something to do with the fact that extra attention was given to get this fabric just right.

Paul’s Tips on How to Buy and Wash Bed Linens

• Educate yourself about the various types of sheets. Do you want percale or sateen?¬† A specialty store can tell and show you the difference.
• Know and trust the merchant who is selling you the sheets.¬† If it sounds too good to be true, it generally is.¬† Will they stand behind their product?¬† Have they been in business a long time?¬† Will they be there tomorrow?¬† Those who have a long history tend to take the business more seriously, and offer better quality than others.¬† Sometimes price leads the way. If it doesn’t, shop at a specialty store that carries the best quality possible.

More shopping tips and all about washing after the jump.

• Forget about thread count. It is not an indicator of quality. It used to be, when all yarns were the same, but no longer.¬† A higher thread count today has nothing to do with the quality. You have to know the manufacturer (we‚Äôve been at it for 118 years). The best Egyptian cotton yarns are used.

• Jennifer’s shopping tip: If you’re like me and buy white sheets, buy 2 sets and rotate them. They’ll last longer and you’ll always have a fresh set.
• Launder your sheets in warm water. Make sure you sort the colors. [Jennifer here: I wash my sheets separately]
• Never use chlorine bleach. Pre-treat and use an oxygen bleach instead.
• Yes, sheets can go in the dryer. But don‚Äôt bake them! A hot dryer is the worst thing you can do to fine linens.¬† The heat breaks down the fine fibers.
• Dry sheets in a cool dryer for about 15 minutes, then check on them.¬† It is okay to remove them while slightly damp. If you have the space, dry them until they’re “just” dry and hang them to dry the rest of the way.
• Never dry clean sheets – always have them laundered.
• Jennifer’s last word. If you don’t have time to iron your sheets, at least iron the cases. It wouldn’t take that much longer to iron the first 2 feet of the top sheet. Your bed will look really great.

Thanks, Paul for a great interview!

Have any questions about what to look for when buying and/or laundering sheets? Put your question in the Comments Box and your answer will be revealed.