Design Dilemma: a reoccurring series where I pick a design obstacle clients frequently get stuck on.
Today’s design dilemma: There’s a window where I want to put my bed, what should I do?
In an ideal world, should I say in an ideal floorplan, a bedroom has a focal wall that is wide enough to center a bed on, leaving space for bedside tables on either side. Natural light fills the room through windows on adjacent walls, which are perfectly dressed in window coverings that complement the room.
See ideal, right?
Reality is that if you live in an older home, a home with a smaller footprint, a bungalow or have a bedroom that has multiple functions (think home office or baby nursery), this scenario likely isn’t going to play out the way I described. In fact, both homes my husband and I have owned have run into this same conundrum:
This is the listing photo from our first house which was a bungalow.
This is our current bedroom that has a door on one side and a window on the other, both of which leads to an office.
What you’re probably wrestling with is where to place all the furniture in spite of the windows, thinking you shouldn’t block them for fear of losing light and just having things look “weird”.
So what do you do? Short answer: go ahead and partially block those windows with your bed. Crazy, I know. But hear me out, there are some advantages and things to remember when you find yourself in this situation:
Optimizing your floorplan should come before aesthetics. I’m not trying to crush Feng Shui but having a practical layout that flows easily without tripping over furniture take precedence over anything else.
Remember your window is not your only light source. I am a sucker for natural light to but there are so many ways to layer lighting through lamps, wall lights, overhead and picture lights, that you don’t need to solely rely on what comes through the windows.
Let your window be the focal point by centering your largest piece of furniture on it. Even if it’s off-center, aligning your largest piece of furniture creates an eye-catching feature in your room.
Look at these amazing bedrooms, that allow the bed and windows to layer
Click photos to link to source
A couple things to keep in mind if you find yourself in a similar situation:
Make sure you have window coverings on those windows so light is flashing in your eyes. Always an important thing in bedrooms but extra important when your window is inches away, make sure you have a way to block the light when you’re sleeping.
Ensure that those window coverings are each to reach for opening and closing. We don’t want your crawling and fumbling each morning and night to open and close these windows, so make sure the coverings you chose are easy to operate wether it’s shades or curtains.
If you have an off centered window, balance it out with art to create symmetry and intention. Allow your art to go up as high and as wide the windowsill, as low as few inches off the head board.
Follow us on Pinterest to get more ideas on how to conquer design dilemmas. And, if you have a tricky spot of your own that need you need advice or help on, book a FREE Discovery Call.
XOXO
-L
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