We Answer Wednesday - How To Style My Bedside Tables

"My bedroom is beautiful! I love the furniture and the bedding but my night stands are cluttered and it really makes my room look messy.  I need some help with my night stands - help me make them pretty, please!"

That's a common problem for most of us.  Our bedside tables become an area for clutter - books, hand lotion, tissues, magazines, note pads, lip balm and more ....We still need these items , they are a part of our bed time routine but we don't need (or want) clutter in a space that is supposed to be relaxing and serene.

So here are some of our tips for a stylish bed side. When it comes to styling a bedside table, we keep it simple with lighting, art and accessories like a plant/flower/decor piece and possibly books.  The combinations are really endless! Be sure to find items that are in proportion with the space.  A small room may need a small end table so don't add over sized lamps - look for something slimmer or opt for a wall sconce.  Using these basic pieces you can really achieve a number of different looks, be sure to put your personality into it, after all it is your space!



The night stand furniture piece - so this item is a key piece.  You need to find a piece that works in the space but also one that suits your needs.  A night stand without any storage is pretty much useless and is just inviting clutter into your space.  Look for a piece with at least a drawer, so you can tuck away a few items you don't want to display. Many night stands have a top drawer and then an open space below.  That open space can get crazy and cluttered very easily.  Consider using that space to stack books (or place them vertically) and if magazines are more your style - add a basket or box to keep them in, it looks so much better! In some cases, like if you are in a room that has very limited storage you may even want a small chest of drawers that will play double duty as clothing storage and a night stand surface. Even if you can only fit one small chest of drawers it might be more functional and practical that two small night stands.



Lighting - is a must! For reading and for ambiance.  You always want to layer your lighting in order to suit your mood but also fill the room with light (when you need it).  So think table lamps - depending on the size of the table you may be able to go big and bold and make a 'decor' statement in the room.



If you are low on space, try a wall sconce!  They attach right to the walls so the surface space on your  night stand is free for other items. Wall sconces have come a long way - there are so many styles on the market now and they really create a clean and streamlined look.

 

Art or Mirrors - You have a number of options but these items really add to the decor of your room.  We love creating a vignette with art or a mirror above a night stand, it really pulls it together.



So this image has a bold head board so art above the headboard was needed or necessary to make a 'splash' instead two pieces were hung above the end table.  This is a clean and classic look but with  the choice of prints and accessories this room feel easy and comfortable but looks stylish.



This room has a very clean palette.  The layering of the art piece and the mirror give it a cool and sophisticated look.  Simple but so chic.




 This image shows a sunburst mirror centered over the night stand.  In this white room, this golden burst really makes a splash.  You could also swap this mirror out for an art piece.



Love the mini gallery wall look over this night stand.  Surround yourself with what you love! It could be art or beautiful photographs.  Look for pieces that preferably are calming and soothing.

Accessories -this is really where you get really personal.  You can add just about anything to your bedside table for decor.  One tip - if you have kids who like to hop into your bed maybe stay away from glass decor!



In this image, the look is pretty clean.  A simple dish for jewelry, a clock and some framed photos.  The drawers could be filled with magazines, books and more but they are tucked away so it looks so neat and tidy!

For the book lovers - you can keep your favourite book at your side but try not to let your book take over the surface space.  It looks cluttered and messy.  Aim for a maximum of 3 books on your night stand.  Stack them up or even try a vertical arrangement.




Anytime we stack things it just looks neater.

We love some type of foliage - flowers, plants it doesn't matter but it adds life to the room!  Small works best in most rooms but you may be able to use something with some height.

 

So once you have the items you want -start thinking about placement and arrangement.  It is a limited surface space so don't too many or items that are too large.  Start with your art and mirror first, ten add your light and from there play with the additional decor items.

Other additions to think about - candles, a small dish for eye glasses and/or jewelry, a decor item, photo frames or a small clock - are also great additions to a night stand.

When it comes to styling...
- choose items that suit your style and taste
- stick with odd numbers 3 or 5
- play around with arrangements and items and let your instincts kick in...

We Answer Wednesday - How to style my fireplace mantel

"This winter, my fireplace has been working over time!  I love snuggling up to my fireplace on cold winter days but my mantel is a mess. I want it to look good, can you send me some easy ideas to make my fireplace mantel pretty?" - Kelly S.

Great question, Kelly!  I think a lot of people have this problem.  The mantel should really highlight and bring focus to the fireplace not be an eye sore in the room.  We see this all the time when people use the mantel as a bit of a random collect-all area or a high 'hiding' space that the little ones can't reach!

A mantel isn't the place to pile up mismatched knickknacks or to leave bare, to gather dust. It's an eye-level stage of sorts, and a prime spot for showing off artful accents and collected treasures. Use the fireplace's facade as a cue to your color palette.





Then select one large item to feature--a light or open sculptural piece is best because it won't block the other objects. Pair it with a themed collection, like a few framed family photos or a grouping of different-sized glass vases. An oversized mirror or piece of art makes an ideal backdrop.

To keep it super simple but make an impact: follow this image -  even if this more traditional style isn't to your taste, take the principles of layering and add a modern or country twist.....

Create 3 layers of décor for your mantel.  Always includes layers 1 and 2.  Layer 3 is optional depending on your decorating style.



1. Start with an anchor piece - an oversized mirror is an easy option.  It let's light bounce around the room and it works with any decor style.  We like a piece with an interesting frame.  This image shows a dark frame which give some contrast in this very light tone-on-tone room but you could add a bold art piece that would give you the same impact

2.  The weight and height.  this image is demonstrating formal balance, that means you have two pieces (floral arrangements) that are the same colours, size, height, scale - identical and they are on each end of the mantel.  Creating a 'frame' for other, smaller display items.  These pieces could be vases, tall candles or candle sticks, sculptural items...it doesn't matter just be sure to keep the height to the sides and make sure the items fit on the mantel (you don't want anything to hang over)

3. (optional) Filler.  Now this can get a bit tricky...you want to fill that open space under the mirror and between the flanking vases with decor pieces.  Notice here everything is shorter, so not to block the mirror but the pieces have an airy quality - the glass candle sticks, the white planters and the silver circle pieces aren't heavy or bulky.  We see 3 main style of items and a few votive candles that are carefully dislplayed




Here's an example of a mantel with layers 1 and 2 but not 3.  Again these principles of layering can be used in all decor styles, just replace the pieces with items in your taste and style.




This country style mantel uses all 3 layers. The pops of black help anchor the space and the textural elements with the mantels itself, the greenery and the woven chargers add some warmth and the display items compliment the decor style and they relate to one another.

  It important to keep scale in mind not only as the objects relate to the fireplace, but also as they relate to one another.  All of the items should overlap each other so that they feel connected to each other and act as a cohesive unit.  Think of it as a step-down effect from the tallest point in the center of the mantel to the shortest point on the outside edges.  You want to take small, gradual steps without any jarring height decreases.


Do you have a TV on your mantel but you still want to create a beautiful styled mantel?  Yes, you can



See this image, that's a TV anchored by 2 beautiful vases with height, texture and a pop of bright yellow.  Yellow is an excellent choice here because it is the most intense colour on the colour wheel and that means your eyes can't help but be drawn to it.  So when the TV isn't on, these vases stand out and look beautiful

Once you’re comfortable with the process, think about what you might want to showcase on your mantel and where these items might fit within the layers mentioned above.  Consider using a mantel to showcase art, collectibles, seasonal decor, fresh flowers or even family heirlooms.  Then sit back and admire your work!