The Discussion:

This post, designing 1 room 3 ways, was inspired by a friend. The other day, she was talking to me about this blog. She said she loves the posts which discuss finishes and mood boards. She said reading the posts tempts her to get a makeover for her bedroom, but the whole process is too messy, time consuming and expensive. Well… I disagreed… not necessarily. What a given space looks like largely depends upon how it is styled. Planning is obviously important. You want to get your furniture, electrical points, etc. planned right for easy movement and comfortable use. But once that is done, the selection of furniture, furnishings and finishes gives it ‘the look’.

Let me take, for example, any of the Mumbai high rises. When you visit friends’ homes you realise that most people have their beds, wardrobes, dining tables exactly where you have yours. There isn’t much you can do to shuffle those around in the small rooms. Yet each room and each home looks different. So you could get a makeover by restyling your room, without any major breaking and reconstruction.

The Challenge:

She wasn’t convinced, and that’s where this post comes in. I told her I would e-style her room for her. Give her a hypothetical design to see what is possible. She went a step further. What if her parents had to move into that room? Or her teenage daughter? I should restyle the room for each of them. I can’t move the furniture around. The wardrobes are built in, the electricals in place according to the position of the bed, television etc. So we can’t break and redo all that. Just restyle the room. 1 room 3 ways!

1 Room 3 Ways:

I find all design projects exciting… even the imaginary ones! So I had great fun with these designs… and this is what she got.

1. Parent’s Bedroom:

I chose a light, serene colour scheme for this room.

The whites make the room look bright and airy. The blue-green add some colour while keeping the palette natural.

The wardrobes are finished in a light veneer.

I used a white wall paper with a self design to add some texture, yet keeping it simple.

There is some seating by the window for a morning cup of tea or a game of chess to pass time!

An entertainment center in front of the bed makes the room complete and self sufficient.

The aerial view of the room here shows the entire layout. I’ve kept the room style contemporary traditional. It is easy on the eyes and comfortable without being ultramodern.

2. Teenage Girl’s Room:

I’ve done this room in bright colours and patterns.

A daybed works as a place to lounge around in the day, and a comfortable bed at night.

I swapped one of the side tables with a study table, and added a mirror to the other to make a dresser.

I added a hip sofa on the opposite wall to make a cool hangout with friends. Photo frames and shelves for knick-knacks complete the teenage room.

The colourful wallpaper sets the mood and allows me to use reds, greens and oranges to accessorise.

The aerial view shows the wardrobes and bed in the same place. I used white for the furniture finishes here to tone down the bright colours used elsewhere.

3. Master Bedroom: 

And finally, a room for my friend.

She likes earthy, with lots of layers, textures and soft finishes.

The ‘woody’ wallpaper and plants all over give it the natural, earthy look.

I have added peachy-pink accents and curtain swags to soften the look.

A comfortable chair makes a reading corner. The candles on the console and the throws add to the layers.

The aerial view shows rugs all around the bed, again to add texture, layers and softness to the room.

So that completed my 1 room 3 ways challenge. She loved the different looks and might just build up her courage to restyle her own room! While a complete interior job can take more time, you don’t have to wait forever to spruce up your home. You can play around with your furniture and furnishings to brighten up your home and give it a new look. After all, it IS your haven and retreat from the world. If you pamper your home, you pamper yourself!

What do you think? Do you have any styling ideas of your own? Or any questions that come up? Write to me in the comments below, or email me here.

If you are inspired to redecorate yourself, use these tips on how to make a mood board to make your job easier.

Until next time,