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A Bedroom for Both of You
The bedroom doesn't have to be a battleground in the war between the sexes. These solutions will keep you both happy
Houzz Contributor. I am a former magazine editor specializing in travel and design. I just completed my first remodel, turning my crumbling 1941 kitchen into a beauty of grays, whites and natural wood. If I could, I'd sleep on the countertop. That's how much I love it.
You can also read my parenting blog on Baby Center http://blogs.babycenter.com/author/sschoech/
Houzz Contributor. I am a former magazine editor specializing in travel... More »
One of the little-discussed issues of marriage is the problem of the bedroom. No, not that problem; the problem of finding a style that suits both of you — one that's not too girly and not too bachelor pad. No man wants to remove 25 floral pillows before turning in. And no woman wants to live forever with black laminate furniture, change jars on the dresser and beige walls. That's where good design comes in.
These 11 bedrooms strike a perfect balance between feminine and masculine so that both of you can feel at home.
These 11 bedrooms strike a perfect balance between feminine and masculine so that both of you can feel at home.
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| If you can't agree on color, go neutral. Just make sure you do it with intention. Here, layers of beige and gray in different hues add interest and make the room look comfortably put together. |
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The eclectic bedroom lends itself well to gender neutrality. A mix of old and new, bright and subtle. Yes, there are flowers on the floor, but they are more elegantly playful than girly.
| Dark colors are traditionally associated with a more masculine vibe. But the feminine lines of the bench and the tufted love seat balance out the color scheme. |
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| This bedroom is high glamour all the way, but sticking to a palette of gray and silver keeps it from looking like a starlet's dressing room. Even a macho man could sleep here. |
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by Globus Builder
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| This bedroom is warm and bright and completely gender neutral without being personality-less. Those two touches of pattern in the curtain and on the throw pillows are the perfect feminine-masculine balance. |
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| Ethnic patterns are a great way to add color to a room without getting girly. In this room light is balanced by dark, and spareness is balanced by touches of color and pattern. |
by Niche Interiors
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Florals definitely have a place in the gender-balanced bedroom, especially when paired with clean, midcentury lines and nice, neutral colors.
by Niche Interiors
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The round shape of a tulip table is the perfect way to offset all the more angular lines in this bedroom. It keeps it clean looking without feeling cold.
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| Pink is more than welcome in the dual-gender bedroom. Just make sure it is balanced with darker colors, nonfloral patterns and other focal points. |
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A gender-neutral kids' room. We can tell it belongs to a girl (the dress hanging at the foot of the bed gives it away), but the mix of neutral and primary colors makes it right for any kid.
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by FrontPorch
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| This is not so much gender neutral as gender inclusive. It has delicate feminine items like the flokati rug and the feather sculptures over the bed, and masculine items like the leather bench and the chocolate throw. The pale blue walls swing either way, as do the Ghost chairs. More: 5 Ingredients to a Romantic Bedroom TVs in the Bedroom: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down? Your Perfect Bedroom: Calm and Airy or Moody and Dark? |
Comments
Mona Ives very nice collection of gender neutral bedrooms!
15 months ago · Like
jannie Relying on foliate patterns instead of florals is a nice compromise between masculine and feminine.
15 months ago · Like
Pangaea Interior Design, Portland, OR When I began interior design, I didn't realize that it would sometimes be equal parts designer and marriage counselor. Okay, I'm exaggerating --- little bit --- but listening to both people carefully to make sure each individual's tastes are worked in to the design and that neither one gets stuck living with things they hate is a big part of the job. I especially love that third bedroom for its elegant balance of the masculine and feminine.
14 months ago · Like
steveinseattle Some good ideas here for balancing different tastes and finding compromise in contemporary design. But the gender-based stereotypes and heterosexism were ugly in the last century and haven't aged well. Let's leave them in the past.
14 months ago · Like
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Samantha Schoech Steveinseattle. Thank for your comment. I definitely thought about both those things when I put this idea book together. What I was trying to do was break down tired gender stereotypes (pink is feminine, wood is masculine) and show how colors, textures and materials are for everyone. In the end I think every one of these bedrooms could work for any type of couple or single person.
14 months ago · Like
martinaparker Bedroom 5th down, the curtains seem a bit too close to the fireplace!
14 months ago · Like
Sean Matson I'm sorry, but the second picture down with the red pillow and the flowers on the floor is UGLY!! There's nothing gender neutral about it!
14 months ago · Like
T Williams Love a neutral bedroom! Just decorated ours and love it. 
14 months ago · Like
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Betty Banks White, light, or plain colors on a bed! Any help for someone who's husband likes to work outdoors? Within a week these linens wouldn't be looking so good. I haven't seen rooms with print comforters or duvet covers (that hide dirt) on the bed and still have a spectacular looking room. Please help!
2 weeks ago · Like
Mona Ives Well you can fold them down towards the bottom of the bed, and roll them up at night when hubby comes in :) I would think more colorful and printed - don't do dark navy or beige please :)
2 weeks ago · Like
Ideabook published on March 10, 2012.
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