Rooms for a Princess: Adding Whimsy to the Single Gal's Home
I work as a blogger for businesses although I do a variety of different types of writing. I particularly enjoy writing about all aspects of design and creativity. I think that your home should reflect your personality and that it should change as you change. More about me at www.kathrynvercillo.com and http://diaryofasmartchick.com.
I work as a blogger for businesses although I do a variety of different... More »
I am getting ready to move from an apartment that I love but is too large to a new place that is smaller but which will hopefully be equally loved. Although I've spent many years living on my own, this is the first time I've been able to intentionally choose an apartment I like just for myself. I'm excited! Decorating the apartment is going to be a lot of fun. And it has me thinking about what it means to be a single woman living on her own.
One of the biggest benefits to this situation is that you get to choose all of the design for your place yourself. You can make it as mod or as girly or as eclectic as you desire. But, of course, you have to live in this space so you want to choose something that isn't just a part of who you are but really reflects what you want to live with day to day. (This is as opposed to fashion where you can wear something bold one day and be muted the next.)
Living alone is a wonderful thing but it can be frightening at times. For that reason, I think it's important to create spaces in the single woman's home where she can feel not just secure but in control. One way to do that is to create spaces that make you feel like a princess.
A princess gets what she wants from the world. A princess can spend all day daydreaming about her more wonderful future or reading a book and pampering herself. This isn't something that you want to be all of the time but as a single woman living alone there is something very empowering about being able to treat yourself like a princess.
This doesn't mean, of course, that you swathe your home in pink tulle and hire a handful of servants. Instead, it means that you tap into your whimsical, feminine side and ask yourself what it would take to make you feel like you were treating yourself to something special in your own home.
Your entire apartment or house doesn't have to be excessively feminine for you to feel like a princess. Maybe it's just a great set of drapes or a wonderful vanity that does the trick for you. Or maybe it's setting aside a space where you can feel spoiled. Whatever it is, it's worth creating for yourself. This may be the only time that you get to have a place all to yourself so you should take advantage of it while you can!
One of the biggest benefits to this situation is that you get to choose all of the design for your place yourself. You can make it as mod or as girly or as eclectic as you desire. But, of course, you have to live in this space so you want to choose something that isn't just a part of who you are but really reflects what you want to live with day to day. (This is as opposed to fashion where you can wear something bold one day and be muted the next.)
Living alone is a wonderful thing but it can be frightening at times. For that reason, I think it's important to create spaces in the single woman's home where she can feel not just secure but in control. One way to do that is to create spaces that make you feel like a princess.
A princess gets what she wants from the world. A princess can spend all day daydreaming about her more wonderful future or reading a book and pampering herself. This isn't something that you want to be all of the time but as a single woman living alone there is something very empowering about being able to treat yourself like a princess.
This doesn't mean, of course, that you swathe your home in pink tulle and hire a handful of servants. Instead, it means that you tap into your whimsical, feminine side and ask yourself what it would take to make you feel like you were treating yourself to something special in your own home.
Your entire apartment or house doesn't have to be excessively feminine for you to feel like a princess. Maybe it's just a great set of drapes or a wonderful vanity that does the trick for you. Or maybe it's setting aside a space where you can feel spoiled. Whatever it is, it's worth creating for yourself. This may be the only time that you get to have a place all to yourself so you should take advantage of it while you can!
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| This room is designed for a teenager which you can see from the stuffed animal and poster on the wall. However, a few changes to tone it down and you've got a great bedroom for a single woman. I'd re-paint in a cream color, replace the lavender window covering with something more chic and get rid of the table and stand with the stuffed animal on it. I'd keep the great canopy and the desk/chair combo and add a rich velvety spread to the bed. That's my idea of being a modern princess! |
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| You can add little touches of fantasy to basic rooms which is important when you're living in a small space by yourself. The stunning peacock chair here would make me feel like a princess. I'd replace the blinds with matching peacock curtains for a more luxurious feeling in the space. |
What better place in the house to treat yourself like a princess than in the bathroom? It starts with a great spa tub like this one made of rich granite. Add some feminine decor, great candles and an expensive robe and you'll feel like royalty every time you take a bath.
We're not all in the financial position to add a spa tub to our bathrooms. However, you can still feel like a princess with little bathroom design changes like the additional of a truly rich mirror.
by Ellen Kennon
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If the last image didn't make you feel like a princess then maybe this one will! The great thing about being a modern woman is that you get to choose what whimsy means to you.
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| A few things in this room give a special princess feeling to the otherwise ordinary space. The drapes are definitely one of those things. And the availability of a window seat that you can enclose yourself into for daydreaming about the world is a real treat. |
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| If you can only afford to add one single item to your home that will make your feel like a princess then a chaise lounge or a fainting couch should be that item. If you really want to play fantasy then a bold pattern with matching pillows is a great way to do that. The additional decor here also evokes the princess air, of course. |
A fireplace with a feminine mantle is definitely a great fantasy addition to a room. I'd lay down a really luxurious feminine rug and enjoy a glass of wine here to feel like a princess at the end of a long day.
This decorative painting was done for a little girl's room. However, a large wall-sized mural filled with princess-inspired fantasy could work in an adult's space as long as it was complimented by modern furniture (black would be my choice).
Ideabook updated on June 21, 2010.
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Re: Photo 4 (Bathroom) I like the mirror, but more importantly, the interior architecture is well-done... the trim package is thoughtfully done with good weight, scale, and detail. And, I'm a fan of the small floor tiles... add an understated vintage look. The trim package, tile, use of the freestanding tub and sink pedestal, as well as the nice choice of paint, provide the necessary backdrop for the mirror to work.