5 Ingredients to a Romantic Bedroom

patscats2 These are some gorgeous rooms. The last photo appears to have lamps that are too tall for that application.

I don't get the "candelier" thing at all. It's so impractical if you are really going to attempt to use it. I like candle's that are not suppose to be the main lighting in a room and certainly not hanging from the ceiling.

I don't like to see drapes that do not hang properly because they are too thick in the width when pulled back and are puddled on the floor. I like to see drapes hang straight without a wrinkle, i.e. the candelier room curtains look really sloppy.

I love the white walled room with the orange accents. Very simple, yet peaceful and beautiful.

Great photo's, thanks for the post.

CAROLE MEYER These are beautiful and romantic! Our second home in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico has a guest room that I think is super romantic! I call it the Bridal Suite! Carole Meyer

dancingfish So nice to see you added some smaller rooms in the mix!

wandm These are great ideas, particularly about the soft lighting. Regarding sheet thread counts, I have a slightly different take. I am a fanatic about high quality bedding (and mattresses)on all beds, including kids rooms and guest rooms. In my experience, high thread count is a little over-rated. More important is the quality of the yarn, in other words, the length of the fibers, at least in terms of softness. I agree that a good quality sheet will have at least 300 count, but a 400 thread count vs. 300 doesn't mean the 400 is better.

Gail Lovely rooms, with great ideas that can be translated to any different style. I love how we are all so different in our likes and styles, makes the world more interesting. I may not like a style for myself, but can generally (not always) appreciate it for someone else.
On thread count. I thought I was doing a great thing by buying a 600 count set of sheets, well for us that was not a good thing, very slippery (constantly losing the blankets off the end of the bed at night) and the thread did not hold its color, don't know what was up with that, sure it was a poor dye, nothing to do with threads, but it stained my mattress. Now I stick with 300 to 400 thread count and we are both much happier, I do want another set of burgundy sheet though, just will have to was and see if they stop bleeding if not, return them.

Shoshana Gosselin Wandm and Galynn, I completely agree with you! :) Thread count is not the barometer we should be going by bcse it doesn't guarantee you that the fiber is good. In my opinion I would look for a thread count over 200 but because the count is over rated, I took it out of my ib and replaced it with more important information. Also, Galynn, slippery sheets would bug me. What were they made of? Thank you for sharing great thoughts!

Susie Q Design Studio I have a problem and have been wondering for years if I am the only person this happens to. I always thought I would ask Martha Stewart if she had an answer. I have been buying the nicest sheets that I can afford for years now. I have bought nothing less that 300 ct and 100% combed, Egyptian or Pima cotton. I even spent $100.00 at Overstock for a set of 1000 ct sheets. Named brand or not, the top band of my sheets and the band on the pillow cases will get a fold and crease after the first time that I wash them. I get them out of the dryer before completely dry and then iron the top band with high heat and steam. It never fails, I can't get the crease totally out and every time I wash them it wrinkles and creases in the same spot. This happen to anyone else? Is it the nature of cotton? Any way to prevent it from happening the next time I break out a new set of sheets? We never had this problem with the Percale sheets I grew up with.

marylouburton Nice that you offered rooms that most homeowners can relate. Love the very classy lamps in the last photo. I think they are practical for reading in bed and will offer light across the room, not just half way down the wall forcing the light midpoint up.

Allende your bedroom captures the feel of romantic Mexico..very, very nice.

patscats2 allende, if I didn't have cats I would definitely have a bed like yours with the canopy and draping. So soft and comforting.

Since everyone is talking about sheets, let me ask. Is anyone concerned about the manufacturing of their bed linens? When I learned about the noxious chemicals used in some processing of sheets, especially wrinkle free, I did research. Now I only buy 100% organic sheets that are made in this country and specify no chemicals are used. Sometimes I'll buy Sferra brand when I can afford it. Tuesday morning sells the good ones, problem is finding the color you need/want in their limited selection. Not the Sferra sold at Macy's for cheap, but the ones actually made in Italy. They are also "clean" of chemicals. I've purchased a set of Peacock Alley also as they appear free from chemicals also.

I had just moved in my new house and a couple in the neighborhood asked if they could come inside to see the house as they wanted to build one like it and were curious of how the inside was laid out. So of course we told them sure that would be fine. Well, I didn't have bedspreads yet for the beds so I rushed out and bought some cheapo matlasse coverlets from JC Penney just so the beds didn't look pathetic. Well, the chemical smell in those things was so strong it could kill a horse. I tried washing on sanitized cycle twice and still they stink. I took them off the beds and plan on selling them at my next garage sale. I cannot imagine someone sleeping everynight breathing in those chemicals and not being physically affected by them.

I love my organic blanet I bought from Linens someting or other, on line. It's a weave, very warm and heavy and I don't think it will ever wear out. Not to mention there is no smell except clean coming from it.

Marty Susieq...the sheets wrinkle because the fabric is off-grain when it is folded and stitched onto the sheet! It is one of my pet peeves as well ...and you are right about the old percale sheets...don't know if it has to do with the weave or the care of the makers.

Patscats2...take the thing back to Penneys or they will just keep foisting them off on the rest of us!

patscats2 willowware, I had already thrown out the packaging. I do plan on writing them however to see if they will consider taking them back. They are trash, for sure. I'm dissappointed in Penney's. Years ago they were my go to store for all my soft goods, but not anymore. The quality if right up there with WM's.

The Mirrored Bed Company I think all the rooms look divine, I adore bedrooms with fireplaces but then I am English! I would also like to add a mirrored bed to the mix of romance - perhaps for the more adventurous lover. Personally, my own bedroom is a mixture of mirrored headboard (7ft high) draped over with rich fabrics in blacks, gold and creams.

jenniferruth The author makes some good points, but there are some weird contradictions in this article. For example: the room by Annette English is decorated in screaming orange, and the author is concerned that the LIGHTING is too bright?! I guess romance is in the eye of the beholder!

Shoshana Gosselin Hmm...'screaming orange?' The warm orange used is so sparingly. I disagree with Jenniferruth. The bdrm by Annette English is, as patscats2 commented, 'peaceful and beautiful'! Nice design Annette!

wandm I love these pictures and it was nice to have someone comment because it caused me to go through them again. I love the orange accents in the bedroom. It is my favorite picture.

jenniferruth It is indeed a beautifully done room, and I meant no disrespect. (I especially like the quilting, the floor lamp, and the contrast of light and dark.) I just mean that the accent color, which to my eyes is fairly intense, seems to brighten the room as much as ordinary bright lighting would. If my comment came across as negative, I do apologize--I didn't mean it to.