I, too, like the way you're going - clean, fresh, soothing; if you change the bed to a lighter color it might make the benches a bit too bold. Consider the clip-on curtain rings - fold the tab top behind rather than cutting it off, switch it back if you don't like it. Try the benches beneath the large window. Use the $ you save on subtle patterned pillows & lux throw to pull all colors together, try larger shades for lamps, matching curtain panels on outside edge of single windows, maybe row of plates above bed in corresponding arc.

Where is the door to the bedroom? Can you show a picture? I love the idea above of a tapestry or some sort or a wall hanging above the bed and keeping it on the wall where it is now. You would hang it so it is at least as wide as the bed and then finish off the wall with sheer curtain to cover the windows. I am not at all fond of placing a bed in front of a window.

Another thought would be to not use a headboard at all. Then hang some art about 3 foot above the mattress with your pillows against the wall to make it look finished. Or drape the entire wall in opaque drapes so the headboard won't feel to large for the wall.

I think you've done a great job at building a foundation in this room, but have lost confidence along the way. I like the bed in its current dark wood and kept on the wall where it is, but I'd paint the wall behind it a lighter shade like your carpet, and keep the other walls their current brown. If you keep the color, you might consider pulling the bed away from the wall slightly (3-5 inches) and place soft lighting that flows up behind it. This will allow the bed architecture to stand out and add visual shape, as well as height and a spaciousness feel because it is the highest wall. I like the suggestion of adding a color, but would use throw pillows and bed linens, something rich like a deep burgundy or plum with browns and/or your lovely dark gray bed sheets in your picture. I like the sheer drapes but I think it is the tab top that is visually unappealing, perhaps sheer Grommet Window Curtain Panels instead or a standard rod pocket sheer. I would recommend removing the white tables and lamps completely, and move the ottoman's on either side in their place, this opens the center of the room and they better balance the bed architecture. You might consider adding a tall plant like mother in law tongue (see pic) in the corner, or wall vases with live flowers or candles to soften and add texture without dominating the room. Best of luck with your project, you have a lot of great suggestions.

I hope you will post your after picture when you decide what you would like to do.

Yes, please do post "after" pic. Don't worry about comments that you don't agree with or aren't helpful to you. Follow your own tuition/likes about your room. You have had some creative ideas shared here and even if they're not for you it has been inspirational to others also. ENJOY your lovely new bedroom space!

I love the color of your walls, and the bed is very nice. It is just a matter of going from there -- art work on the walls, perhaps some splashier curtains and bed covers, larger lamps that make a statement, a colorful throw rug or two. If you love warm colors, go with some splashes of red, orange or gold. I personally get all sweaty in the presence of warm colors and would move big time toward the cool -- greens would be beautiful, as would blues. With a dark paint like that, I do love a lot of bright shiny white, so I would incorporate that with the colors in any artwork, rugs, and curtains. The main idea is to create a room that YOU love. I have a bedroom painted in liberty blue (which is very dark), trimmed in high gloss white enamel, with pure white plantation shutters at the windows. Two large pieces of art work -- beach scenes -- are framed in white. Like you, I kept my treasure of a four poster bed in its natural dark wood. Walking into the room makes me happy. That's all that counts.

SIMPLE IDEA: PAINT THAT WHOLE ONE WALL BEHIND YOUR BED AND NIGHTSTANDS - SOLID WHITE - it will show off your headboard more as a focal point. The NIGHTSTANDS are cute but you need them to be bigger to balance out with the large bed. LAMPS: Pick 2 larger lamps for balance wit the large bed. BOTTOM OF BED STORAGE THING (photo is dark so I cannot tell if that is wood or leather): Paint that in a color that you are using in the room as an accent color. Otherwise, find another place for that piece as it takes away from your pretty bed being the focal point of your room. TOTAL ROOM: I would like to see more photos of the room, like what other pieces you are using in the room - before you know it, your bedroom will be a dream room with our ideas. So many ides, so little time! Angie Perry, Greensboro! NC - studied Interior Design @ University of North Carolina - Greensboro - BALANCE in a room is my expertise. Please email me and give me your thoughts about my simple ideas to make your bedroom more "inviting and aesthetically pleasing" every time you step inside it...my email is: perry0141@gmail.com.

I would start with a art work or a picture (enlarged and frame) of a place you enjoy (with a lighter background) that has some color in it for over the headboard. Start with picking a color from the picture - recover your toss pillows. Then if you think you need more color - recover the cushion on the chest at the end of the bed. The corner to the right of the bed needs something - it's your bedroom -something personal - picture of yourself in a comfortable or happy place. As for myself I like flowers and woods with animals I like.

I agree with Angie Perry. Instead of a solid white you can find a brown that is close to a white and only paint that wall. Next swap out the two ottomans for something that is light colored in a fabric, say a bench instead. Next, raise your curtains closer to the ceiling and change all of your curtains and bed linens to have some color, maybe a pop of yellow and some red. Red accents in the bedroom add passsion. Your bed and the room color is beautiful and it is a job well done. Good luck to you.

Definitely move the bed to the larger window and try putting a large fluffy white rug under. I would also suggest larger scale bedside tables. Add a pop of color with a large piece in the space your bed is currently. No need for the ottomans.

Add to my last comment -keep the dark headboard .

I agree with jjeub, the first person who made the comment. Repositioning your bed and having lamps and side tables in the right scale to the bed is all you need to do. Your headboard will be fine, when it goes under the double windows.

The bed isn't the issue. Everything in the room is solid brown or white. You need some accent color and pattern. Paint the walls a lighter color, put a patterned throw or quilt on the bed, get a carpet with light colors for under the bed. Hang a chandelier-type light fixture over the bed, hang a collection of small mirrors on wall to reflect light. If you don't move the bed, those ottomans would be wonderful as a window seat under the big window.

Hi Sarapaul,
Leave the bed where it is, for safety reasons and ventilation. Wall colour is perfect.
I would like to see you add turqouise and taupe, black and white as the scheme.
I think I know what is wrong here. It is the balance and scale of the furnishings. The bed is large and poofy which is what a bed should be. But the tables are too delicate and spindly and sharp looking and are diminshed by the scale of the bed.
Also the lamps get lost as well. Could you put each of the lamps on top of a little stack of say, 3 books? This will give them height and it is logical that people often read in bed. I would find ones with pretty coloured bindings.
The curtain rod for your tab curtains is too thin. You need a thicker, more substantial one with a large finial on the end.
The drape is too washed out with the window colour. See if you can buy drapes with a swirly geometric print to it, that has matching valances which you could put over each of the two little windows. If they don't have matching valances available, buy an extra drape and sew it to make two valances yourself. Thread onto matching rod and finials.
You need a better fitting duvet cover. Buy a matching - maybe taupe or a colour from the drapes you choose - coloured bedskirt to hide the platform and make a more elegant statement. (I know you like elegant as the lamps say this).
See if you can return the one table nearest the door. The tables need not match but keep the one in the corner as needs to be small to fit properly. If you are into thrift stores, see if you can find a fairly narrow depth end table that has doors on it and even if it is brown wood, paint it a harmonious colour to the drapes. Check out the recycle pages of Pinterest.
A wonderful frameless image of big, poofy clouds or some such, would look awesome over the bed! You can do this very cost effectively by taking a picture yourself of some clouds, and take it to a Wal-Mart photofinishing depot. Have the picture printed out to black and white and printed onto a canvas print (giclee) that will be the focal point over the bed.
Hope this helps you!
Maureen

Hi Sarapaul! :) Thats a lot of bed girlie :) But you're off to a nice start! In terms of your headboard question. I think the color it is now works, and leave it where it is, although the way it overlaps on the sides of the windows really bothers my eyes. lol Wylands solution is great one! If youre not totally attached to design of the headboard, I would "customize" it. I would either saw off those little overlapping pieces OR saw off the top pieces up unitl the solid portion and have a low headboard where I would then have space for a frame cluster, art or an amazing rug to hang above it. But that's me. I'm not afrad of hacking stuff to please my taste. :) Have fun and good luck!

It is a lovely room but I think it needs a lot of light. I love blue with brown and with the right shade of blue (maybe a medium to light shade), I think it would brighten up the room and give it more character. I wouldn't change the bed or the location of the bed but I would place a large landscape piece of art, with lots or blue sky and green floral or fields, above the bed. I think the lamp tables a cute but would purchase larger tables and paint them a similar blue that is in the picture. Also, I think the ottomans are great but I would place blue floral pillows on them and add a couple of pillows in the same pattern on the bed. Pinwheel chrystal lamps would look neutral and brighten up the bed side tables. That would make me happy but as was said in a number of comments, we can only give you ideas to bounce off the walls!! You have to feel the room and deside what you like. Good luck with your decorating and I hope when you have finished your room, you go to sleep with a smile on your face!!

Good start! Take it from an old lady who regularly redecorates on a dime. Sweetheart, that grand bed has great character. So does the angle of the wall, and the color is handsome and strong, just like the bed. If you put the bed in front of the windows, the light would come through the slats in the daytime and highlight the unusual headboard. At night, your curtains would showcase it if you used a blond coffee color or cream color. DO NOT repaint the angled wall. Done that! Once is a killer. Consider blocking off the portion behind the bed and painting it a lighter color, and I favor creamy tones with this dark brown. Move the bed out a few inches from the wall so it literally "stands out." Yes, bigger lamps, but don't let them overpower the tables. You don't necessarily need symmetry here...play up the higher angle of the wall. Have you thought of stretching a shelf over the headboard painted white to match the woodwork, between the 2 windows? Mirror squares behind some beautiful colored glass would be the artwork, or you could still put some smaller pictures there. This would be above the lighter shade where the headboard goes.

Try catty-cornering the bed and put a tall plant behind it. If you pull it out slightly from the wall when catty-cornered and add a light weight coverlet under the comforter that drapes to the floor, your bed will then be the focal point of the bed. Don't paint it.

I definitely am not done with my decorating. I have a turquoise duvet with geometric design and the storage ottomans will more than likely not stay. I just purchase a large floor/leaning mirror on white and put up a shelf over the bed with leaning frames of different sizes. Ill post mire pics tonite. I like the wall color. Its the exact color i was looking for and soend alot of time painting last week. So THAT will stay the same. I would like to do a nice rug in yhe room ( im a big accent rug person) but the carpet in yhe room is kind of a modrern shag or a higher pile, so my worries are that the accent rug would sit funny on it. Thank you for all of the pointers. I have a white bed in one of my other guest bedrooms, so i might move it in there to see how it looks: ill post and get your opinions on it!

Wow, sorry for all of the spelling mistakes... Typing on my phone. :-/

I like the bed, and it is a nice room. But I agree with other comments. The night stands need to be larger, and also larger lamps. I not trying to be mean, but they look like they belong in a little girls room, and that is a nice adult bed, which needs an adult looking night stands and lamps. And they don't need to be match. I like several of the photos people have included. Have you looked at master bedrooms on this site? There are many nice ones with great ideas. Good luck.

I like thiskidd's idea of using an uplight behind the bed to pick up the detail of the headboard .. that would look very cool !

Your headboard has cut outs. Why not just add white fabric to the back of the cut outs so that you have a dark and white headboard? You don't have to choose between a dark or white bed...you can actually have both!

I feel you have had plenty of great suggestions. Sadly most of them were not asked for. lol I'm guilty... I would love to have a big bedroom with the high ceilings like you have. I can't wait to see your new pics.

Quality natural wood makes a room. White is not going to lighten up your room. Move the bed to the the double windows. Put in a beautiful real plant and planters. Lighten up the draperies with color or fabric. Or repaint the walls lighter. The room is much to dark in tones. I am not fond of your ottoman's, unless you need them for storage. Basically, it is a good room.

The headboard is a stained wood. @sandi are you saying strip the wood to a natural unfinished ?

" I definitely am not done with my decorating. I have a turquoise duvet with geometric design and the storage ottomans will more than likely not stay."
Isn't that odd, Sarapaul that I should remark in a comment earlier this afternoon that the room needs a turquoise geometric pattern - but I see a soft aqua as well... I live in Canada, and I guess I have good e.s.p. LOL

The storage ottomans are great for sitting on to put one's socks on, or hold the duvet off the floor if not used on the bed in hot weather. They are handy for out of season wearables like scarves, or gloves etc. if you have a seasonal climate, and they are linked in colour to the headboard so keep them for now. Yes a little backless bench would go better, but does it really matter? You may come across the ideal one down the road...Mostly the bedroom is for sleeping, anyway.

Take all the comments in stride and I am sure your room will come together as finances and time allow.
Maureen :)

Girl, you certainly have a lot of good suggestions to think about. I got some ideas for my own bedroom. I am just redoing my bedroom and I like your wall colour. I was going to go with pink and green but the brown looks richer. I really like the idea of using turquoise as an accent colour. You could sprinkle a little turquoise around the room and it will look fabulous. Maybe you got more suggestions than you bargained for, but everyone is just trying to help.

I got an old piano bench at a rummage sale for $7, sanded and stained the bottom and covered the cushioned top in a fabric that matches my color scheme. Garage sales and thrift stores are a great place to find furnishings you can fix up to match your own design taste!

How about purchasing a new dark iron bed? I think it will contrast nicely with the white nightstands.

I like the bed. You need to put something above your headboard with the dark color in it. For example..

I think you just need color in the room as in bedspread/comforter duvet and some contrasting art on the walls, especially on the tall wall not stopping at eye level but hang some pieces higher where they look balanced on that height wall. I wouldn't move the bed because it really bothers me to block windows (I'm the kind of person who figuratively likes to press their nose on the glass looking out, LOL). Plus it makes the room look like it's really too small if you have to block windows. You don't need to paint the bed, but I wouldn't paint it white if you did: I'd paint a lighter blue or green blue to go with light bedding. The windows at either side of the bed need drapes and they will totally disguise the fact that the headboard is a little wider than nicely fits there.

I think if you draw attention to the walls with drapes and art, you will forget about the bed not looking right to you.

keep the bed as is. this room is so flexible....you can use all kinds colorful objet d'art..including comfy pillows....charming space

I think you should add a little of each idea and it will be absolutely fabulous!!

What about trimming the headboard with your white paint idea?

Keep the headboard the dark color that it is. It looks nice in the room now with the dark walls. Also, down the road, you may decide to lighten the wall color, this will allow the nice dark headborad will stand out in the room.

What have you decided? Here are some beds in front of windows.

Im keeping the bed for now, getting a much lower profile box spring so that the duvet fits better, the soace above the bed now has photos.

Other than buying a large white framed leaning mirror and moving the curtain rod to the ceiling, not a whole lot else has been changed. Oh I put a floor plant in the room to add a little color

The picture frames above the bed do add a little lightness to the wall. I know what you mean about the duvets.
We have an 18 inch mattress, and none of the duvets work. You would think with all the thicker mattresses out there that they would change the sizing. Good Luck with everything.

i use duvets on a futon, so tell me about it :) I think this is why bedspreads were invented, yes? :)
sarapaul04, I like your room. it looks comfy. I have larger pillows but that's just my thing :) i'm not sure I would put small pictures above my head, but I shouldn't talk I have a large picture above my head! I always think during a storm maybe it wasn't such a good idea :)

I like the shelf & pictures above the bed it brings the white across the wall. Looks Much better. personally I like the mix of the different woods. Glad you followed your heart.

Wow! It's looking good!

You have enough white. What you need are pattern and texture. Try a wicker bench at the foot of the bed and a nice big multicolored print above the headboard as a start.

This is so inviting....makes me want to drop in for a nap. I still love those slats in the headboard. Is there an electric outlet behind the bed? A night light back there would glow through the headboard.

Another look to consider - new drapery panels, accent pillows, artwork, and furniture rearranged.

jcpennypincher, I love that!! I thought so too the first time I read her post! it looks so peaceful I could go right to sleep!

Nancy Reese Redesign, I like what you did with here room photo, looks nice.

Thanks, Kate. I'm trying to perfect my photoshop skills - good practice, and, hopefully, helpful to the home owner.