TO JANE SYNNESTVEDT, PRINCIPAL OF JANE SYNNESTVEDT INTERIOR DESIGN in Birmingham, designing a bedroom is conducted with each particular client in mind, but she does offer a few guidelines that hold true for all spaces where we sleep: “Bedside tables are a must,” she says, which provide convenience and function. In addition, “There should also be a seating area for reading,” because reading often helps us to nod off. Finally, she advises that bedroom lighting should be on dimmers, which can provide atmosphere as well as function.
The above photo is of a master bedroom in an original farmhouse in the countryside, and the copious windows provide a lovely view of nature. “I designed wooden valances that worked well with the home and can house the motorized privacy and darkening that the roll-down shades provide,” Jane says. She chose a soft color palette that reflects the hues of Michigan’s changing seasons, and the wood grain adds extra warmth to the setting.
Both the fabrics and the artwork were chosen with the clients in mind. “The fabrics are friendly to family pets and the clients’ active outdoor lifestyle,” she explains, while “the artwork expresses the clients’ love of travel in the American West.”
What isn’t seen in the photo also is an extension of the design aesthetic. As Jane explains:
“I incorporated a laundry area into their master bath and a beautiful screened-in porch with privacy, once again to underscore the homeowners’ love of nature.”