| Country style bedrooms have become very popular | | | | striking. |
| these days, perhaps due to their informality, simplicity | | | | When going for fully fitted furniture all around your |
| and a leaning towards hand-crafted natural materials. | | | | room, keep the finish very light - that way it won't |
| While it can be stylish, the country bedroom should | | | | dominate your space. Fitted furniture doesn't have to |
| always be restful and refreshing without over doing | | | | mean modern and bland, you can still get a country |
| precise co-ordination of furniture and fabrics. | | | | look if you pick the right style of units - and in a small |
| Since the emphasis is on comfort and character is is | | | | or awkward space, it will help you make the most of |
| easy to see that the true hallmarks of the country | | | | space. |
| bedroom are a clean unfussy environment that is | | | | If you want your bedroom to have much more of a |
| perfectly conducive to rest and relaxation, with | | | | sophisticated look then glass furniture, chandeliers and |
| practical fabrics and furnishings that have restrained | | | | mirrors, along with ornate furniture are all must-buys. In |
| but often rich colour schemes. | | | | addition choosing bed linen with a sheen, will give your |
| If you're lucky enough to have a rustic room anyway, | | | | room a feeling of luxury - and you can add panels of |
| don't over furnish it. Instead, allow the architecture to | | | | wallpaper with a similar finish to exaggerate the effect. |
| do the talking and let the furniture complement it rather | | | | An alternative luxury look can be created by |
| than fight it. It is often best to choose a showpiece bed | | | | incorporating high shine floors, dark furniture, detailed |
| and then match it with eclectic pieces of furniture. | | | | wallpaper and of course posh bed linen. Bear in mind |
| Warm pine furniture mixed with cream and white | | | | also, that a very tall headboard will give any room a |
| bedding will often give the bedroom a cosy feel, while | | | | sense of its own importance. |
| a traditional brass bed is an important ingredient of the | | | | For a large bedroom that you want to look solidly |
| traditional country style and can transform the look of | | | | rustic you can easily go for chunky wooden furniture in |
| your bedroom. If you feel able to afford a four-poster | | | | a light finish or, you can choose darker furniture so that |
| then you'll instantly create a bedroom that's not only | | | | the room looks much more modern. On the other hand |
| spectacular but also perfect for relaxing in at the end | | | | in a less spacious room slim, delicate furniture is a |
| of a long hard day. | | | | better choice as it will help make your bedroom feel |
| Try to choose bedside tables that match for a | | | | much bigger. |
| co-ordinated look and layer your bed with throws and | | | | Some people feel that a wooden floor is a must-have |
| cushions. Be aware that generously stuffed cushions, | | | | for country look lovers. Wide, stripped pine floorboards |
| feather pillows and duck-down quilts ensure that | | | | are ideal but, if your house doesn't already have original |
| comfort is high on your list of priorities. A deeply | | | | boards, good quality engineered wood can give you |
| buttoned, padded headboard instantly creates a | | | | just as smart a finish. You could even use subtle paint |
| comfortable feel in your room, while padding the foot | | | | effects, such as a stencil around the edge, to add |
| of your bed creates a look that shouts pure luxury. | | | | interest and almost any type of rug will look great as |
| Keep walls plain and simple, or go for patterned | | | | well as make walking barefoot more comfortable. |
| wallpapers that will still please you even when you are | | | | While tiled flooring is not something you'd necessarily |
| lying in bed with gastric flu! If you're committing to a | | | | expect from a country style room, if it's under-heated, |
| bold pattern, go for a motif that you really identify with, | | | | it can be both practical and comfortable, especially if |
| whether you choose butterflies, birds or florals. While | | | | you add extra layers of comfort with rugs. |
| you can mix florals and plains - take care not to | | | | Alternatively, if you are a committed comfort lover, |
| overdo it in a small room. | | | | wall-to-wall carpets in near white or neutral tones |
| If you want a modern country style bedroom, choosing | | | | won't detract from the authentic look, provided they |
| a bold floral pattern does the trick, but in a small space, | | | | aren't too sumptuous or shaggy. |
| keep to smaller patterns. Where space is tight, keep | | | | Natural light is a very important factor in a bedroom as |
| walls plain and co-ordinate - even if you don't match - | | | | a gloomy room can precipitate a gloomy mood so do |
| your patterns elsewhere. For a room that needs to | | | | make the most of every window which should be |
| feel free and spacious, go for a light, neutral colour | | | | dressed in the height of floral prints or soft naïve |
| scheme that will play down the pattern. | | | | fabrics. If you need privacy, or the view is far from |
| On the other hand if you want a look that's a little | | | | perfect, hang simple white net or muslin curtains that |
| more whimsical then choose a mixture of patterns and | | | | can stay half closed all day long with blackout blinds |
| colours - choosing shades from a palette of pale and | | | | that may be pulled down at night. For a room with big |
| punchy jewel colours. Pile on the pattern if the light is | | | | windows, try to enhance your space with flowing |
| good in your room - and if it's a decent size. However, | | | | curtains and layer the windows with added blinds. |
| keep the colour scheme simple, adding interest by | | | | Artificial lighting is much more attractive and softer in |
| varying the patterns' sizes and styles. | | | | the form of wall lights and bedside table lamps, with |
| You can make a space seem bigger by choosing | | | | simple shades in checked, floral, striped, or plain fabrics. |
| wallpaper with reflective properties as these will | | | | Victorian-style brass table and floor lamps also suit the |
| bounce light around and make the space seem more | | | | country bedroom look. |
| luxurious. Probably the best approach to liven up a | | | | One final word; don't forget to add charming details |
| naturally dark room is to use a big mirror, shutters and | | | | such as ivory hairbrushes, cut glass jars, old perfume |
| small pieces of furniture which will all help to stretch the | | | | bottles, trinket boxes, a dainty clock, porcelain figurines, |
| space. | | | | silver photo frames and flowers. Flowers really are |
| Perhaps you feel that your bedroom lacks character | | | | compulsory in the country bedroom; even a simple |
| and you want to upgrade it. By putting panels of | | | | posy of wildflowers on a dressing table completely |
| wallpaper behind your headboard you will create what | | | | changes the feel of a room. They should always be |
| looks like a focal wall or, you could simply wallpaper | | | | visible somewhere in your bedroom, whatever the |
| the wall behind your bed in a feature paper. Don't | | | | season, simply because since time immemorial country |
| despair if you have a seemingly dull all-white theme, it | | | | folk have always kept flowers and healing herbs |
| is easy to update as you can easily create a country | | | | wherever they laid their head. |
| look just by changing the bed linen for something more | | | | |