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Is it possible to be able to use dark wood in a bedroom without the bedroom becoming dull and jaded? As dark wood fell from the dizzying heights of being extremely popular in bedroom furniture there are lots of you wanting to make your bedroom look fabulous without throwing out the bed.
This authoritative article will give tips on how to make your bedroom look incredibly rich and sumptuous while retaining your dark wood bed.
Let's dive in and discover how to:
There are many ways to make your bedroom the envy of any interior designer but using a simple rule taken from Pareto's principle. What is Pareto's principle?
The Pareto principle (also known as the 80/20 rule) is a phenomenon that states that roughly 80% of outcomes come from 20% of causes. In this article, we break down how you can use this principle to help make your dark furniture have pride of place.
Here are some brief tips to start with:
Whether it's an antique heirloom or a retro piece, dark wood furniture can look dramatic, warm, and downright stylish.
Ok, not all of you have this size of a bedroom or the budget to make dark wood look incredibly inviting and opulent but it's the concept of the room that is interesting.
The mahogany-colored bed was placed against a light gray-green wallpaper with a superlative effect. You can't fail to notice that you are able to introduce other light tomes that unexpectedly contrast the dark wood and flooring. The Ivory blue lamps with white shades are masterful in execution.
Although the dark wood floor is exquisite, the gray rug makes the room cohesive and less stark in appearance.
Use Pareto’s principle. It will not fail. If your bed is dark mahogany, then it will dominate the bedroom unless you can utilize a minimum of 20% of the room space to have light colors to offset the domineering dark wood.
Place a large bed against the wall in the center of the bedroom, and accent it with rugs and contrasting colors such as the blue shown in the image.
White bed linen is the perfect selection with some accent pieces like a throw and colored pillow covers.
How easy is this look to achieve? Don't be scared of dark wood beds or floors, they can look rich and beautiful, keep the walls light. If you are not into wallpaper, then use light gray paint for the walls, and don't forget to maximize natural light.
It's an easy look to recreate even in a smaller bedroom.
What happened to Pareto's principle, you scream? Well, it is still in play in a more subtle way that will allow you to go all-in on chocolate tones.
Pareto’s principle is being used on the ceiling with white paint and with the use of diffused natural light that creates a stunning appearance to this room that enables a dark wood floor to be used.
The light-colored bedding, and the warm glow lights all add to the build-up of 20% lighter tones. If you use this principle for decoration (and many other things in life) you can't go wrong.
You will need expansive windows that are facing in an east south direction to maximize daylight from early morning to mid-afternoon.
Voiles that are diffusing the light into a gentle soft light are key for this bedroom. Only soft glow bulbs with suitable light shades would be suitable with this design and color scheme.
The color palette is simple and you can play with the tones or add more light hues for a brighter effect.
How easy is this look to achieve? If you have floor-to-ceiling windows or large windows that can accommodate the amount of light needed by these dark chocolate browns then the room design is relatively easy to achieve.
The wood paneling may look intricate but it is actually a very simple process and could be done by a journeyman carpenter or a patient DIY enthusiast.
Complimenting accessories are a must for breaking up the overwhelming brown in the bedroom.
A tremendous bedroom that has been designed for the governor of the state or someone who has a high position in life. But, that doesn't mean you can take the concept and apply it to your own bedroom.
The natural wood floor is stunningly beautiful and should play a huge role in the design of this bedroom.
The bedroom bench and matching sofa contribute to the focal point of the bedroom. The bed itself is simple with crisp white linen and a beautiful bordered plush Ivory headboard.
A sublime bedroom that any visiting head of state would be comfortable sleeping in.
The bedroom concept is easy to recreate, the bed linen covers a lot of the dark wood bed frame and the use of the IVory plush headboard is an easy item to buy or get made.
White walls are needed to offset the dark mahogany doors in the bedroom and the dark wood floor.
Natural light again is a major consideration when designing a dark wood bedroom.
How easy is this look to achieve? It's an easy one, if you have a dark floor that is in great condition and polished like the one in the image then use light walls and light bedding.
It's not the bed that dominates this bedroom, it's the doors and floor, so use a small light rug to tie the room together.
If you have room for a sofa and bed bench then add them, they are a nice touch that makes the decor of the room cohesive.
When you use hotel rooms for inspiration, you may be surprised at the fact that hotels do opt for dark colors in bedrooms, particularly brown or mahogany look.
Why do hotels take this approach to decor? It's simple, the look is incredibly inviting and warm making you want to stay at the hotel longer or return on your next trip.
Apart from the decor of the room, it's important to point out the use of lighting in the room. It's bright, and the lights in the bedroom accentuate the bed and the bright white ceiling.
It's a hotel so you may not want to create the look exactly, but it's a good idea to use bright and large wall lamps or desk lamps in a dark bedroom.
Using lighting is a key way to illuminate a bedroom sufficiently to emphasize its size and warmth.
Keep it bright and have white ceilings for this style of a room using dark furnishings.
How easy is this look to achieve? It's a simple concept designed around making the guest feel warm and homily, which is perfect for a hotel room.
Use bright warm light on the temperature scale when buying bulbs, you could always use tinted lamp shades to give the warm glow if preferred.
There are just some looks that can be overwhelming and this hotel room with french style furniture is one of those rooms.
Coffee lovers would hold a convention in this bedroom and be satisfied with the delightful outcome, but as a decor choice for a home bedroom, it is a debatable choice.
Pareto’s principle has certainly been tested thoroughly in the hotel bedroom, and if it wasn't for the large windows and natural light, you may get thrown out with the coffee grounds.
If the premise of this look is to overwhelm your guests then it works well and you can easily achieve the look by purchasing a lot of coffee-colored wallpaper and matching bedding.
The windows are dressed with a similar color curtain that does not extend across the window as this look would be overpowering for the average person.
How easy is this look to achieve? The room is about decorative choice so it's mainly wallpaper. You could substitute the wallpaper for emulsion paint and use a brighter color for contrast, this may mitigate the need for large bedroom windows.
The ceiling cloud also is bright white to at least offer some reflective light around the bedroom.
There are some bedroom styles that let you know only the well-heeled can afford a room like this and this bedroom could have been fit for an Emperor of Rome.
The dark gothic style bed and wardrobe with sculptured lamps with black lamp shades conjures up a sinister emotion, maybe this bedroom belongs to a vampire who won the lottery!
On a serious note, the room is a masterpiece of furnishings and colors that compliment the whole bedroom.
The imposing bed is the focal point despite the open limestone fireplace and the bow window.
Take the theme of the room and not the size, it represents how dark bedroom furniture can be used to dramatic effect and look absolutely stunning.
The lamps are easy to achieve, and the look can be created easily by buying similar lamp shades, it's great to have sculptured lamp bases but not really necessary.
With a bed this size you will need to accessorize and add lots of cushions for comfort and design.
How easy is this look to achieve? It can be easy if you take the concept and apply it to your own bedroom. The bedroom demonstrates that you can accent a dark wood bed with dark accessories and you should experiment.
If you use darker tomes on the walls, such as taupe, you will need a light-colored carpet to bring the room together.
The French have often influenced style and design for good reason, they are good at it. Superbe Chambre loosely translates into the stunning bedroom, more superb one would guess.
The French love the dark tones and understand the dramatic rich feeling it can bring to a bedroom and this room certainly demonstrates this point.
The elegant wallpaper compliments the somewhat sparsely furnished bedroom. The beautiful wall lights and ceiling lots are bright in contrast to the warmth of the bedroom but they work amazingly well as you would expect in a French-designed bedroom.
Think flamboyant, dark wood, bright lights, and French-style furnishings. Or adapt your own furnishings to suit the design. The gold bronze color at the rear of the bed looks amazing and this could be achieved in a matte emulsion.
Lighting is of paramount importance in the bedroom, and contrary to many designs the stark white lights illuminate the room perfectly despite the dark furnishings.
The plush headboard is a statement piece so if you can come close to the color you will be happy with your choice.
How easy is this look to achieve? It's a simple look, you don't need french style furnishings, just the concept of how the room has been put together.
The use of an accent wall in a gold-bronze hue makes a great feature for the bedroom and could be emulated easily either in the wallpaper or paint.
How easy is it to achieve? It's easy if you remove the french design and use the concept.
Dark bedroom furniture can be extremely dramatic and somewhat daunting when deciding if to purchase or not. But, the truth is if you have a room of a size that can take the dimensions of the furniture and you still have enough room to walk around then dark wood bedroom furniture has a lot to offer the home.
You will have to admit this bedroom looks like a scene from a Victorian movie where the gentry lived a fine life.
Regardless of the bed's enormous dimensions, it does not overwhelm the bedroom due to the light color walls and white ceiling with copious downlights for illumination.
The oak floor with its yellow hue also adds contrast to the bedroom softening the dark furnishings.
If all of your furnishings are very dark then opt for bright color walls and a white ceiling, white would have worked perfectly for the walls and ceiling but the contrast offers some warmth in this case.
Adequate lighting is critical, and that is supplied in this bedroom by sufficient downlight and a beautiful chandelier.
The TV chair does not really fit the style of the bedroom, but it's brown so maybe it's the only place it can be used.
How easy is this look to achieve? You will need a bedroom that has the dimensions to allow such a bulky bed. If you do then the look is easy to achieve, if you don't just scale down the furniture sizes.
The furniture is very dark and light walls should be used, and a light laminate wood floor would look great but also a light carpet would be perfect.
Dark colors have become less popular in recent years and bedroom furniture has become less interesting and conforming with the current trends.
While dark bedroom furniture may not be viewed as trendy it can still make a difference in the bedroom and bring contrast and a level of sophistication to a modern bedroom setting.
This modern design mahogany-colored bed and surrounding bedside cabinets and headboard add a depth of warmth to the room and a feeling of exclusivity.
The simple decor of light pastel colors and neutral tone carpet cries out for a complete contrast to bring the bedroom together.
Modern and traditional, the room is using modern bright colors and the bed has the traditional dark wood finish that contradicts the modern design.
The colors may contradict but they also contrast making a cohesive style bedroom that looks uber-modern and comfortable.
Start with bright walls and ceiling colors and carpet, then introduce the tried and tested style of years gone by to add the wow factor. Keep in mind to use a modern design bed as a traditional mahogany style bed would not fit in with the decor.
How easy is this look to achieve? If you live in a modern home with a well-proportioned bedroom then the look is easy to pull off.
The look is simple to achieve, light painted walls, a white ceiling, and neutral-toned carpet, it's in almost every home.
Add a low bed with mahogany color and a minimalist design headboard to match and you will have a spectacular bedroom.
There are bedrooms and then there are bedrooms you would consider to be so stylish and inviting you would want that bedroom design for yourself.
This period property with its bedroom fireplace deserves nothing more than a teal bedroom set to make it the ultimate in bedrooms.
While teak is not the dark of woods when stained correctly the rich dark tones combined with yellows make this bed special in every way.
The dove gray walls and surrounding white is a sublime combination of colors that could adorn the walls of any bedroom.
The contrasting throws make this bedroom a masterclass in design.
Use this image for inspiration, the classic look would fit in a modern home as much as a traditional home, the use of color for the walls and ceiling is simple but brilliant and brings the whole bedroom together as a classic masterpiece.
Lime green and gray throws for the bed contrast beautifully with the walls and the teak. However, the plat de résistance is the contrasting black fireplace. It is a pure highlight of the room despite its small proportions.
How easy is this look to achieve? If you have a teak bed then the room is a simple process to achieve, it's a combination of dove gray and bright white emulsion paint in a matte finish.
A neutral carpet with a white rug gives the room the warmth it looks for. A DIY enthusiast could create this look in a well-proportioned bedroom within a couple of days.
When looking for inspiration for a bedroom, hotels are a great place to look, they have handsome budgets for design companies and furnishings so you can expect something exceptional if you look far enough afield.
If you want a spectacular look that is still usable in the home then Asian and far eastern countries have their own unique designs that incorporate comfort and style.
The use of mahogany as a building material in Asia is commonplace so you can expect to see dark-colored beds and furniture in a bedroom.
The luxurious bed is complemented with a coral color throw that is the perfect combination with dark colors.
The use of the rug breaks the lines of the floor and makes the room look more homely, it is a triumph of fusion design utilizing Asian and western influences.
You will need to do some research as Asian styles can vary dramatically, the image design is quite Chinese in the style that may not be welcome in every bedroom in the west at this present time in history.
Use gold color walls and coral colors to tie everything together.
Bright linen and a plush mattress are a must with this style of bed-size bedroom.
How easy is this look to achieve? Hotel styles are often easy to recreate as the rooms can be on the small side. However, this room is long and elongated, and brightly lit.
For a home bedroom, there is too much light in the bedroom, it is not necessary. You could use a tiled floor for an Asia-style bedroom, they are cool and easy to clean.
White walls and ceilings with contrasting accent walls would negate the need for artistry on the bedroom wall.
It's easily achievable for a DIY enthusiast.
There is a common thread that runs through most bedrooms that use dark wood furniture, and that thread is the room's take on an appearance of elegance.
Now, not everyone is going to have a room in this dimension in their home but if we take the concept of what can be achieved in a bedroom by using dark wood bedroom furniture, then the room becomes more relevant to your own circumstances.
The truth is dark bedroom furniture is not only elegant, it is completely functional and for those who enjoy your food and drinks, the dark wood mahoganies are also super strong and tough to support the incredible weight.
While you take advantage of the bed's structural properties you can add elegant accessories that only a dark wood bedroom could accept, such as silver color lamps.
The concept of dressing a bedroom using dark wood beds and furniture is an easy process providing you have adhered to Pareto's principle of balancing colors.
Look for accent colors for accessories, they don't always need to be pale and insipid like a dull cup of coffee, use bright vibrant reds and blues, you will be surprised at how well they fit in with the decor of the bedroom.
How easy is this look to achieve? It's easy in your home bedroom, don't be put off by the scale of the image, scale down and make your furniture fit the bedroom and decor.
Ditch the wood paneling unless you have a period home that would have used wood paneling. Instead, use a contrasting wall color like red coral or a light blue to accentuate the feeling of richness and warmth in the bedroom.
Experiment with colors. It's an easy look for the DIY enthusiast.
Dark wood bedroom furniture offers wonderful possibilities to create a bedroom in your home that is unique to you and has an elegance all of its own.
Dark woods are used for a purpose in upper-class establishments, it is a display of style and warmth and a statement about the proprietor's financial status.
In the modern bedroom, dark wood bed frames and headboards bring a new dimension to modern-day designs and can be easily incorporated into bedrooms with pastel wall colors.
Dark wood is a timeless expression of your own personal style and understanding of how to incorporate tradition with modern.
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