bedroom

Tips on Creating the Perfect Gallery Wall /  by Mackenzie Collier

Source: Framebridge/Leslee Mitchell

Source: Framebridge/Leslee Mitchell

Gallery walls are always a hit and is something that can help show more of your personality in your home. They can bring so much life to a boring wall in and transform the space completely. They can be as big or small as you want and can range from any color or style—whichever suits your space and personality. 

Now, we can all agree about how much we like them, but putting one together can seem like a hard task; one that might get you discouraged. Don't back out now, keep reading! We're going to give you a few tips on creating the perfect gallery wall that complements and adds to your ideal space! 

Monochromatic themed gallery wall.jpeg

1. Plan out your purpose

 

 

Maybe you want to fill a boring blank wall. Maybe you have a few pictures you love but you don't know what to do with them. Maybe you just want a gallery wall since they're fun and cute. Whatever the reason is, make sure you plan out your purpose or the story you want your gallery wall to tell. Do you want it have a certain style or color theme? Think it out, brainstorm, get inspired, and most of all have fun with it.

Source: Domino

Pretty Artsy Gallery Wall.jpg

2. Choose art that you love

This should go without saying, but it's still something we felt was important to add. If a picture goes with your theme but you kind of hate it, don't add it to your gallery wall! The best thing about a gallery wall is that it can be eclectic and incorporate a bunch of different things you love—just make sure it's something you actually love, not something you think you should love!

Source:Elle (Sweden)

Unique Gallery Wall.png

Figure out your ideal size and space 

First thing's first: pick out the perfect spot in your home for your gallery wall. Try getting creative and use spots you wouldn't normally think of like stairways and corners. Once that's covered, it's all about the ideal size you want for your gallery wall. Sizing all has to do with the space you have to work with, your style, and the number of items you have to contribute. Do you want a bold gallery wall with just a couple of big items or do you want a bigger one that's a little more spread out with numerous pictures and pieces to add? Make sure to make good use of your planned space while considering style and budget.

Source: Inside Out

Planning of Gallery Wall.png

4. Plan and measure

Planning out your gallery wall is key for creating the perfect one. Lay out all your frames on the floor and see which color and styles you believe to be complimentary of each other. This gives you an idea of how you want to arrange your pictures based on their individual style. Next step is to get butcher paper to trace the frames and arrange it on the wall to make sure everything is perfect before you start drilling or command stripping. 

 

Source: Momtastic

Arranging Gallery Wall.jpg
Eclectic Gallery Wall .jpeg

5. Work your way out 

Starting in the middle and working your way out is a great way to anchor your collection. A good tip is to start with your boldest, biggest, or favorite piece and then add all the other pictures around it. This makes it easier for planning since you are drawing a lot of your inspiration from your favorite piece or one that sticks out the most. Try to not be symmetrical and use an odd number of frames or items—nothing's perfect and that makes it fun!

 

Source: Mor Til Mernee

 

Alternative items in Gallery Wall.jpg

6. Don't forget the alternatives

Last but not least, don't forget about all the other items you can use to create your ideal gallery wall. There is so much to choose from: mirrors, clocks, plants, macrame, decorative objects, baskets—you name it. This is an expression of you and what you love so make sure to show that in any way possible. 

 

Source: Love Chic Living

Easy enough, right? Don't forget to have fun with it and comment to let us know what has worked for you! 

 

Decorating For Couples: Tips for Finding Common Ground /  by Mackenzie Collier

Moving in together is a big step. As cute and romantic (and sometimes scary) this step may be, we want to suggest a few tips to help with the decorating process of it. How do you make a compromise with your significant other so they won’t hold on to that one thing you absolutely despise? How do you try and get your dream of having a velvet blue couch in the living room when they are not into it? We've all heard how the secret to a great relationship is communication, and that factor definitely plays a role when designing a new space for the two of you. Communication is key to finding the right balance and design when merging into a new space with your love.

Image: Mackenzie Collier Interiors

Image: Mackenzie Collier Interiors

With Valentine's Day around the corner, we decided to dedicate this post to design tips that will help you combine styles with your boo to create a functional space that represents the both of you!There is always a common ground between even the most widely differing styles. The key is finding it before you cause a breakup...

Pinterest is your mutual bestie.

Get to pinning. Both of you create a Pinterest board and pin every design-related thing you like: your favorite bathroom designs, living room furniture, bedroom lighting, art, color palettes—anything and everything you like, pin! Get ideas flowing so you have some concrete ideas of what you do and don't like. 

Share your ideas. 

Time to hear each other out. Compare your boards and (nicely) point out what you like and don't like from both of them. Look at the mood boards side by side; there HAVE to be common elements. Find them. (White walls? Good lighting? A certain color?) Make a list of what you have in common. Create a third mood or Pinterest board that shows only the items/qualities/features you both agree on. Maybe there's enough to go on with this? If not, expand on the things you have in common to find new ideas that are cohesive with what you both agree on. If you are creative enough, you'll find them without having to duke it out. Remember, this space has to express both of you guys—so be open! The more open you are, the fewer arguments you’ll have. 
 

Image: James Stewart for Mackenzie Collier Interiors

Be considerate.

For all the items you don't agree on, priority should go to the person who spends the most time in a given room. For example, if the closest thing you do to cooking is putting your Postmates order on a plate, but your partner is a part-time chef at home, then you probably shouldn’t have the first pick on all kitchen decisions. Whoever spends the most time in a certain space should get a final say on decisions involving that area. That seems fair, right?
 

Image: Heather Kirchhofer for Mackenzie Collier Interiors

Image: Heather Kirchhofer for Mackenzie Collier Interiors

Need a tie breaker? 

Still can’t decide on what should be done in the dining room? Let the architecture of your space be the final judge. There are certain color schemes, furniture shapes, etc. that just suit a specific architecture type. Research your space and the architecture associated with it and look at what works best. When in doubt, ask an Interior Designer!

Sleep-Friendly Bedroom Design Trends for 2018 /  by Mackenzie Collier

We all know how important it is to get those ZZZs. Yes, we sometimes like to contribute a lot of our focus and daily success to the mass amount of coffee we may intake—but truly it’s sleep. Getting the right amount of sleep is so important, but sometimes that may be hard to achieve when you're not in the ideal sleep environment. Obviously, we know the difference from sleeping on the couch opposed to sleeping on a Tempur-Pedic mattress; but the way in which your bedroom is designed can mean a lot. The colors in your room, the type of art, and even the height of the bed itself can influence your sleep patterns. The Tuck Sleep Foundation— an online community developed to improve one’s sleeping habits— put together a blog with a few design tips on how to get the most out of your sleep as well as correlating to the top bedroom design trends of 2018.

Where you sleep is just as important as how you sleep. Your sleep environment can influence your sleep quality. A healthy sleep environment should be cool, dark, quiet, and comfortable, offering a restorative place to doze off easily. Some design trends are too bold and exciting, making it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep comfortably. But many of 2018's new design trends take on a cooler, more minimalist and streamlined look that supports healthy sleep.

Photo: FANTASTIC FRANK

The Right Color Scheme

  • Cool colors: We're seeing a lot of light blue, gray, and yellow in design trends for 2018. Light colors, especially blue, are a great choice for bedrooms. Dark, bold colors can be too stimulating, or make your bedroom feel cavelike. A light, cool color is calming and opens up the depth of the room. Look for shades of light turquoise for an on trend look. These tones can be used on walls, bedding, curtains, accents, and more.

Photo: @oh.eight.oh.nine Instagram

Photo: @oh.eight.oh.nine Instagram

Ideal Bedroom Furniture

  • Minimalist headboards: Headboards can be a bold focal piece in your bedroom, but a more minimalist look can help you avoid letting a massive headboard take over the room. A bed that feels too large can make your entire room feel cluttered and stressful, so a less imposing headboard is a good choice for smaller bedrooms.

  • Low profile bed frames: Similarly, bed frames are becoming more minimal. Often, bed frames don't require the use of box springs, offering a more low profile look. Beds are often set closer to the floor as well, a departure from beds set high up with tall box springs.

  • Ordering mattresses online: We shop for everything online these days, and mattresses are no exception. More consumers are looking online to buy mattresses, not just find inspiration. This is a positive trend, as online mattress companies often have excellent 100-night+ guarantees, good customer service, and extensive information to help you choose the right mattress for your needs.

Photo: Decoist

Photo: Decoist

The Perfect Lighting

  • Hanging metal pendant lamps: Light in your bedroom is important to maintaining the right circadian rhythm, and light that shines in your eyes from above, such as a fan light or recessed lighting can confuse your brain and body at night, making you feel as if it's daytime. A better choice is lighting that is below eye level, which can be achieved with hanging pendant lamps. Hang these near your bed in a way that they don't shine directly into your eyes, but illuminate below with light that diffuses gently throughout the room.

Photo: Mackenzie Collier Interiors

Design Styles

  • Minimal, yet bold accents: An single large piece of bold art, or pops of color on an otherwise gray or monochromatic color palette can add personality while keeping your bedroom environment calm.

  • Midcentury design: Clean, modern lines are making a comeback. This design is an excellent choice for your bedroom, offering a streamlined look that can reduce stress and anxiety as you're resting.

  • Carefully designed mess: The boho look is in, which can be a little cluttered and stress inducing. But there's one big caveat to this trend: this mess is carefully arranged, such as stacks of books or asymmetrical lighting. With careful arrangement, you can organize your things so it's not stress inducing as you're ready to go to sleep -- but still embrace somewhat of a mess.

 

Myra Campbell is a researcher for the sleep science and health organization Tuck.com. Her passion for art and design brought her into the field. She began by researching how to create a relaxing bedroom and learned that great design can help improve our health and well-being. Myra lives in southern California and shares her queen-sized bed with two rescue dogs.

Houzz: 3 Cozy and Calm Bedrooms /  by Mackenzie Collier

Mackenzie's very own bedroom was recently featured on the Houzz homepage! Check out the article below (we're on the second slide!) for a few ideas on how to create a comfy, relaxing atmosphere in your boudoir. 

Fashion-Forward Interiors: Rooms Designed to Match Our Favorite Outfits (Mackenzie Edition!) /  by Mackenzie Collier

Trends in fashion and interior design go hand in hand—just look in your closet and take note of how much your clothing coordinates with your home decor. It makes sense! Both our homes and our wardrobes are an expression of who we are; they reflect our personalities and our lifestyles. But a common issue expressed by clients is that they struggle to pinpoint what their decorating tastes are exactly. If you're not sure how to define your personal interior design style, try taking some cues from your favorite outfit...

The Inspiration

Image: ASOS

Image: ASOS

I love this laid-back version of a classic equestrian look. I grew up in Ohio showing horses, and every summer my family would go to the All American Quarter Horse Congress—the largest single breed horse show in the world. This outfit is super cute for a casual stroll around the fairgrounds. It's basically socially acceptable barn wear: the Carhartt-esque jacket, the black jodhpurs, the hunter riding boots, the preppy stripe. It's sophisticated but casual—you could get away with this look at a polo match, but it's also versatile enough to wear on a day hike or a trip to the farmers market. It's a style that totally translates to my adult life.

The Interior

This room is stylish and modern, comfortable and inviting—all the same elements I love in my inspiration outfit. No frills. Nothing too trendy. The look is polished and practical. For the interior design, I chose classic, timeless materials like leather and wood; soft, durable textiles made from high-quality natural fibers; the same earth-tone color scheme; and simple, structured patterns. 

Shop the Decor...

Stay tuned for more runway-inspired rooms, Aleah's edition of Fashion-Forward Interiors is coming soon!