This serene oasis with private dressing area makes for an ideal master bedroom.
A master bedroom is usually the largest bedroom in the home, often with a private bath. Modern floor plans have expanded the bedroom into a suite, with walk-in his-and-hers closets, a separate sitting area with a mini-refrigerator and coffee bar, a balcony or deck and even his-and-hers bathrooms within the suite. If you are remodeling an older home, you can still incorporate some of these new ideas when planning your master bedroom makeover. Even if you don't currently need two walk-in closets, if space permits, it's a great feature when it's time to sell your home. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Look at magazine pictures and take photos of model-home master bedrooms to get ideas for your space, which should reflect your own needs and desires. Assess your closet needs by determining if you'll need long hanging space or if you can stack racks on top of one another, and how much shoe and accessory space you need.
2. Create a list of elements and features you want to include. Draw up several rough plans. Think about the flooring surface for each part of the space.
3. Measure the space you have available and transfer those dimensions to a sheet of graph paper. Mark on the paper where existing windows and doors are located.
4. Measure the bed you will be putting in the room. Determine the layout around three main pathways -- access to the bathroom, to the doorway and to the closet, all from the bed. Position the bed on the graph paper with these three pathways in mind. The traditional placement is centered on the wall opposite the doorway, but this may not be the best place in your room. Place the other furniture that will be in the room on the graph paper. Play around with different layouts, but keep in mind that you may be navigating these pathways in the dark.
5. Keep in mind the positioning of the electrical outlets and overhead lights. You don't want to have to get out of bed to turn off the lights.
6. Separate the room into smaller units, if space allows. Keep the bed area separate from the dressing area, or create a sitting area. This layout works well if the occupants of the room are on different schedules.
7. Decide if you want the closet position to be near the bathroom or in a separate location in the room. If you have space available, creating two separate closets, possibly on either side of a small hallway leading to the bathroom, would be ideal. If you are renovating an older home, consider knocking out a wall into a small, under-used spare bedroom, or convert a linen closet into a larger closet area. Always keep in mind the closet's accessibility from the bed.
8. Consider the position of the bathroom with the rest of the house in mind. If you would like to make the bathroom accessible to the rest of the house, place it near the front of the room. If privacy is your concern, place it at the farthest end of the space. Wherever you place it, make certain there's a clear path from the bed to the bath.
9. Select paint colors, flooring, fabrics for window treatments and upholstery, bathroom fixtures and accent pieces. Tack these elements to a cork board or tape them to a heavy paper and see how they look. Remove any elements that don't work with the others.
Tags: graph paper, master bedroom, dressing area, keep mind, older home