wake up a bland bedroom

Reduce the yawn factor in your no-hum space with color, pattern, and style.

Some rooms are so boring they put you right to sleep. That's not always such a good thing. White walls, white bedding, beige carpet, and zero style, zzzz-it's enough to make you nod off while you're making the bed each morning.

Get out of that rut you're sleeping in, and give your evening retreat the attention it deserves. Here's how we punched up a blah room.

coffee for your walls

The first step was to add rich color to the wall behind the bed. Middlebury Brown by Benjamin Moore warms up the dull space. It took only a couple of hours to apply the color to one wall.

easy updates

To give the bed more presence, we hung ready-made linen panels behind it using a curtain rod. We installed swing arm rods to hang one panel on each side of the bed.

We taped off stripes of various sizes on a canvas and painted them in shades of brown and green. (Buy sample-size containers of paint for less.) The masterpiece hangs above the bed from a ribbon tied to the curtain rod.

pillow talk

We opted for linens with a contemporary flavor in chocolate brown and avocado green. The lattice design on the duvet and shams from Dwell (www.dwellshop.com) adds graphic pop. Instead of making the bed in the usual way, give your pillows a little attention. In front of two Euro shams, stack two pillows on one side. On the other side, prop up two.

When you love the way your bed looks all dressed up, you'll be more likely to make it in the morning. Wouldn't mom be proud?

-AMY BICKERS MERCER

pick the perfect pillow

* Side sleepers should choose a firm pillow to keep the neck higher than the shoulders.

* Stomach sleepers should use a soft or flat pillow that doesn't put too much stress on the neck. This is also a good choice for children.

* Back sleepers need to use a mediumdensity pillow.

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation May 2007
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