How about something like these mirrors above your night stands behind the lamps? A bit of bamboo to tie in with the beautiful kimono, and no need to hang anything above the headboard.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bamboo mirrors

Y'all have come up with some lovely items. I would like the scroll I brought to Mother from Japan somewhere in the room but Mom's not likely to give me the scroll any time soon

pm, those are some gorgeous mirrors. They remind me of this mirror that I had pinned

Would a gallery wall just be too much?

What about curtains on either side of the bed like this? I have RH Silver Sage curtains.

Obviously, I'm throwing lots of stuff out there.

I think a gallery wall would look fabulous and it was my first thought after worrying about stuff falling on you head. :)

I have a bunch pinned but can't figure out how to post the pics in the thread of just bed ones from my iPad.

God to know others don't seem to mind.

Your wall color is absolutely perfect with the kimono. I love the lines of the headboard too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gallery walls

This post was edited by boopadaboo on Wed, Nov 12, 14 at 21:10

I really like that last print that Viola posted. It looks serene and seems to match your bedroom.

I love every room below. What are the common elements? Can I get the same feel in my room?

Each of those rooms has a vertical element on the headboard wall. Whether it's curtains or molding or mirrors or window or vertically hung pictures, it's the strong vertical that is missing from your headboard wall. That's why the first reaction of many people was to hang the kimono above the headboard.

Rather than a single horizontal picture above the headboard, you could try mirrors behind the bedside lamps.

I was expecting something different from the title... :)

It seems the bed sort of melts into the wall. I don't suppose you could stick a decorative screen of some sort between the bed and the wall or something to make it stand out better? Like a big panel of something?

It's really very pretty as it is, but the bed could be bolder. No wonder that "something" is missing...

I love Prairiemom's suggestion of a mirror over each night table and perhaps new lamps. I really love the mirror that you posted. I adore Kinzig Design lamps. I love this one in the soft blue.

Here is a link that might be useful: lamps

boop, thanks for the link to the Gallery Walls pins. Some appeal to me. Some are a little too chaotic for me. I have a neighbor who is an artist and very good amateur decorator. She does lovely gallery walls. I need to drag out all of my pictures that I have no place for and get her down to see if a gallery wall can be fashioned.

I don't mind things hanging over my head, but I'm not sure I'd be comfortable with a vase setting on a sconce. I'd definitely need museum putty for that.

Thanks for the analysis, suero. It drives me nuts that I can't see patterns like that.

What about something like this?

Crude Photoshop of framed silk panels belonging to me.

Close-up

If you look at the rooms you like, i do still think you should concentrate on getting bigger lamps and or lampshades and mirrors and/or prints behind and/or above.

I love mirrors on either side, and spent a lot of time figuring out what would work in our beachouse MBR, then my electrician put a switch in the way! But I have big drum pendants, and I do think a bed, given its mass, looks much better with statement lighting.

Whole room look. Add taller lamps and perhaps the mirror, too.

This post was edited by newhomebuilder on Wed, Nov 12, 14 at 22:44

nhb, somewhere I think I have some silk panels similar to yours that DH brought back from a trip to China. I never thought of having them framed. I'll have to see if I can find them! Even if I don't use them over the bed, they'll be fun to have framed and used somewhere!

I just re-took a picture of my room. I was hoping that since the sun was no longer coming in the window, it would not look so dark and dreary. No such luck.
{{gwi:1875711}}
Annie, notice I put a red pillow on the bed for you!

I like the idea of mirrors on either side of the bed. mtn, when you were thinking about it for the ME house, I remember some discussion on whether or not the bedside tables/chest had to match if you did that. I don't recall the conclusion. Was the consensus match or not?

I agree, fiori, that the bed does seem to melt into the wall. I don't think a panel would work, but I'm beginning to think I need to jettison the Silver Sage shams for white or cream, and maybe reupholster the headboard in a lighter toned fabric.

And here we go....first you give a mouse a cookie.....

I'm getting a bit of a postwar vibe and I mean that in the best possible way. I would keep it fairly minimal if it were me.

i think newhomebuilder is on the right track with the darker look for the picture. even it you go with just one bigger picture i think the darker frame will give you the balance, considering the armoire on the other wall

Oh, robo, send over the big piece you have in your dining room. I think it is just what this room needs!

(P.S. what is a "postwar vibe"...in a good way? Does it mean it looks like it is from the late 40s? Should I break out a dress with shoulder pads and a peplum?)

Well, take this with a grain of salt ... but I feel like your room has the right combination of spareness and well chosen pieces, with a connotation of travel, to have belonged to someone with good taste in the late 1940s, early 1950s. Like my grandparents (although apparently my gma had tacky taste, guess some things ARE inherited!).

I have a big vintage Japanese koinobori (carp kite) above my bed...it was cheap but I think it'd be too much in your room :) It's too much in mine but hey, the wall's 15 feet long.

Aha. That may be just the case. I LOVE your carp kite.

I don't think your lamps are too small. The light from the lamp should be down on the bed to read. If it were higher the bulb would be shining in your eyes while in bed. The question is how to add some height to the bed wall. If you put mirrors behind the lamps, would you still have a hole over the bed? This is a beautiful bedroom with drapery over the bed. You have the drapery, can you find the valance? Just a thought...

Here is a link that might be useful:

Picture posted by Viola

V, that is gorgeous. I've seen drapes and canopies at showhouses and swooned, but for some reason I can never imagine them in my house. I always think they belong in a grand house. My isn't.

I was thinking along the same lines as voila. Picking up on some of the comments above (headboard blends with wall, need for vertical element, idea of drapes), what about drapes behind the headboard? They could be simple panels. You could do a light solid color (white or off white) to get more contrast between the wall, drapes, and headboard. (Not the silver sage, as they'd just blend.) Or maybe something with a bit of red. I'm not sure the fabric below has quite the right feel, but the colors would work. You could still do small framed pictures or mirrors over the bedside tables.

Oops, posted before I saw your last post, bbstx. I still think you could do simple panels.

If you only do the canopy and drapes over your bed your house could be grand. : )

In almost all of your inspiration pictures, the headboard blends into the wall. I love that about it, because the frame is so gorgeous, it really stands out. Also, in nearly all those same pics, the lamps are either taller or have more mass than yours, which I think adds some balance. Just to see how more substantial lamps could look, try setting the lamp on some fabric and bring it up, gathering it just under the shades. Just to cover the glass part, not as a way to change the lamps permanently, just for a visual and see what you think about more heft. Like this:

Is the lamp on the left down lower than the one on the right? If so, I'd find something to set it on to get it the same height - books? a tray?

I would suggest to do a variation in your curtain styling. Instead of pure fabrics you can experiment with the blinds made from jute or Eco-friendly material. If you can install a hanging spotlights emphasizing on the corner with an artificial fountain or aquarium, then it will make the ambiance lively.

How about two simple antique gold thinner frames with botanicals?

All of the above have triggered some thoughts for me.

First, in all the pics you posted that you like, they all contain a very soothing color palette. No pops of color or accents. Rather they are pretty monochromatic. That's exactly the feel I was going for in my bedroom too. I want that feeling of "Ahhhs".

Second, you complain about dark and dreary. There are a few things contributing to that potentially. One is the plantation shutters which cut a lot of light out, even when open. The second is, while the wall color is lovely, what is the LRV? DH's room is a lovely color but it was done before I learned about LRV from funcolors. Its LRV is below 50 and it seems to absorb every ounce of light we put in there. Fortunately, he likes it dark so he's happy. Finally, think about edison's light. Some have suggested the lamps are too small, but perhaps there are too few light fixtures so you're not getting as much brightness as you would like. Think about adding uplights atop the armoire or uplights to the corners on either side of the bed, or a floor lamp or a torchiere by the armed chair(s).

Third, the plantation shutters are a hard surface material and don't add the softness to the room that drapes do. At the risk of making the room a little darker but gaining a lot of softness, you might want to add drapes to the shutters. The first style block more light, but even straight panels as in the 2nd will soften the edges.

[

[Tropical Bedroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/tropical-bedroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_715~s_2108) by Naples Interior Designers & Decorators Romanza Interior Design

[

[Contemporary Bedroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bedroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_715~s_2103) by Washington Architects & Building Designers Studio Santalla, Inc

We added a canopy over our bed in our old house which was a 50s ranch with 8' ceilings and believe me, nothing grand. Thanks to Christopher Lowell, we used pvc pipe to create a box which we used as curtain rods and hung it off the ceiling. We then wrapped styrofoam in fabric and used it as the "ceiling" to the canopy. It looked really nice. I then hung a painting centered over the bed through the fabric. It made the room look grand. Sorry no pics.

I still remember staying at the Wentworth Mansion in Charleston and they did an interesting draping treatment behind the bed which I liked. A way of adding softness without the bulk and darkness of an actual canopy. While this heavy velvet is not for your room, perhaps it will trigger some other idea that would work for you.

This would be easy to execute.

[

[Traditional Bedroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-bedroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_715~s_2107) by San Francisco Interior Designers & Decorators Brian Dittmar Design, Inc.

or this...

[

[Contemporary Bedroom[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/contemporary-bedroom-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_715~s_2103) by Atlanta Interior Designers & Decorators Phoebe Howard

Here is another mockup and I went ahead for fun and added new lamps.

voila shows exactly what I envision. A large silk screen that has an Asian feel to it.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Added some wall curtains for fun!

BTW, I think adding curtains around your bed fits your room perfectly! It really softens the space and adds so much!

Oh, wow! Look what y'all have been up to!

I like the larger lamps, but... I read in bed every night. If I got larger lamps, there is the possibility that light would shine in my eyes, which would drive me crazy! I've seen pendants with something like a perforated metal disk at the bottom that diffuses the light. Is it possible to add something like that to a lamp? Maybe not exactly perforated metal, but some sort of diffuser?

Rob, the link doesn't go to source for screen. Just to the picture of the screen. It is gorgeous. Where is it?

I would like to avoid an Asian themed room, but a few touches would be ok. I will just have to be judicious so it doesn't get out of hand.

Your room is very pretty. You've already gotten some great advice about adding fabric, art, and some vertical elements. One additional thing I noticed in your inspiration pictures is that the bed styling is tailored but with elements that really soften the look. I'm seeing lots of European squares and layers of pillows that offer a little contrast from the headboard. It gives the bed depth.They all have extra blankets and quilts folded at the ends of the beds too, which adds to the layered softness. You may want to play with the bedding a bit to get closer to your inspiration photos.

I'm following closely but keeping my lip zipped, as I will have the same question soon!

I do like the idea of using some fabric, especially since you have none on the windows :)

olychick asked if the lamp on the left is lower than the lamp on the right. It is. If I give DD the block front chest on the right, I'll try to replace it with something that is the same height as the lowboy on the left. Then that problem will be solved. For now, I need to round up a couple more books to set it on.

I like the curtains against the wall, ak. Thanks.

RedHouse, I see and love all the throws, euro pillows, etc. But I have to be honest with myself. If I pile all that stuff on the bed, I'll never get around to making it up everyday. In the 90s my bed had the following: 2 king pillows, decorative only, 3 euro pillows, a toss pillow, and a neckroll, with a comforter in a duvet folded at the foot of the bed. It was an all morning task to get it made up. I have streamlined the bed so that I can get it made up in a few minutes.

I really hesitate to post this, and personally I believe most rooms look better in person anyway, so as lovely as your room is, I bet more stunning IRL. But, I feel it's the rug throwing everything off in addition to suggestions from Annie. I feel like it belongs in a LR or DR and not a BR. I think if you changed it to a neutral like your inspiration pics, you would not have to work on the wall so much. It catches my eye and I miss all other lovely elements. I do like the rug, though. You have a pretty room!

Not sure how you feel about wall treatments but I saw this room a couple years ago and have always wanted an excuse to steal the idea. Perhaps you could riff on the theme?

Thanks, Swentastic, for thinking of me, but that's a bit exotic for my "plain vanilla" tastes. (Yes, my favorite flavor of ice cream is vanilla. I think that says a lot about me.)

I don't think your tastes are plain vanilla at all! I love the blue and red in your room and am myself particularly fond of the Asian influences.

What if you hung curtains on the windows (to the ceiling) skipped something over the bed but instead hung some larger pieces of artwork (framed and matted audubon crane prints or something?) over each of your side tables? That would carry the Asian thing but not be too "theme-y"

I do like the picture with the mirrors on either side too - so pretty.

That would emphasize your wonderful tall ceilings!

Swen, your suggestion reminds me of this room that I've admired for a long time

This picture is more evidence that I need to jettison the Silver Sage shams, at a minimum.

I love Audubon prints, especially in the bedroom. I find them soothing.

Me too! I just found a pair on sale at Steinmart of all places. I snapped them up for our guest room which I'll get around to unpacking someday...

I love the proportion of the prints in that pic you just posted - very striking. And maybe a lighter color dust ruffle would anchor your bed a bit more?

This picture is for color and proportion only! I gathered up white bedding from around the house, including digging the comforter out of storage(wow is it wrinkled). I set the lamps on books and covered them with white pillowcases to get height and mass.

{{gwi:1875729}}

I think this is the road I need to head down. Agree?

For comparison -
{{gwi:1875730}}

Yup.. I think you are getting there. I love Audubon prints, too. And I would not continue the Asian theme unless it had personal resonance or your found something you loved.

I can't help, it, total sucker for white white beds.

I, too, love white beds. Why did I try to go against character?

I like white beds too, and yet you have a lot of color in your pretty room, which shows personality. You may still wish to have a print fabric to tie all your colors together, if not over the bed (my preference) maybe as a thin banner for the end of the bed or two small pillows, or maybe a combination. Perhaps a large picture over your bed could accomplish the same thing with red and blue in it. Just some thoughts. The fabric is Kaufmann Ophelia Blossom.

Annie, You asked about the LRV of the paint. I finally found it! RH Silver Sage has an LRV of 51. Although it doesn't photograph well, it is actually a very calm pale green with blue/gray undertones.

I love white bedcovers too. Here is another idea to bring the red colors to your bed, without taking too long to make the bed in the morning. There are many bedding set that will accomplish the same thing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Amazon.com Hotel bedding

Another picture from William Sonoma. This looks close to your wall color, but the red is called coral (because mtnredux started this trend!).

I think I'd prefer to keep the colors more subtle than red. I have the rust carpet on the floor and there are bits of red in the embroidery on the kimono but I think that is all the strong color I want.

I have a pair of chairs that are similar in tone to the background of the kimono. Right now they are in the LR, but they were bought for the bedroom. As soon as I get all of the furniture sorted out in the LR (my sofa has been sent back to the factory!), those chairs will return to the bedroom. I'm not sure where the burgundy suede chairs will end up. Maybe in a guest room.

This Design Seed reminds me of the colors in the room