Since the full house tour of my apartment was recently revealed on Apartment Therapy I thought you might like to see some before and afters of my space. I’ll start with the bedroom and show you how I transformed it from a boxy, soul-less space into an inviting and elegant retreat.

This is what the bedroom looked like when I moved in three years ago. It had zero character and was also quite small at approximately 11 1/2′ x 12′ with just one modestly sized closet. Aside from creating an elegant sleeping room, I also needed to design a layout with plenty of functional storage…a must in any small space.

Here’s the floor plan I came up with. My bed is the focal point and is centered against a wall opposite two windows. I incorporated a pair of chests on either side plus an armoire for additional clothes storage.

This was my inspiration board that illustrates my initial creative direction for the space. My goal was to create a beautiful bedroom that exudes comfort and sophistication. The key elements are the Chonioiserie floral pattern (inspired by the walls in the Miles Redd designed bedroom shown on the top left) a soothing blue color scheme, bright pops of turquoise, an upholstered headboard in a graceful shape and just a touch of ikat.

Here’s the result of my bedroom transformation. My headboard is custom, upholstered in a pattern called Sestina from Kravet. My Baker campaign chests which I found on eBay are vintage from the 1950s and have deep drawers for storing clothes. The turquoise egg shaped lamps are by Haeger Potteries from Lamps Plus and provide a much needed pop of color that adds a touch of whimsy and makes the space feel youthful. To me one of the things that makes a bedroom feel polished and pulled together is beautiful bedding and I’m particularly a fan of crisp white bed linens. My duvet set is from Pottery Barn and the monogrammed shams elevate the level of sophistication. The ikat pillow was fabricated with a pattern from Kravet that I had my upholsterer use on the reverse. The white bedding combined with loads of down filled pillows really makes the bed look inviting!

My rug is Madeline Weinrib’s Mimm print wool rug which I scored at the ABC Carpet & Home outlet in the Bronx. I have several favorite pieces in my bedroom but by far the most special and most personal are the reverse glass Chinese emperor and empress paintings shown on either side of my bed which I inherited from my grandmother. I believe strongly in surrounding yourself with things you love that have deep, personal meaning like family photos, souvenirs from your travels or items inherited from loved ones. Those are the things that will give your space a sense of your own personality and history…and will make your house feel like home.

My Chinese antique armoire seen here was another eBay find and provides plenty of extra space to store clothing & accessories. I keep my collection of blue & white porcelain as well as all of my clear glass vases on top. The Japanese  scenic painting to the left of the armoire was an auction score that I got for just $25! My chandelier is from eBay and the soft bronze color and delicate vine and leaf motif really compliments the space.  It was fun pulling this room together but, of course, a decorator’s work is never done! I plan to re-paint my walls at some point, most likely a soothing blue-gray, and I’m constantly on the lookout for new bedding. Stay tuned!

Since I started my blog I’ve become the resident decorating expert among my friends and I’m often called on for advice. My friend Kim recently moved into a fabulous loft in Soho and asked me to help her with ideas for her bedroom, which she wants to decorate on a budget. Below is an inspiration board along with some ideas I put together for her.

Kim’s loft is a rental with ridiculously high ceilings so painting her bedroom would be too costly and isn’t an option she wants to consider. I recommended a black and white scheme with pops of color added through accessories and artwork. Above are some inspiration photos which will guide the design.

Kim loves yellows and blues so I thought a goldenrod yellow would be a fun, cheery dominant accent color with a deep blue turquoise added in for additional interest. Since the bed will be the focal point of the room, this is where I suggest she spend money…nice bedding, a plush upholstered headboard and fun pillows and accessories to add color and texture. Everything chosen here with the exception of the lamps from Pieces is relatively inexpensive and she shouldn’t have  a problem finding similar lamps on ebay or at one of the many flea markets in and around NYC. I’m a fan of  crisp white bedding and Laytner’s Linen and Home here in NYC has a great deal on classic striped bedding sets. The black and white DwellStudio for Target bedskirt is a modern contrast to the classic bedding and the ikat pillows add color and pattern while the Jonathan Adler needlepoint pillow adds a touch of kitch. The teal blue rug from Ikea could ground the space nicely.

Kim already has an amazing vintage desk and dresser. I suggested painting them both a glossy black and changing out the knobs on her dresser. The two chairs here are both great options to fit her desk, with the fab Craigslist find being the more economical choice. And can you believe those insanely fabulous nightstands I found via Craig’s for just $70! She should snap these up quickly before someone else does!

Here are some accessories that would be great additions to her room. Currently Kim has a world map on her wall above her desk but it’s very colorful and kindergarten classroom-ish so I thought the vintage one above is a more sophisticated alternative. I would probably place it on the blank wall adjacent to her bed as opposed to right above her desk. I also love that little blanc de chine inspired bird lamp from Urban Outfitters. Would look super chic with a nice glossy lampshade…in a turquoise that mimics the color of the rug from Ikea. I wish I had a floorplan to help you visualize the layout but this should give you a sense of the overall design direction I recommended. What do you think?

Lately I’ve been loving the look of simple four poster canopied beds. Perhaps it was this photo from an old issue of Domino that first ignited my canopy love…

This steel campaign style canopy bed was featured in one of my favorite rooms designed by Miles Redd. Before settling on a custom upholstered headboard for my own bedroom, I considered getting a bed just like this one but at the time I felt my room was too small to pull it off.

Here’s a similar bed in a room designed by Carrier and Company. Even with the simplicity of the thin wrought iron frame the bed still has a feeling of grandeur.

I also like this one in a stylish bedroom by Kim Alexandriuk.

This canopy bed in a room by Peter Dunham feels very strong and architectural. I used to think that a canopy bed in a small space was too grand of a gesture but since seeing this photo I’ve changed my point of view.

In this room, also by Peter Dunham, the addition of light airy draperies to the canopy lends a romantic feeling to the room.

Dunham often incorporates this look into his bedroom designs and the above photo is yet another example. I LOVE this bedroom….so pretty!

This is Domino style editor Dara Caponigro’s room as featured in the recently released Domino Book of Decorating. Without actually having a traditional four poster canopy bed, Dara created the look by mounting drapery rods to the ceiling and attaching drapes at each corner of the bed…an ingenious idea that produced a very modern, yet romantic looking result.

If you love this look as much as I do and are looking to update your bedroom, here are a few accessible options for you to consider:

Anthropologie sells this Italian Campaign Canopy bed that’s very similar to the beds pictured in the Miles Redd and Carrier and Company designed rooms above. A queen size is $1698. Available here.

Interior designer Annie Selke just released a new collection for Vanguard Furniture which includes this Chinoiserie inspired gold leaf canopy bed that I absolutely love. It’s $2997 for a queen. Click here for more info.

Another source I love for beds in general is Charles P. Rogers. The company has been around since 1855 and although they’re best known for their iron and brass beds, they offer a vast assortment of beds that includes a wide range of styles and materials. All of their beds are hand crafted with exceptional attention to detail and best of all they’re very reasonably priced. The company also carries an impressive selection of beautiful antique beds sourced from around the world that date as far back as the mid 1800s. Their only showroom is here in New York but you can purchase direct via their website or catalog and they ship worldwide. Charles P. Rogers has the best selection of canopied beds that I’ve seen in one place. Above is their Campaign Canopy Bed that has lovely brass finial details. A queen is just $1199. There are other finial options and it’s also available without finials. Here are a few more canopy beds that I love from Charles P. Rogers:

Cairo Canopy Bed. $999 for a queen. More options here.

This is another version of the Cairo Canopy Bed but with a bell top. A queen with finials is $1299. More info here.

If you want to add the romance to your canopy bed a great DIY option is to purchase inexpensive drapery panels and simply attach them to your canopy. Your drapes should be  long enough to just touch the floor. The Vivan drapes above are from Ikea and cost just $14.99 for a pair! You can fasten these to your canopy with simple drapery rings that have clips attached.

Tab top draperies are another great option as they don’t require any hardware to attach them to the canopy. The ones above from Pottery Barn are just $6.99 per panel!