Question: I am planning to remodel our master bedroom, which includes a double-sink vanity along one wall, and would appreciate any ideas or help to make it more livable. What do you suggest?

Robert Costa
San Mateo

 

Answer: A bedroom with a double-sink vanity is a challenge. The job at hand is to soften its impact and make the bedroom more gracious.

Your remodel project gives us the chance to make the vanity area less a part of the bedroom and give it a feeling of being in its own space. At the same time, the room can gain overall symmetry and more storage space, which everyone can use.

The most obvious solution is to create walls around the vanity area. But because the area isn't that large, it would feel cramped. So instead, let's add some wall space and an elliptical archway; this gives the vanity the separation from the bedroom that we want without closing in the space. The new wall will also help with my plan for a new entry into the bedroom.

Bedroom makeover: A new archway and side wall separate the double-sink vanity, minimizing its presence in the bedroom and creating an appealing entryway. A new closet area is added next to the existing large dresser.

To make entering the bedroom more gracious, I'd like to give the room a small, symmetrical entry space. Behind the double-entry doors, there's space that isn't being utilized, so let's add a small closet.

The wall for the vanity area and the wall for the closet creates a proper foyer space before the main part of the bedroom. It also makes the large triple dresser less imposing because it's sheltered by the side of the closet. And your large mirror can still hang over the dresser. Add a table lamp to illuminate this side of the room.

The 8-foot-long window has taken the better part of the longest wall, the only logical place for your bed. But most people aren't comfortable sleeping with a window behind them, so let's move the window.

I've replaced the one long window with two smaller, 2-foot-6-inch windows, one on either side of the night tables. The new windows provide ventilation and light, as well as symmetry for the room. New drapes surrounding them will contribute to the feeling of elegance that we're creating with this remodel.

Moving the large dresser close to the new closet gives us the chance to add a comfortable chair to the room. Since your furniture is Provencal style, ideally this should be a small bergere chair.

Add an upholstered bench at the foot of the bed to create some separation between the bed and the vanity area and give you a place to sit to put your shoes on.

Now that the structural changes are addressed, let's work on the aesthetics: the fabrics and colors.

Let's keep the Provencal style going in the remodel. The design industry calls it French country. Furniture is usually made of dark wood with ornate carvings, so choose paint and carpet colors and fabrics that lend themselves to this style of decor.

Patterned fabrics are often used with French country design. The style also lends itself to using more than one fabric pattern in a room. Plaids and checks work well with florals and stripes. Often fabric companies provide guidelines on how to mix these patterns, and even recommend paint colors to complement them.

This style calls for a lot of color. The depth and intensity of the color palette is entirely up to you. For example, you could choose soft colors with cabbage rose-patterned fabrics in pastels and soft stripes to go with them. Or you could use the stronger Provencal-style fabrics that take their colors from the earth and use bolder patterns.

French country design also uses lots of accessories and floral arrangements, so don't forget to complete the project by adding silver framed pictures and a vase of roses on the dresser.

 

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