Dear Debbie: My children have grown and I am now redecorating one of their rooms for a guest bedroom. I鈥檓 looking for some ideas to make it a bit different, stylish, comfortable, maybe with some glamour, but not over the top. I like your do-it-yourself projects. Have you one for me?
Katrina
Now is your time to do a little dreaming about what you find glamorous, because I think this is听just the right approach. If your goal is a guest room that is chic, alluring and rich, look to materials and colours that connote this enchanting style. Glamour is developed in the company of metals that shine, glass that sparkles and fabrics that are tactile and show a rich sheen. A glamorous style is magnetic. It really does pull you in so that you feel pampered and special. Just right for听a听guest room.
One of my favourite projects is to produce custom headboards. I have made many over the years, using old doors, plywood and cut-to-size MDF, posters and听fabric.
When I wanted to create a听sophisticated style for the delightful bedroom shown here, I听turned to the sensuous look of velvet framed with shimmering detail to make an oversized headboard. The frame is gilded with metallic leaf.
I began with a stretcher frame wrapped in canvas. Art-supply stores will make a stretcher to your dimensions, or you can make your own with wood from your lumber store.
Spray the canvas with adhesive and adhere one or two layers of fiberfill. Cut a piece of velvet to fit, plus enough to turn over the frame to the back. Stretch the velvet over the frame and staple to the back.
To make the decoration on the frame, you require frame moulding (the back of the moulding strips have an L-shape cut out of听the inside edges to permit the picture to be set in). Cut the frame moulding to fit your headboard. Apply aquasize to the frame, making sure to get into all the grooves and indentations.
When the aquasize is tacky to the touch, apply the leaf, using a soft brush to smooth it out. Let dry for an hour, then brush away any loose leaf. Attach the frame to the headboard and hang it on the wall like a picture.
Look for a duvet cover or bedspread that connects to the colour and feel of your headboard, such as silk, satin and ultra-smooth cottons. Dove gray walls show quiet elegance paired with the lavender bed. There鈥檚 a good chance you will decide to make this room your own.
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Dear Debbie: I have a pet peeve about scatter rugs. They are slippery and therefore dangerous and are messy. But it is nice to put your feet down on something warm. What can I do?
Douglas
You make a good point. Small听area rugs are especially slippery on wood or tile floors. Look for non-skid carpet tape to听adhere to the back of the carpet at your local home store or听online.
It is also helpful to place one or two ends of the carpet under a听heavy piece of furniture, such as the bed or sofa.
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Debbie Travis鈥檚 House to Home column is produced by Debbie Travis and Barbara Dingle. Please email questions to [email protected]. You can follow Debbie on Twitter at twitter.com/debbie_travis, and听visit Debbie鈥檚 website, debbietravis.com.
