Ask a Decorating Question: Can I use a Queen Headboard with a King Bed?

Posted on May 3, 2012 by DishOnDesignGal

Courtesy of Anthropologie

I’m looking forward to answering design questions from readers each week. The question below from Brett has been on my mind. I’ll tell you why in a bit, but first, let’s start with the question…

My wife and I have a 4 month old who is taking up too much of our queen bed. I would like to get a king bed but we have a fairly new bedroom set. Would it look weird if we used the same headboard? The bed would stick out 5 inches on either side.

I always say there are no rules to decorating, just rules of thumb. When it comes to headboards, the rule of thumb is they should not be narrower than the bed frame. Is there an exception to that rule? I don’t think so. Why? Good design is all about scale and proportion. A bed is typically the focal point of the room – the headboard is the foundation for a beautiful bed. A headboard that is smaller than a bed is simply going to look wrong. It will be out of proportion. If it’s going to bug me…it’s going to bug you.

So what to do? I have three possible solutions.

1. Come up with a DIY solution to convert the queen headboard into a king headboard. I do believe that anything is possible with a bit of creativity. I don’t know what your headboard looks like, but I am sure there is a creative way to extend the headboard by adding on at the ends or adding a panel in the middle. BUT, you would have to be a DIY’er and it would have to be fabulous. If you do decide to try it, here is a link I found for hardware you can use to attach the headboard to a king bed frame.

2. Store or sell the queen size headboard and get one that complements your furniture. The key here is to get one that is not wood – a wood headboard may fight with your furniture. An upholstered or woven headboard would work quite nicely with any style of furniture. You can find them in many price ranges. Here are a few headboards/beds I found:

Target has a great selection on-line of reasonably priced headboards. A king is less than $250.00:

I found this king seagrass headboard on amazon for $549.00. I love the texture …

Ballard’s has this great leather headboard with nailhead trim for under $800.00:

Macy’s has this gorgeous bed with a price tag right under $2,000.00:

Pottery Barn’s slip-covered headboard+bed has a sticker price ranging from $719.00 – $2,249.00. Isn’t it lovely?

So this brings us to number three. I know that sleeping with an infant is something some parents do. Brett, I am sure you have researched this and made a decision that is right for your family, but here are my thoughts…

A. Regardless of the size of the bed, there are always dangers when sleeping with an infant. Of course, you may be using an Infant Sleep By My Side like this…

Blogger Danielle wrote a great article on Co – Sleeping which I think is worth a read. And check this out from HowToBeADAd…

These are some funny, funny guys! You really ought to check out their blog! If co-sleeping is your choice, you are definitely going to need that king size bed.

Let’s move on to B and C…

B. Sleep is a good. There is no doubt that sleeping with an infant causes you to lose sleep. A rested parent is a better parent. Yes, you don’t get much sleep with a baby in the home, but my guess is you get even less when their in your bed. And let’s just throw this out there… sex.

C. I raised three children. I was a stay at home mom, breastfed them and understand how exhausting it can be. I slept in their bed more than once when they were young and they climbed into our bed more than once. But, always, they had their own bed and place to grow. It was a win-win for everyone.

You probably guessed what three is…

3. Keep the queen sized bed. Put the baby in their own room, Let him/her sleep in a crib within your room or use a co-sleeper next to your bed like the one below…

The co-sleeper arrangement gives you the best of both worlds.

That is my long winded answer – get a new headboard, find your creative side or keep your queen sized bed. The bottom line is make a decision based on what is best for you and your family. We’d love to know what you decide to do! Readers…what do you think? xo Amy

Decorating And Design Questions Answered

Posted on April 15, 2010 by DishOnDesignGal

Do you have a decorating question? I'd love to answer yours!

I love to answer Decorating and Design Questions…I don’t know why, I just do. There’s always a special twist or a question I haven’t had before and I enjoy finding a solution or offering advice. I have several Ask Amy questions to catch up on, but yesterday I tackled a handful!

A few fun one’s lately included Teisha asking if I could come organize her house after I did mine, but I pretty much told her I may not be fully functional by the time I complete mine….haha! Calgon…come take me away I also had a few things to say about men and pink to Aime over at mammaloves, hopefully I didn’t offend any of my male readers, but seriously, do you really think most men are even going to notice a touch of pink here and there? I don’t think my guys would! Now mess with the TV and THAT’s a different story!

To see all my words of wisdom, visit this link Have a Decorating Question? Ask Away! to see most of the design questions I’ve answered over the last couple of years. I still have a few to answer, but sit down when you have time and explore. Perhaps you’ll find the answer to a question you have. I’d love to hear if you agree or disagree with my thoughts - who knows, together we might find an even better solution! Enjoy! xoxoxo Amy

Adding a Feminine Touch to a Contemporary Bedroom

Posted on March 29, 2010 by DishOnDesignGal

I know...it's not a bedroom, but this photo from Houzz is a perfect example of adding a feminine touch to a contemporary styled room. Pink is traditionally a girly girl color and the chandelier is so glam - seriously...what gal wouldn't want to surround herself with a bit of sparkle along with tones of pink, creme and gray?

Over the weekend a reader asked the question…”How do I find a style that I am okay with now that my husband passed away? Can I make my bedroom more feminine while leaving a bit of my late husbands touch – he was into contemporary? First off…I am so sorry for you loss, it must be very difficult and I’m glad you are diving into a decorating project

To answer your question, I say absolutely! I am not a fan of strictly following a particular style – how boring would that be? Keeping your husband’s contemporary style, yet adding a few feminine touches of your own is a great idea. My bet is it will become a room you really love to spend time in. Here are some simple guidelines and tips for planning your room.

Settle in with a cup of tea and explore some design magazines and visit online sites such as Houzz, Elle Decor or Better Homes and Gardens. Clip or print photo’s of things that you catch your eye.
Take inventory of your bedroom and identify any contemporary items that you wish to use in your bedroom.
Select a photo or two the from ones you found in step one to use as an inspiration picture for your project. Take some time to identify what you like about each photo. Is it a pattern, paint color, texture, the accessories, etc…?
Choose a color scheme of 2 or 3 colors that work well with the pieces you have chosen to keep and that reflect your inspiration photo. Tip: Using colors that are traditionally feminine such as pink or lavender will definitely get you going in the right direction.
Use your colors to tie everything together, making sure to equally distribute the contemporary and any non-contemporary pieces throughout the room.
Combine a contemporary item with a softer more feminine accessory!
Experiment a bit and stay true to what feels good…usually your first gut reaction is right. There are no right or wrong decorating rules – just rules of thumb…it’s all about not being afraid to experiment and keeping it fun. If it feels good to you… it’s right!

Here’s a few photo’s I found over at Houzz with some thoughts to get you started… Good luck!

Top a sleek contemporary table with beloved worn books and an antique teacup and saucer for a welcoming cozy touch

A bouquet of flowers and a delicate throw at the end of the bed is an easy way to add a feminine touch to your bedroom

Pardon me while I get distracted...would you EVER leave this room?

Want to keep it all contemporary? Adding abstract art with heart-shaped lips or lineal flowers is a great way to add a female touch

Select textures with a decidedly feminine feel such as satin or lace to soften the hard lines of a contemporary room

Good luck with your room and let us know how it turns out xoxoxox Amy

Inspiration Board for a Chocolate and Green Bedroom

Posted on June 30, 2009 by DishOnDesignGal

Note: Double click image to enlarge

I was at a graduation party this past weekend and ran into a good high school friend of ours – Mark aka “Wooley”. The recreational area where the party was held had a really nice red accent wall and Mark said he was thinking about using that shade in his master bedroom. He asked what my opinion was and since I shamefully had not been to see his new home (which he has had for a year!) I offered to stop by on Sunday and take a look. I should add that I’ve heard Sunday’s in the summer at Mark’s include cocktails poolside, so it was not a hard sell!

Although I loved the red that he was considering, I felt that it blended too well with his furniture and suggested that he went with something that enhancedthe wood, rather than compete with it. His furniture consisted of a rich cherry sled style bed, large armoire and dresser. Additionally, he had splurged and purchased a really beautiful deep chocolate Hotel Collection bedding set that had a tailored black stripe as accent … nice job Mark

As I thumbed through a paint deck, my initial thought was to go with a blue/chocolate scheme, but Mark is a bachelor and I was afraid the blue would go more feminine than masculine. I also should add that he is a bit obsessed with golf and once I saw the green, it just seemed like a natural choice! I chose Sherwin Williams Rural Green and created the inspirational board pictured above. He also has the option of adding a little splash of orange down the line, which I think he would like as well.

The inspiration board is about clean lines, fresh accents and a peacefull elements for relaxing and romance – Mark should like that last one! What do you think?

Oh, and typically, I would list where everything is from, but that’s easy today…it’s all from Z-Gallery. Hmmm…do you think I like that store? And best of all there’s a 20% off accessories sale going on right now – gotta love that!

Ask Amy: Window Treatments for Sliding Glass Doors

Posted on June 5, 2009 by DishOnDesignGal

Drapery Panels from Ballard Designs

Design Question from Lisa: I am redoing my condo that I bought to update it. I have a very large sliding glass door but don’t want to put up just blinds, I would like to do something different and have searched everywhere for ideas and can’t find anything but blinds and more blinds. Please help…..

Lisa, there are a couple of alternatives you can explore. One is to treat it as a window and put a pair of panel draperies on either side. It will soften the room, provide a way to bring in some pattern and texture, and can be pulled together for privacy and energy savings. Here’s a couple of photo’s I found, most of the doors are french doors as opposed to sliding, but it will work for either, just make sure that when you hang the rod, you leave enough room to the left and right of the door frame to stack the open draperies for easy access in and out.

From Elle Decor

From Pottery Barn

Another alternative is a cross between a blind and drapery. Hunter Douglas has a brand called Silhouette which is a design that combines a vertical or horizontal blind with a sheer fabric. It’s actually quite beautiful and gives offers more options than simple draperies or blinds which are either opened or closed. It’s not for everyone, but it’s a great option to have. Here’s some photo’s…

A combination of verticals and sheer drapery

Hunter Douglas

I hope that helps…I’d love to hear what you decide to go with!

Have a Decorating Question? Ask Away!

Posted on February 22, 2008 by DishOnDesignGal

175

Are you struggling to draw a floor plan? Have a question about decorating a specific room in your house or just plain stumped? We LOVE to answer decorating questions! Ask away – you can even e-mail us a picture of your room with a specific question. Jayne and I love to share our passion for decorating. Don’t forget to check out the decorating tools and articles on our website as well. We even have free budget forms and Grid Paper that you can print to use for your project.