I've gathered the most frequently asked master bedroom questions and answers and plan to share them here with you

Awhile back, I asked everyone to submit their burning millwork questions, and you did not disappoint! I'm cramming as many helpful answers as I can into this post. Click through for a BIG rapid-fire millwork Q&A... I hope it's helpful!

I've gathered the most frequently asked master bedroom questions and answers and plan to share them here with you

My vision for the room was for it to be a calm, serene retreat- and since it was on the second floor, it would have a perch feel- almost like a tree house. I chose a color palette that was very soothing to us: grays, champagnes, browns, creams, mushroom and a hint of turquoise. The room is rather large at 14' x 30' and was a combination of two rooms. When we took down the original fireplace in the dining room (because of damage) we were then able to take down the chimney between the then master bedroom and a small cedar-lined closet and small master bath (both not original to the house). Where the bed is currently was the closet and the master bath was in the area of the french doors. It was an odd and awkward layout as you had to walk through the closet to get to the master bath. We moved the master bath to the ell and took down the wall and chimney that sat in the middle of the two rooms- making a large master bedroom. The whole East side of the upstairs is the master suite. We added this fireplace in Phase I of the renovation. The mantel was found at a salvage shop in Portland, Maine. What I loved about the mantel was that it looks like a "cousin" to the original mantels on the first floor! As was common practice when the house was built (1850) items in public places would have been nicer/ more grand than the items placed in private rooms, like a bedroom- so that this mantel is similar, yet simpler is perfect. The floor is original in this room, though we did have them sanded and restained, as we did throughout the house. The wall color is Benjamin Moore's Titanium OC-49 in eggshell finish, trim is Benjamin Moore's White Dove in Latex Stain Impervo. (all my paint color from the house on my sidebar under "my paint colors") Antique mirror found at Marche aux Puces (Paris Flea Market) hung with antique chain on door. Antique marble urn turned into lamp. Antique French table. I was asked to describe my color palette, and I have long described the colors I use in the house as the colors you would see in a dried hydrangea- aged, muted, worn color. In this room I would say I have used more of the neutral tones from those dried petals. Vignette on antique French commode. Aren't the birds the sweetest?! They were individual gifts from my mother and my sister, Patti, one Christmas- the same Christmas! Each had purchased a pair of birds, unbeknownst to the other, as my Christmas present. They were both really excited about their gift as they knew I would love it....Over Thanksgiving that year they were telling each other what they had gotten me for Christmas and they both realized that they had purchased the exact same gift (my mother found her pair in Hawaii and my sister found hers in Baton Rouge.) They were so mad that the other had the same gift! And, I was so happy and thrilled when I opened them- first one pair, then the other- I love having four!!! The birds are well-fed, dining on real birdseed! Caribou antlers. here Details of antique chair wrapped in natural linen with mushroom velvet interior and cushion. Pillow is the same fabric as used on a pair shams on the bed. Finish is as found! This is the view when you walk in the room from the upstairs landing. Antique Chinese ginger jars and jardiniere with lid. Wood pricket found in France and iron candle holder found in Johnson City,Texas. Old wicker trunk has leather straps (broken, but still there!) Piece of forestwood on top of the basket. After I had finally pulled the master bedroom together I realized I wanted/needed a small table next to this chair. I remembered this vintage concrete baluster that was in the basement (it is one of a pair) and this vintage copper Indian (India) tray that I was using on the upstairs back porch- luckily I just happened to have another vintage brass Indian (India) tray (that I couldn't pass up because it was so gorgeous and the price was great) sitting outside in the winter elements developing patina since someone had overly polished it, so I just switched them out- this one came inside and the other tray went to the back porch. (Everyone has an extra Indian (India) tray sitting around, yes?!;) The copper tray was perfect in the room as it has a beautiful turquoise patina. A closeup of the table top can be seen here. This orchid bloomed for over a year, went into a three month hibernation and is now blooming again! The "Ella bed" is used, but rarely- as she much prefers our bed! Antique French processional crosses. Bases are antique glazed terracotta. We purchased the bases from a dealer in Kansas City years ago- he was tired of looking at them, so he sold them to us for a great price. I sold many found-objects turned into lamps with these bases, but here we used them (cutting at different heights for the right scale/balance) for each cross. The two other small bases are marble and alabaster pieces from old lamps. A closeup of the bedding. The two back shams were made using the reverse side of the fabric, as the colors were softer, more muted (the fabric is actually softer to the touch too.) The two shams in front match the champagne-colored coverlet (discontinued, Donna Karan). The large pillow was made from an antique rug; we found the pillow at the Scott Antiques Market in Atlanta. The hint of turquoise in the pillow was the inspiration to add turquoise into the room. The small boudoir pillow is a green/blue velvet (Como/ color: Gris from Calico Corners). The same velvet is also on the ottoman at the foot of the bed (this is where Ella sleeps every night, with her own down comforter;) My antique Chinese ginger jars that I use in the room range in color from green to turquoise, so finding a turquoise velvet that worked with the whole range of color proved to be difficult. I would bring home samples thinking they were perfect, only to have them read too "blue" or too "green" when in the room and next to the ginger jars. French doors which open to the upstairs porch here were added in Phase I of the renovation. The original door that opened from the master bedroom to the porch is now the door to the master closet. I used antique marble for the fireplace surround, found at Nor'East Architectural Salvage (a great source if you are in the area.) The antique olive jar was purchased from Mark Sage of Love Train Antiques in Atlanta (aka Bobo Designs.) The chaise is covered in a slubby basket weave linen that actually has muted threads of turquoise running through it. Brown velvet pillow from Ikea, topped with a pillow made from an antique tapestry piece. Curtains are white linen, from Ikea. Curtain rods are bamboo rods from the garden center ($1 each!) The curtain rod finials are old curtain rings that I stained to closely match the color of the bamboo, and they fit over the end of the rod (with a little help of some tacky putty.) The bed skirt is a natural linen and was custom made. Pair of antique charcoal architectural renderings on the wall behind the desk. The cream rugs are from Lowe's, and the black cowhide is from Ikea. I researched using real lambs wool rugs, and everything I read complained about the shedding. Some articles said that it would eventually subside, but some said that could take a year! I even went to Ikea, put one on my cart and after being covered in wool dust-bunnies;) I carefully put it back. Since we have allergies the faux rugs have worked beautifully, and the price can't be beat! Antique French commode found in Avignon, France. Antique Italian mirror purchased from a dealer/friend in Dallas. The antique marble prickets were found on our first trip to the Paris Flea Market. The 18th century wood candlestick (turned into lamp) has the faintest hint of having been gilded at one time, and has a real candle base. Antique Chinese ginger jar. The table and chair were found on the same day, in the same place as our kitchen pedestal table... it was a good day! here The oil painting was a curb-side requisition found on a junk pile in Dallas! I paired it with a beautiful antique gilt frame. Design books sit on the table and I will randomly open to different pages for inspiration. Antique English sterling and horn magnifying glass helps me see all the little details up close! This is the second entrance into the room. The table with antique oval English urn is filled with white and cream alabaster grapes of various sizes. For reference, the hall window in front of the urn is directly over the front door. The story of the making of the headboard from reclaimed barn wood from our barn renovation is here. The story about the finish on the headboard can be found here. Both pieces of art were found at a gallery outside of Aix-en-Provence, France. Me thinks we might have paid too much for the bottom antique oil painting as they gave us the antique watercolor of the cows!! We fell in love with the landscape oil as it reminds us of the region. It is painted by Barthelemy Niollon, who has works in a museum in Aix. He was a close friend of Cezanne (though they painted with different techniques), and was a steadfast supporter of his work after Cezanne's death. In this photo you can see the other bedroom door. This is the door most often used as it is just to the right as you come up the stairs. This photo also gives you a view into the master bath and lets you see how the two rooms connect. The crosses sit on an 18th century Georgian bookcase found at an estate sale in Dallas. My assistant! It's hard work being Ella;)

What makes a perfect bedroom? A comfortable mattress? 400 thread count sheets? A beautiful sanctuary? Find out why it's the most important room...

Thank you so much for the positive response on the first post I did in this series (here). I received WAY more questions than I thought I would.

I SO ENJOY YOUR COMMENTS! A FEW OF YOU HAD QUESTIONS REGARDING PAINT AND WALL COLORS RECENTLY SO I'M TAKING THIS OPPORTUNITY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS...... Since we are talking paint - just a few reminders... I have not seen your space, so you are the best judge of your lighting, size and shape of your room and adjacent areas. Remember, with lower ceilings and smaller spaces wall color is intensified. Never put color on a wall without first testing it in your light - both morning and evening - to see how it looks in natural and incandescant lighting. Best way to do that: a couple coats of paint on a poster board with a 2" margin of white around it so that your current wall color doesn't interfere. Tape it to the wall, move it around and experience it for a full day before making your decision. Benjamin Moore [Hush] Benjamin Moore [Iced Marble] Color in a blank room tends to hit you in the face. The most common mistake we make is choosing a paint color with too saturated a pigment. If you can choose one that is softened by a little gray or beige it will, for the most part, be more liveable. The theory is that you don't want to walk into a room and say 'wow, look at that wall color'... you want to walk in and say 'wow, what a beautiful room!'. Once you have your furnishings and accessories in place, it should become your background - so don't panic - put everything in your room, including your accent fabrics and then see how it looks. Paint is the easiest design element to change, and the least expensive - so relax and give it a try! QUESTION #1 hi. if you can please help me..I have light pink/peachy looking painted kitchen cabinets,.the sink, counter top ,back splash are black..now the walls are a boring beige..I want to go for a neutrel light gray..my landlord wont allow me to repaint the cabinets. what can I do..my kitchen opens up to my living room..which has black leather sofas,dark wood tables..light gold draperies and pillow..I also want to paint the living room same tone as kitchen..Please advise me..am planning to do this very soon..thank u much.AD ...I forgot to mention the floor in my kitchen is a mix of light and dark gray..and so is my living rm..but it tends to look white from far away..thanks again..AD Dear AD: There are two choices that come to mind when looking for a color that goes with both pink/peach and light gold - chocolate and gray. Without seeing the actual cabinets and draperies, I can't make a complete recommendation, but here are some photos to illustrate how chocolate and gray interact with peach/pink and gold: Chocolate with gold accents chocolate and pink/peach accents gray and pink/peach dark gray/pink peach gray/pink peach gray/gold gray/gold dark gray/pink light gray/pink The intensity of the hue you use will change the look - and you will have to determine that (unless you want to send me a photo of the space..). A dark gray or chocolate with black leather and dark wood will be very masculine and dramatic. A light gray may be soothing, cool and contemporary. A balance of light and dark is important, too. Bring in more touches of the light gold, pink or peach to balance the darker colors - black leather, dark wood. I hope this helps you choose your wall color. Good luck! Please let us know how it turns out! QUESTION #2 Stumbled upon your blog...your selected photos and advice seem spot on! I'm in desperate need of help. Recently moved into our home and in my haste, I rushed when picking paint colors...painted BM Thunder (cool?) in the dining room and BM Stonehouse (warm?) in the living room which is across the hall (our house is a Cape built in 1966). Now, I can't figure out a color to paint the entry/stairway area that works with both the dining and living room colors. Any suggestions? My husband is tired of listening to my angst! Dear Anonymous, One suggestion would be the color combination below. The first color representing Stone House (although not exact), the middle representing Thunder (also not exact - see swatches below). You can see that a light and mid tone grayed down blue works very well with both colors Benjamin Moore [Nightingale] Pottery Barn Benjamin Moore [Winter Solstice] Benjamin Moore has many gray blue hues to choose from - take your pick. Select a couple, get tester pots, and try them in the area (a poster board painted with two coats of color can be taped to the wall in view of the other areas to get an idea of how they will look together). Benjamin Moore Grays and Blue Grays Benjamin Moore [Beach Glass] A grayed down blue/green would look lovely as well. Benjamin Moore [Silver Cloud] Sarah Richardson Sherwin Williams [Hazel] Sherwin Williams [Halcyon Green] If you want to stay in the beige tones, Papaya has enough gray in it to blend well with both Stone House and Thunder, as does Clay Beige. Benjamin Moore [Clay Beige] Benjamin Moore [Papaya] Best of luck. ! QUESTION #3 I loved all the pics. We just re-did our kitchen with cream cabinets. Our family room which is attached has beige furniture. our floors are medium brown oak floors. Black island and hutch. Please help with wall paint color. I was thinking Willow Creek BM color? Kim Benjamin Moore [Willow Creek] Dear Kim, With such a neutral palette, you could really go anywhere with color. I don't know how large your rooms are or how high the ceilings are, but I do love Willow Creek. Color can intensify in smaller spaces and with lower ceilings, and Willow Creek can get a little dark in those instances, so here are some alternatives to consider, as well, in the greige family (gray/beige). Classic Gray Clay Beige Benjamin Moore [Grant Beige] Benjamin Moore [Grant Beige] (Notice how this color changes with lighting) Valspar [Autumn Fog]; Behr [Flint Smoke] Benjamin Moore [Silver Gray] Centsational Girl Behr [Dolphin Fin] Benjamin Moore [Revere Pewter] QUESTION #4 I came across your blog while looking for ideas for our basement. Absolutely love your taste and the pictures you post. I would like your help please. We are adding a bedroom in our basement. That room will have a window, but the window looks under the deck and definitely doesn't get a lot of light. Would you please suggest a color that would make this room feel bright and cheerful and still be a neutral color? The rest of the basement is all in the off white - beige pallet. I would really appreciate your advice. Thank you. N.E. Dear N.E. To keep a darker room feeling light and bright, stay away from too much pigment in your paint colors... A bright sunny very yellow paint - one might think would brighten a space, but can be overwhelming and heavy in a darker area. As far a neutrals go, nearly every color has a neutral if you take it grayed down and light enough. So here are a few for you to think about: Benjamin Moore [Dune Grass] A neutral but with a good amount of 'light' to it. Benjamin Moore [Seashell]  Lovely cream - just a touch of color Benjamin Moore [Soleil]  Creamy gold Benjamin Moore 'Whites' Technically these are 'white' colors, but have just a touch of color and will read as a soft color in a darker area. One of my favorites paler colors is Papaya, which looks like Vanilla Ice Cream with a little caramel in it. Benjamin Moore [Papaya] Remember, all of these colors will intensify in a darker and lower ceilinged spot - so put some tests on your walls to see how the color looks in the actual space. Another way to dispell the gloom of a basement area is to make sure you have adequate lighting - both overhead and task lighting in the form of floor and table lamps. QUESTION #5 Beautiful pictures! I am curious as to where to find the bedding in the March 2010 issue of Traditional home where you talked about the burnt orange and pumpkin warming up grey. Any ideas? Also - great playlist! - Stacey Dear Stacey, Thanks! Unfortunately, I don't know where or if you can purchase the bedding pictured above (did I get the right one?). It is probably custom made. It would be simple enough to duplicate - provided you can find a fabric that is similar (actually two - see sheet edge and bedskirt) A plain white duvet is trimmed with a satin ribbon matching the fabric - (that is simple enough to embellish a premade white duvet.) Shams are made from the larger patterned fabric and dust ruffle from the smaller. A plain white sheet set is trimmed in 5 inches of the smaller patterned fabric (make sure it is washable, and wash it before sewing onto the flat sheet.) I've listed links to some how-to instructions on creating your own shams and bedskirt! If you don't sew, perhaps you have a friend or family member who does??? Good Luck! http://diyprojectsbynina.blogspot.com/2010/10/diy-duvet-cover-standard-euro-shams.html http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-duvet-cover-with-piping-detail/2009/07/27/ http://www.designspongeonline.com/2010/03/sewing-101-making-a-duvet-cover.html http://diybydesign.blogspot.com/2011/01/bedskirt-tutorial.html QUESTION #6 Benjamin Moore [Thunder] BM Thunder...I'm considering this color for my whole house. As I want a gray with a little warmth. Do you think this color is too cold looking? Does it have purple undertones? It's hard to tell off of a board? Martha Stewart [Flagstone]  I haven't used this color personally. I looks like it could have a little purple undertone. I've included some that do not have a purple undertone for your consideration. Above, Martha Stewart's Flagstone has a brown undertown and is a warmer gray. Benjamin Moore [Stonington Gray] These two photos are both Stonington Gray, one of Benjamin Moore's most popular grays - a soft, soothing color for an entire house. Not too dark, and changes beautifully with the light - see below. Benjamin Moore [Stonington Gray] The easiest way to tell what the undertone is to a certain gray, is to follow that color to its darkest hue (top color) - it will clearly read green, brown, purple, blue or gray. Good luck to all of you. I'd love to see the results!

Last week we toured a farmhouse in Maine, and today we're on the other side of the U.S. to see a beautifully rustic mountain home in Idaho.

I've gathered the most frequently asked master bedroom questions and answers and plan to share them here with you

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Today’s topicSee all the lessons! By now you’ve gone out into the world and gained a fresh look. The next step to creating a room you’re happy with is to identify what types of things you love, and and which style(s) speak to you most. Like a horoscope, you can take this with a grain of salt — it’s simply a way to start thinking in general terms and there are ABSOLUTELY NO WRONG ANSWERS here.

In understanding how to choose the right windows and doors for your home, we need to be aware of all the different functions that doors and windows can perform. How do we do this? Answer these 7 questions.

Awhile back, I asked everyone to submit their burning millwork questions, and you did not disappoint! I'm cramming as many helpful answers as I can into this post. Click through for a BIG rapid-fire millwork Q&A... I hope it's helpful!

HGTV Urban Oasis designer Vern Yip shares details about Urban Oasis 2011, an apartment located on the 35th floor of Trump International Hotel and Tower Chicago. Visit HGTV.com to read his exclusive Q&A with online fans.

You're winding your way around the wares of a French market. A quilt catches your eye. The needlework is impeccable, the materials fine. And the style is trapunto - stuffed little pockets that create a raised vine motif. It's a must-have. And now you can. Our quilt and matching sham (Sold Separately) are modeled precisely after the one we found in St. Rmy. The pieces are reversible to a French ticking vertical stripe. The more you wash it, the closer it will get to the glorious vintage original. From the oversized ties on the sham to the scalloped edge on the quilt, this ensemble is nonpareil.

From kitchens with painted checkered wood floors to living rooms with painted white wood floors, these interiors are inspiring us to pick up a brush.

Thank you so much for the positive response on the first post I did in this series (here). I received WAY more questions than I thought I would.

Updated September 7, 2020How many custom closets have you designed in your life?How many custom closets has your builder or remodeler designed in the history of their business?If your answer to these questions is zero, nada, none, nient – you’re not alone (no matter what language you say it in).Closet design is a niche business. It’s not something the average homeowner (or production builder or remodeler) does daily (or ever).The challenge with this is IF you want/need a custom closet for your master bedroom, a guest room or vacation home and you or your builder ‘wing-it,’ your design could be

Hello, my dears! I’m thrilled to be launching a new series here on the blog in which I’ll be answering reader questions on a variety of topics. I get so many wonderful emails and instagram direct messages with your questions and this column will allow me to answer a handful each week. All my responses […]

Hi Guys, There have been a lot of interior decorating questions recently and I’m going to weave them into one post. hopefully. :] There are three topics. Lighting options and what goes with what? What size lamp or chandelier? How many wall colors can you use in a home? Of course, […]

You asked and we're answering! Today we're answering reader questions about blogging and giving you a behind-the-scenes look at how we keep things up and running on The DIY Playbook.