Post by Laura Cheng.

When I was 10 years old, I was obsessed with collecting Crayola crayons. I wanted to collect every color that existed. I sorted my collection by shades. My biggest dilemma at age 10 was whether Mango Tango went between Orange or Neon Carrot. Today, my equivalent is Pantone.

Every year, color warehouse guru, Pantone, will declare a particular color “Color of the Year”. There is a significance behind the color chosen that connects with the zeitgeist. (Die hard Scrabble players can tell you that the word stands for the spirit of the time, the mood of an era).2012 is no exception. The color chosen this year is Tangerine Tango.

After facing 2011’s roller coaster economy, “Tangerine Tango, a spirited reddish orange, [provides] the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward [with verve and vigor]”  (http://www.pantone.com/pages/pantone/category.aspx?ca=88) to read all about how Tangerine Orange was selected from Pantone.

Source: Designboom.com

There are many fanastic ways you can energize your bedroom in honor of Tangerine Tango. Pillows, bedspreads, accessories , curtains, flowers and walls can all benefit from this high-impact hue.

The popularity of orange can be seen in this bedroom by Tineke Triggs of Artistic Designs for Living. The varying shades of orange have been strategically throughout to avoid overwhelming the space. It incorporates the subtle yet striking use of orange in the functional and decorative pillows. The bedskirt ties the ensemble together perfectly by coordinating with the bolsters. I was not only attracted to the wonderful pop of color, but also the Grecian trellis headboard accented by nail heads.

Decorating with orange can also be as subtle and as easy as adding an arrangement of flowers to your nightstand. If you’re trying to mimic the look of the room, this should be the easiest trick. A triple dozen of orange roses will be sure to brighten any bedroom and any mood. For a little more variety, mix an arrangement with different shades of orange, hot pink or red spray roses.

Source: thelenoxx.com

If using the vivid pop of orange is not surprising enough, saturating the ceiling with the color should do it. Instead of using the same dramatic color on the walls, patterned wallpaper reduces the need for any other accessories in the bedroom. The rich brown of the branches adds depth and provides contrast for the vibrant orange.

Source: http://access.decorati.com/2011/05/orange-crush-hues-and-strategies/

And to close, I leave you with the most recent addition to my Crayola collection – Valspar’s Island Orange. I can’t wait to collect next year’s color!

Tags: bedroom, beds, Charles P. Rogers, Design, Orange, Pantone, Tangerine Tango

Post by Laura Cheng.

I am a firm believer in color, but I also love the simplicity of the primal colors, black and white. Since outfitting a bedroom in black and white often creates the illusion of a clutter free environment, I am all for it. Black and white is also more versatile than many people think. It can be used to set a contemporary, classic, or luxurious ambiance.

When decorating with black and white, it’s important to use different textures to make the room interesting. The intricately created lace headboard is the focal point of this room. Although the ceiling lamp is also white, its unsystematic yarn woven design adds interest to an otherwise lackluster ceiling and wall. The wooden plank floors create a warm, patterned ambiance. And of course, the soft fluffy bed beckons one to sink comfortably into it. I love how the bed frame appears to be nonexistent. It looks like two oversized down comforters, one stacked up on another. It adds a touch of softness to an otherwise overly crisp room.

Source: http://donkeehouse.com/?p=367

If you don’t like the minimalism of just black and white, but want to incorporate those colors, this bedroom has a multitude of monochromatic patterns that keeps the room engaging. The wallpaper features a large Chinoiserie print that complements the striped bedding nicely. To achieve a similar effect, start by choosing three or more patterns. Odd numbers, especially the number three, just seem to work. When mixing different patterns, it’s important to use different scale prints. That way, you add a sense of balance and interest. Be sure to pick the patterns carefully, selecting different patterns about half the scale or size of the first pattern. The wonderful thing about decorating in black and white is that its use highlights any color you add to the room. The yellow rose on the nightstand would have gone unnoticed otherwise in such a strongly patterned room.

Source:http://tinyurl.com/7qg4edk

If white is too stark of a contrast, you can use a variant of white. The creamy white in the bedroom eludes old Hollywood, beachside glamour when paired with the velvety black. This bedroom was designed by Kelley Proximire for the Spring 2007 Design House. Shams and a bed valance are covered in a seashell fabric from Grey Watkins. The canopy features a coordinating geometric pattern. The daringly black walls will darken a room so make sure there is proper lighting. A simple and effective way to do so is by hanging mirrors. Mirrors will create extra light both during the daytime and from the reflection of the lights at night.

Source: http://www.thelennoxx.com/browse-by-style/dramatic/black-white-with-seashells/

Tags: bedroom, Bedroom Design, beds, Charles P. Rogers, Color, Design, furniture

Post by Craig Jenkins.

Hello out there. Didn’t the year just fly by? Seems like just yesterday we were flipping the calendar over to 2011. Now it’s practically over. Thanksgiving has come (and with it, the modest beginning of the Christmas rush). Hopefully all of you haven eaten to your hearts’ delight and gotten in some quality time with family and friends. Maybe even a little football? Whatever the case may be, we at Charles P. Rogers wish you all a happy, healthy holiday and many more to come. (And try and get some sleep. Those doorbuster sales are battlefields!)

We wanted to alert you to a lovely bit of press we received recently. Have any of you heard of Nate Berkus? He’s a superstar interior decorator whose talents made him a regular guest on Oprah. He’s got a show of his own, now, and in a recent segment entitled Design Indulgences that was devoted to beautiful and cost effective ways to furnish your own “bedroom sanctuary”, Nate featured our own line of iron canopy beds. We appreciate the nod, and we love the show. Best wishes to everyone involved.

http://www.thenateshow.com/videos/detail/3095/coming-up-design-indulgences/

Tags: bedroom, beds, Charles P. Rogers, Design, furniture, Nate Berkus

Post by Craig Jenkins.

Here’s something that you may not always take into account when you’re looking for a new bed for your home: How tall should it be? Not the full height, but the height off the ground. Now, the distance between your bed is far and away a matter of personal preference, but we figured we’d offer you some helpful questions to ask yourself to help figure out what height works best for you.

Do you use your bed for sitting or only for sleep? If you’re the kind of person who spends any amount of time sitting on the side of your bed, for your own personal comfort you probably want to get a bed in keeping with this behavior. You might want to consider something that is sort of high off the ground. If it’s too low, you’ll constantly be slouching when you sit, and that’s no fun, is it?

Do you need storage space? Under bed storage is a valuable resource to people who have a lot of belongings but not necessarily a lot of space. If your bed sits low to the ground, you’ll obviously have less room to work with, and vice versa for a taller bed.

Do you have pets? Do they like to hide? If you have, say, a cat that likes to steal away to those hard to reach places and camp out, you might want to take this into consideration as well in your decision making process. Does it bother you when your pet curls up underneath the bed? Get something that’s low to the ground. Keep kitty at bay. If you value your pet’s inborn feline sense of adventure, maybe you wanna give em some space to roam.

These are just a few examples of what would inspire a person to choose a taller bed over a smaller one. Consider your life and circumstances, and let them be your conductor. Take care.

Tags: bedroom, beds, Charles P. Rogers, Design

Post by Laura Chen.

Jot down this SoHo address: 72 Spring St (between Crosby and Lafayette). This is the address of the brand new bedroom decor mega-house, C.Wonder.

The first thing that caught my eye was the display window. What a creative idea of using a pair of matching belts as a throw organizer! This is a super easy and cheap way to organize overflowing winter linens. You don’t have to just stick with throws like in the picture – you can mix and match. Put the larger items (blanket) on the bottom and work upward to make a tier of ready to use sheets for your upcoming overnight holiday guests. If you don’t have a pair of belts, buy one there for approximately $38 .

I was so excited to see the belt idea, I almost missed the bright orange ikat pillow staring at me cheerfully. If you read the last post about fall colors and are still looking for ideas on how to decorate your bedroom accordingly, C. Wonder has you covered.

Inside the store, C. Wonder has a special section called “Make it Yours” where you can get your bed throws monogrammed for an additional $8. The threading also comes in a range of colors with different signatures. It’s like Land’s End on steroids.

Next to “Make it Yours”, you’ll find pillows galore. The down filled pillow inserts are sold separately from the covers that cost at most $34.

C. Wonder even has their own branded kitchen electronics. That’s right! C. Wonder sells its own waffle iron to aid its fans in whipping up breakfast in bed.

If your nightstand is littered with your end of day contents tossed aimlessly from your pocket, consider one of these iconic ceramic lacquered catch alls. At $38, they can even make that crumpled receipt look designer.

The store plans to open additional shops at local malls (The Westchester in White Plains, NY; Garden State Plaza in Paramus, NJ; and Roosevelt Field Mall in Garden City, NY). In the meantime, don’t lose the address. At such affordable prices, you’re going to need it for that last minute Christmas shopping.

Tags: bed, bedroom, beds, C. Wonder, Charles P. Rogers, Design