Strategies for Master Bedrooms in Older Homes

Original master bedrooms in old residences were typically designed as little rooms which lacked adequate closet space and also shared one bathroom with other bedrooms in the house. You may change your bedroom’s footprint to a lavish master suite to accommodate the old design. Additionally, generate a fresh decorating vibe to reenergize the space with a brand new palette, suitable furnishings and decorative accents. Determine your bedroom needs and wants before you embark on a new and enhanced space.

Spread Out

Expand an old, cramped master bedroom to a modern, spacious retreat. Bump out an outside bedroom wall to enlarge the room’s footprint to a ground-level house. Layout a suite to meet your bedroom requirements, like a sizable sleeping space, walk-in closet, comfortable sitting area and conveniently attached bathroom. Or you could choose to build up rather than out. For instance, make a second-story master bedroom over a garage, porch or alternative add-on-friendly site. Knock out a wall in your master bedroom that is shared with an adjacent room to maximize the space without any exterior structural alterations.

Relocate

Sometimes it may be simpler, less costly and more convenient to just relocate your master bedroom to another room in the house. Convert a bare area of your house, like a basement or attic, into the master bedroom of your dreams. You’ll not only get the custom-finished bedroom you would like, but you’ll simultaneously create more usable floor space. Consider areas of your house that you seldom or not use — attic areas, den spaces, grown children’s former playrooms — since more spacious relocation sites for your brand new master bedroom.

Lighten Up

Make some cosmetic changes to your antiquated master bedroom to bring it into the 21st century. Apply a fresh coat of paint in a mild, neutral hue — creamy red, hardly beige, soft grey, mud white to tighten tired walls. Paint the baseboards, inside doors and window frames at pristine white to shake up wood. Use unique architectural features to improve the room’s aesthetics and function, like assembling a built-in bench inside a bay window nook or designing a research space under a low-angled ceiling. Build drawers to the base of the window bench as additional storage space for bed linens or seasonal clothing. Exchange old windows to get bigger replacements, add natural light tubes at the roof, and hang a sparkling crystal chandelier in the ceiling to brighten up the room with cheery light.

Update

Replace outdated, soiled carpet with organic wood or bamboo floors. Dark-colored, narrow boards with a glossy finish complement modern style without relinquishing the earthy ambiance. Bamboo flooring enhances environmentally friendly green decor. Install white-painted wooden blinds to update the window treatments with practical function, or hang silky floor-to-ceiling drapes to get a more lavish appeal. Give old-fashioned furniture pieces a classic, but brand-new appearance with creamy white or coal-black paint. Insert brushed chrome handles, drawer pulls and knobs to pieces to get a elegant look with transitional style. Situate a fresh vase of vibrant flowers on top of a dresser or chest to energize the space with a touch of the outdoors. Punctuate a pristine bedding ensemble with brightly hued toss cushions to get a brand new look that consumes a designer-savvy punch. Keep the bright colors to table lamps and an area rug to increase the lively atmosphere.

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