Bedrooms are always the most personal rooms in the house. Here it is possible for each member of the family to indulge his own taste. There are, however, certain essentials which remain constant for all bedrooms–a bed, comfortable chairs, a dressing table, and plenty of space for clothes. ~Elizabeth Burris-Meyer, Decorating Livable Homes, 1937
The first time I went into my brother and sister-in-law’s bedroom, I was flabbergasted. I’m pretty sure that their “bedroom suite” is larger than my first apartment. In addition to the sleeping area, it has a sitting area, a huge walk-in closet, a dressing area/table, and bathroom (without a door, which I thought was kind of strange…). Of course the tub is like a huge jacuzzi. I’m wondering what Mrs. Burris-Meyers would think about the trend in new houses toward these suites.
When Mrs. Burris-Meyers uses the term “suites,” she is referring to coordinating furniture, draperies, and bed coverings. She tells us:
- If the bed covering is in close harmony to the color and texture of the wall coverings, the bed will seem less conspicuous (keep in mind, when she wrote this, the norm was to have twin or double-sized beds…California King hadn’t been invented yet)
- Being too matchy-matchy isn’t a good thing. Avoid having the furniture, drapes, and bedcover all made from the same fabric.
- But having too many colors and finishes in a bedroom is just as bad and leads to visual chaos.
- If possible, have drawers and shelves built into a closet so that a bureau or dresser isn’t needed
- A full length mirror is essential
Bassett Furniture Advertisement, 1956 (Does the furniture seem small in proportion to the woman?)
Mrs. Burris-Meyers also tells us to situate the dressing table so that sunlight lands on our faces instead of the mirror and also to include a small table in the bedroom for those times when we want breakfast in the bedroom but not in bed.
I don’t have a dressing table and I’ve always wanted one. I remember sitting at my great-grandmother’s desk/dressing table and feeling so grown up. I’ve made do by turning the top of my dresser into my own beauty landscape but it isn’t quite the same as sitting on a tufted stool and using the powder puff on your face (okay, I don’t use a puff, either, I use a powder brush, but you know what I mean…). Someday, I will have my very own dressing table!
What about you? Do you have a dressing table? Is your bedroom matchy-matchy or a cacophony of patterns, fabrics, and finishes?
To your fabulous Technicolor bedroom!
Dr. Julie-Ann
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Dr. Julie-Ann
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My bedroom is soooooo college kid. LOL I did finally make some curtains two years ago. I need a grown up bedroom.
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OMG! That’s the Bassett suite my parents had! It was mostly particle board. It was all they could afford on an Army salary.
My bedroom is not matchy, matchy but it is comfortable. We live in an apartment so having a chair and or a dressing table are not possible. Although, when I was in high school I had a dressing table in my room. Sadly, it was mostly used for storage of magazines and records. I think I only ever used it a few times to do my make up for a dance.
My bedroom suite — Broyhill heavy ’60s Mediterranean — came through my husband’s first marriage. Knowing I would like a suite we chose together, he suggested we should shop for a new suite when we moved in 2004. I said, “We can shop, but when you see the prices for the same quality, you’ll change your mind, and there’s no sense trading what we have for lesser quality.” He insisted we shop, but I was right. When he saw the prices, he changed his mind. We still have the Broyhill. But it is “matchy matchy” and I think some blending of furniture and fabric is appealing.
I have had dressing tables but never used them. It was a nice touch in the room, though.
Yes, I’d like to see that giant woman stretch out on the bed in the Bassett ad.
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I had a dressing table or two in my time. The problem is that they never worked by the window. We have a window seat in ours now so I sit on the floor with a magnifying mirror (I had to be very strong the first time I looked in it) and put my makeup on which is situated in a plastic tub on the floor. What can I say, it’s the best I can do.
Our bedroom is pretty big – I live in California now but I was brought up in England where everything is MUCH smaller – but it was even bigger when it was built. The previous owners put up a wall and made part of it into another decent sized bedroom. It’s a nice room – not at all matchy matchy. My husband and I differ about that kind of thing and we’ve sort of given up trying to agree, and consequently do nothing. But I don’t think the bedroom needs to be THAT big.
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