How to Decorate Your Master Bedroom in American Country

The master bedroom is a perfect place for the American country style, because both feature the goal of relaxed comfort. Here are some ways to decorate a master bedroom in American country style.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Stencils
• Area Rugs
• Armoires
• Baskets
• Beds
• Candleholders
• Candles
• Cedar Chests Or Blanket Chest
• China Figurines (possibly Animals)
• Comforter
• Country-style Wallpaper
• Curtains
• Drawer Chests
• Dried Flowers
• Dust Ruffles
• Grapevine Wreaths
• Lamps
• Nightstands
• Photo Frames
• Pictures
• Pillow Shams
• Quilts
• Throw Pillows
• Wallpaper Borders
• Sampler
• Candles
• Stencils
• Baskets
• Pictures

1. Choose a wooden four-poster bed or an iron or brass bedstead, and dress it with a comforter, dust ruffle, pillow shams and toss pillows. The comforter might be a pieced quilt.

2. Stow clothes in a simple armoire and a chest of drawers with wood knobs (Shaker style, for instance) or simple brass pulls (Colonial style). These can be painted or stained wood pieces.

3. Use a skirted round table with a layered cloth or a simple wooden night table on each side of the bed. Because this is a very casual decorating style, you may use mismatched night tables.

4. Use traditional-style lamps that are casual in feel. This might be a lamp that mimics a kerosene one, or a base that's simple wrought-iron or antique brass or copper.

5. Put a blanket chest or simply styled cedar chest - perhaps a new Shaker piece or an 1800s antique from Pennsylvania - at the foot of the bed if the room will accommodate it. This is a great spot to stack the comforter and extra pillows overnight.

6. Place a hooked, braided or rag rug on each side of the bed, and use pads under the area rugs so they don't slip.

7. Dress the window with simple curtains such as tab-top or shirred-on styles made of eyelet, nubby linen looks, gingham or calico. The curtains can be combined with Colonial-style shutters.

8. Leave the walls plain or add country-style wallpaper (piecework, small florals, and pillow-tick stripes are good examples) or a stencil (suitable motifs include baskets, pineapples, rope, ducks, oak leaves and acorns).

Tips & Warnings

• You can mix furnishings of varied geographic and historic origins, including Shaker, English, Colonial and country French, as well as older and newer pieces. Just keep them relatively low on ornamentation and generous in scale.
• To accessorize, hang country-feel pictures such as still lifes and landscapes or samplers and quilts on the walls. A grapevine wreath also fits. Top furniture with family photos (the older the better) in simple wood frames, unpolished candleholders with slim candles, dried flowers, baskets and simple figurines such as animals.

on 11/22/2005 Two words: plaid flannel. This print/material makes for the warmest, coziest, snuggliest bed in the world! Oh, and don't forget the poofy white down comforter for that marhmallowy finishing touch.