(oops! Apologies if you’ve already this post! That was a mistake.)
Hi Everyone,
I’ve had a full week with much going on—all good.
A darling new friend who never misses a post suggested that I just redo all of my old posts.
The problem is, I can do that, but some of them are completely obsolete. That’s true, particularly if there were products in a widget. Therefore, I’m sometimes starting from scratch and just dumping the old post.
There are seldom any shortcuts. Dang.
So, this post is replacing a post written four years ago where I created 7 bedroom furnishings. Out of the 50 or so products I had in that post, maybe a handful still exists.
This time, I’m not doing seven ideas for bedroom furnishings.
Pretty much, it’s just one.
And, who better to rip riff off of for exquisite bedroom furnishings than one of my favorite interior designers, Mark D. Sikes!
Well, okay; this is me, so of course, it’s not just one bedroom. (there is no “just,” in any case) However, I find that one of the beauties of Mark’s glorious rooms is that they are often mixable.
The first two bedrooms are so similar that I needed to take a very close look at first glance. And, actually, they are quite different but have the same feeling.
Above and below are two wonderful bedrooms designed by Mark D. Sikes.
House Beautiful November 2016 photo: Amy Neunsinger
There’s a lesson there.
Using a master designer like Mark D Sikes as the inspiration for bedroom furnishings or any room, it usually doesn’t matter if one gets the exact item.
In fact, since Mark sometimes uses antiques or has custom-made pieces, it would be impossible to copy his rooms exactly.
In addition, we might have a room that’s quite different in size and architecture.
But, what I love about Mark’s bedrooms is that they are:
- super easy on the eyes with soft, flattering pale colors
- classic
- stylish
- beautifully coordinated without there being any matched sets.
We all know the latter is a big no-no, if possible. (Please read 21 Interior Design Mistakes You Might Be Making.)
But, Laurel, I already did that no-no, and now what am I going to do, freak out?
No, please don’t freak out. Despite what it might seem flowing out of my hand, there are many things FAR more important than whether the furniture is a matched set or not. However, sometimes part of the matched set might work in another room. Then, you can get something else that coordinates and solve the matchy-matchy problem that way.
Before I get into the bedroom furnishings, some of you old-timers may also recall another obsolete post about how to get the Mark D. Sikes look for a lot less money.
That post did not have a widget. However, even though most of the items I linked to don’t exist, it’s still a great post to look at for ideas.
But, there is another more recent post where I did make a widget inspired by Mark D Sikes where I “deconstructed” his style. And, I updated that widget which is for a living room. However, there is a little overlap because these rooms have some similar elements.
Here are the other two Mark D Sikes bedrooms used for inspo.
So, basically, most of Mark’s bedrooms have both blue and neutrals. However, some bedrooms are heavier on neutral fabrics and colors. And some, as you can see, have more blue.
Okay, and below is a widget featuring bedroom furnishings in the manner of Mark D Sikes.
Or, in some cases, exactly what he has used. I found those beautiful nightstands, which kind of made my day!
I hope you enjoyed that, and if you missed the other post with even more cool Mark D Sikes furnishings, please go here.
And, you might also enjoy these bedroom posts
xo,
Please check out the newly updated HOT SALES,
***And of course, I very much recommend heading over to Nordy’s for their Anniversary Sale.***
It’s ending on August 8th. Prices will be going back up on August 9th. If something you wanted was sold out, please keep checking back because sometimes items get returned.
Happy Birthday to my beautiful sister, Holly!
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35 Responses
Happy Birthday Holly! (I believe I’m a little late to the party, I hope it was fun!) Funny thing about all of these bedrooms is that I’m not in love with them. When I look at them, I find them beautifully detailed and comfortable. It took me a while to figure out why they weren’t ringing my bell. Aaaaand…I finally realized its because I often don’t love rooms that feature soft blues. Weird, right? I’m pretty sure it’s because light blue is my dad’s favorite decorating color and (don’t tell him I said so), he’s doesn’t have the greatest eye for design. So I just now realize that I must be associating soft blue with the trauma of poor design. Sorry, Mark, it’s all in the subconscious. Lol. Where do I sign up to get deprogrammed?
I’m having a technical problem. Laurel’s wonderful written information and photos download without any problems, but the widget does not download. Would someone help this computer cripple understand what may be wrong?
Thank you for any help.
Hi Christina,
Someone is here. ;] If you are on your mobile, it is almost definitely due to an ad blocker in your settings. Otherwise, without any further information as to what device and browser you’re using, it’s not possible to come up with an answer.
Many Thanks!
I saw Mark Sikes in person at the Dallas Kips Bay show house last September. His living room was so comfortable! He’s a nice guy to boot. I chit chatted with him about his inspiration of la fiorentina in the south of france. His work is so much prettier in person than photos.
How cool! I heard him speak once, as well in 2017. He, too, is so much prettier in person than in photos!
Thanks, Laurel, for explaining to Rosemary and me why there would be so much seating in a bedroom! I wondered perhaps if they were planning a levée, where the courtiers would enter the king’s bedroom to conduct business. 😉
lol
I received an email today announcing that Mark Sikes is offering 1:1 video consultations for something like $1,700 for a 55 minute session. He’s teamed up with “The Expert” (dot com) and you can book sessions with Mark online. Pretty cool, huh?
yeah… and a bargain, too. I saw another designer who’s charging 2k for 55 minutes and 1k for 25 minutes. Holy freaking wow!
OK, Laurel, inquiring minds (or at least this 1 dumb Blonde) are dying to know – Just how many pieces of matching furniture are considered a NO-NO ??. In my Master B/R – there’s a King Bed w/ Rattan Headboard , small dresser w/ mirror, High Boy, Linen press (that hold/hides TV), Chaise, End Table, Side Table, 3 lamps. The Dresser/Mirror, High Boy & Linen Press are all same wood.
Hi Terry,
I’m a dumb brunette. No, really. I do really idiotic things all of the time. Well, we all do. We’re human. I realize that this topic of matched sets of furniture is a sticky wicket. And, I also don’t want to make folks feel like they’re clueless or made a terrible decorating faux pas.
Ideally, no pieces of furniture should be part of a matched set.
The word is coordinate. It should pretty much all look like it goes in the same room. I say “pretty much” because sometimes having one thing that looks like it doesn’t belong is the thing that makes the decor soar to another level. However, that is not easy to pull off.
The best I can tell you is to look at the 1000s of photos I’ve posted in nearly 800 blog posts, or mood boards in my paint and palette collection. For sale here. This comes easily to me. Other things, no.
Hi Laurel, That painting of a tree in the first bedroom does remind me of that Raphael wallpaper by Sandberg that you’ve used recently in a different colorway. To me, design usually isn’t good if there is a “forced” feel about it, or some kind of mechanical box checking about it. Mark Sikes makes it look effortless and natural. In the first photo he gently re-directs focus to the center point of the doorway with the round table with lamp imposing symmetry in a subtle way. Many design lessons here to observe in the art of Mark Sikes.
I would appreciate some suggestions for reasonably priced dining room wallpaper – with a Zuber look.
Hi George, please try this blog post about Chinoiserie Wallpaper.
And, this wallpaper post, as well.
There might also be something of use to you in this post about Grisaille.
Seeing these master bedrooms reminded me of an experience I had last week. I am a professional wallcovering installer in CA. I was on a job site for a measure and mentioned the master bedroom. The designer literally said to me, “Where have you been!? We cannot call them master bedroom; they are primary bedrooms.” Apparently someone decided anything “master” refers to slavery and is offensive. I have no idea if that is true, but this may come your way soon.
Really??? Well, can’t say I’m surprised after the massive, soul-sucking bitchslap I received for my post about Chinoiserie and Toile de Jouy.
Apparently, there’s a percentage of the population that doesn’t realize there are words in the English language that have more than ONE meaning. However, as a kind of tongue in cheek, I did call my ensuite bathroom, Laurel’s Mistress Bathroom.
These folks need to read the Tao Te Ching and then spend the time they take harassing folks in meditation.
Cory Muscara is a good place to start.
oops–Sikes.
oh! my! Laurel, thank you for filling my Sunday with the ethereal beauty of Mark D Sikes’ bedrooms. We’re planning to move in a few months and this is just the inspiration I need. Thanks especially for hunting down those nightstands!!!
Hello Laurel, These rooms look very comfortable, but I would pare it down even more. No bed hangings, and perhaps it’s just me, but I would eliminate all those extra pillows–anything that would not stay in the bed when you are sleeping in it. Also, I think that those two white chairs in the ‘House Beautiful November 2016 photo’ were designed by Gahan Wilson, not Mark Sykes.
–Jim
Yeah, a lot of people feel that way about extraneous pillows, etc. I think they do a lot of it for the photo shoot.
Mark really does do beautiful rooms, doesn’t he?
Oh Laurel . . . another well thought out blog! One of the widgets showed a gorgeous pillow and I immediately went out to see about getting it. Thanks! Without your help, I’d never think where to find things as I’m horribly computer illiterate. While I found the creams and soft whites beautiful, my heart leans to the blues and creams. We recently bought a 1950’s farmhouse in Laporte, CO and I’ve been following and using your suggestions as much as possible.
Thanks for all you do!
Sandie
Good morning, Laurel,
I love this post. It’s giving me some great ideas for my new bedroom. You just can’t go wrong with layers of blue, white, & cream.
Have a great Sunday. 😘
I didn’t see a widget with bedroom furnishings on my email. Was there one? Thank you for your post today!
Hi Felicia,
Yes, it’s there. 59 images.
If on a phone, please check your settings. Otherwise, I recommend using a desktop computer.
Good point, those of us with allergies like to keep fabric use to a minimum as it attracts dust, so no upholstered beds, no bed curtains and minimal draperies and carpeting/rugs. Owing to my husband’s allergies, our bedroom has beautiful herringbone hardwood floors with no coverings, an antique French brass bed, nothing with down (a summer weight silk quilt duvet with cover), an antique chaise lounge that I had reupholstered in a pale blue silk. But the best accessory of all may be the Roomba that I run daily to minimize dust.
I notice and admire the serene and restful feeling of all of the bedrooms no doubt owing to the light blue color scheme. In the second photo taken from House Beautiful 2016, I find myself counting all the chairs/seating in this bedroom: 2 chairs at the end of the bed each with an ottoman, a third chair on the left, and what is either an additional loveseat or sofa on the right. It just seems like an excessive amount of seating, who has 4-6 people regularly congregating/lounging in
their master bedroom?
Hi Rosemary,
You might be surprised at what some people are doing in their master bedrooms. lol However, in this case, it was probably staged this way to showcase Mark’s (at the time) new furniture line for Henredon.
I love soft peaceful colors in a bedroom.
Hi Julie,
Sorry, Julie, I’ve been through this ad nauseum. However, I had to edit your comment as I don’t allow people to diss other designers whose work I’m using as a model. There is no debate here. You are entitled to your opinion. Please start your own blog and then you can say whatever you like. Thank you.
Wonderful post! Would love you to revisit your post on modern/traditional recliners! The challenge is real to find a comfortable, attractive recliner that doesn’t look like a beast from the front with a tacked together, gappy loose paneled view from the back. Sometimes that back view is unavoidable in an open concept living space!
Thanks for keeping us all up to date with the best options available!
Ah yes. It’s time for an update to that post as well as several others, like the pillow post and the fan post.
Lovely rooms, but where can one find lovely wooden beds (no upholstery , no rattan, no high posts). Many of us have smallish master bedrooms. I for one do not like upholstered beds and prefer wood.
Good question, Eileen. Some of the rattan beds might actually be wood made to look like rattan.