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When We’ve collected a lot of Furniture Over the Years, it’s Easy to Doubt Ourselves When it Comes to Mixing and Matching Pieces Together
No, your bedroom furniture doesn’t have to match. Matchy-matchy doesn’t have the same appeal it used to.
Let’s face it. Most of our homes are not designer model homes filled with the most recent trends in home decor. As everyday people, most of us don’t have the time to run all over the place, trying to find the so-called ‘right pieces’ for our space. Even though we’d love to, we’re just not living HGTV lives!
Featured Video: I came across this brief but very helpful video by Better Homes and Gardens; terrific easy to understand ideas provided
[Click to Tweet] – Apparently my furniture is finally in style, #finallycool #nothingmatches
How to Mix-Match Night Stands – When you don’t have two pieces that match
We naturally lean towards thinking both nightstands have to be the same. However, two different furniture pieces can work quite nicely.
A pivotal point to keep in mind is to maintain ‘balance‘ and ‘style consistency.’ In other words, an ultra-modern nightstand mixed with a country nightstand would fail the balance/consistency test.
Stay in the same family of furniture whenever possible. The pieces don’t have to have the same design. Keep them in the same family. For example, a square wooden nightstand with drawers on one side and a wooden nightstand without drawers on the other would work.
In terms of the nightstand heights having to match, they don’t. However, that’s personal taste. I prefer the height to be the same; it bugs me if they aren’t.
If you like the shift in height from one side of the bed to the other, be sure if you have lamps on both tables, they line up horizontally. You can achieve this by putting the light on the lower table on top of a stack of books.
Do You Have An Extra Chair You’re Not Using in Your Home?
You can put it on one side of the bed, with a nightstand on the other. It doesn’t matter if it’s a fabric chair or an extra table chair.
The problem with using an extra table chair is it’s dull and can appear quite cold. That’s an easy fix: Just put a throw blanket over the back of the chair, and on the seat of the chair, if it’s flat enough, you can put a stack of geometrically balanced books. There, now it’s pretty and warm.
If your chair is upholstered, add a throw blanket and pillow to it. Use something you already have.
Do the Photos/Art Above Each End-Table have to be the same size?
No, they don’t. However, there’s a general rule that the size of the photo you place above a piece of furniture should not exceed the width of said furniture. Again, it’s a general rule, if you like a huge picture above your nightstand, live life and go for it!
The photo art can be different photos, sizes, and even shapes above each end-table. Using different shaped framed pictures adds to the distinctiveness of both sides. However, be sure the tops of the photo art you choose line up horizontally on both sides, unless you’re trying to create visual confusion, and that’s ok too!
By the way, when you’re hanging pictures, these hooks are a must-have!
Does Your Dresser Have to Match Your End-Tables?
Again, no. You can make this switch-up work by keeping the dresser in the same family (or at least first cousins – wood with wrought iron, chrome mirrored with vintage).
If you’re still confused by it, take a mental snapshot of the various styles of furnishings you own, then pick one of the styles you prefer.
Once you’ve decided on that, work towards bringing the other pieces in step with that one style.
It doesn’t have to involve painting and a ton of work either; think outside the box and use accessories to bring everything into sync; the lamps on the dresser, the dresser handles, and the accessories you choose to feature on it.
Use textures to add depth.
Perhaps a basket filled with a mix of patterns featured in various accessories that’s large enough to steal the spotlight from the dresser itself.
By featuring a large piece near the off-matched dresser, you draw the eye away from the dresser. The focus is re-positioned towards the statement you’re trying to make.
Bonus Tip: Do you have several dressers you just don’t know what to do with, well don’t throw them out or give them away yet! If your closets are large enough, put your extra dressers or end-tables in your closet to create your own DIY closet organizer! Best of all, no painting, hammers, nails, or money is required to do this!
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I use a tall, narrow dresser in a closet to hold craft supplies. Very handy. You always have good home decor advice, Barbara.
Thanks Pat 🙂