Bedding 

The most relaxing rooms will keep patterns to a minimum. Solid white or beige bedding is easy for hotels (and you) to maintain. Select a high thread count Egyptian cotton, and it will only get better with age. The bed scarf at the foot of the bed introduces a small amount of color and pattern that can be carried through in the window treatments, upholstered headboard, and pillows.  

Furniture

A seating area is another important element for a luxurious bedroom. If you don't have room for a seating area like this, at least include a comfortable reading chair in the corner or a bench at the foot of the bed.  

Lighting

The best lighting plans include light from three sources: ambient, task, and mood lighting. Ambient lighting can be from overhead lights or table lamps, task lights can be a reading light by your favorite chair, or desk lamp on your work surface. Mood lighting can be from wall sconces, uplights, or accent lighting fixtures. My favorite bedside lighting is either hung from the ceiling or the wall, keeping the nightstand surface clear for your books, alarm clock, and any other bedside necessities.

Breakfast Bar

Once you create your luxurious bedroom you may never want to leave it. If you include a breakfast bar, you may never have to! With just a little planning and a small amount of wall and floor space, you can have a mini kitchen stocked with coffee and juice for the morning and champagne and strawberries for the evening.  

One new trend for bedrooms is the return of wallpaper. Yes, wallpaper went away many years ago, but is back now and stronger than ever. It is a great option for those who have no architectural interest in their rooms and want to have more of a "Wow Factor." This elegant bedroom glows with a tone-on-tone metallic gold wallpaper covering all of the walls.

This bedroom features wallpaper only on the wall behind the bed. It serves as a strong focal point without the expense of papering all four walls.

If you are still afraid to commit to permanent installation of wallpaper, or are in a rental and are not allowed to wallpaper, use this trick: buy three large picture frames and instead of using a photo, insert pieces of wallpaper in the frame. You can use the same wallpaper in all three frames as shown, or select three coordinating wallpapers and hang them as a set. This can be used in any room where you have a large wall that needs artwork but you have a small budget. 

This month's Color of the Month is white. Everyone who knows me knows I don't like white walls, but I love decorating with white. However, there are instances where white walls can work perfectly, as in the room below. With such a spectacular view, you don't want anything to compete, so a whitewash of the entire room was in order. To keep from looking boring or cold, textural interest was added through the bedding, the carpeting, the different stone textures, and the plants.

White is so perfect for rooms with a view that HGTV chose to paint the entire interior of their new "Dream Home" a Sherwin Williams white called "Incredible White." There is no competition for attention between the white walls and the incredible views outside all the windows.  

 HGTV Dream Home Gathering Room 

HGTV Dream Home Dining Room 

HGTV Dream Home Kitchen 

The bedroom below is decorated with a generous use of white, combined with a light-as-air blue perfectly suited to its beachside locale. It also illustrates green decorating, for all of the furniture was handed down or purchased used. Notice the variety of styles and time periods the pieces are from, but they still have a cohesive look because they are all unified by the color white.  

When selecting a white to go with fine antiques, you want it to have a slightly yellow undertone so it will have an aged patina correct for the time period. 

For a modern, urban condo or loft, you want a crisp white with a light blue undertone.  

For a romantic white to go with "Shabby Chic" or flea market treasures, select a white with a slight gray undertone. 

White with a pale rose undertone is flattering to all skin types and looks great paired with more masculine shades of black, brown, or gray. 

Nothing beats a warm, home-cooked meal on a cold winter's night. However, most of us are pretty tired by the end of the day and standing in front of the stove cooking dinner isn't high on our list of things we feel like doing. Coming to save the day (and the dinner) is our trusty old friend, the crockpot. All you have to do is set aside five minutes in the morning to throw the ingredients in, and eight hours later you have a delicious and nutritious feast for you and your family. I chose this recipe because it is also great for entertaining on the weekends (perhaps a Mardi Gras celebration?) Now you can pay attention to your guests and not be stuck cooking in the kitchen.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in 1 inch chunks

1 pound andouille sausage, sliced

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 C. chicken broth

2 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. dried parsley

2 tsp. cajun seasoning

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1 pound frozen cooked shrimp without tails

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in slow cooker except shrimp and stir. Cover and cook 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high.  

2. Stir in the shrimp in the last 30 minutes of cooking.