Some of the best looking rooms in the history of interior design have been bedrooms.

A lot can be learned about 18th-century England by looking at a painting that shows the opulently draped bed and paneled walls of a country house from that era. Similarly, a drawing of an alcove containing a feather-quilted bed helps us piece together the lifestyle of a 17th-century Dutch burgher. Ok enough about the past lets look into the future and how history repeats itself.

In the same way, clues are being left today for future historians who will be curious about how the American middle class lived at the end of the 20th century. They will note, for example, that the master bedroom has come to contain much more than just the matrimonial bed. And they will probably deduce as well that this room was often the most heavily used in the entire home, with the possible exception of the kitchen-dining area.

Indeed, for many young families, the master bedroom has become an after-dinner gathering place. Older couples frequently use it as a favorite area for reading a book or watching prime time television.

If that's how a master bedroom actually functions, then it makes sense to design it in a way that will accommodate these kinds of activities. One option is to separate the bed area from the rest of the room, either by installing a partial wall, or by adding some type of visual screening. This can be something as simple as a bookcase, a decorative screen, or even a furniture arrangement.

A wall between two small bedrooms can be removed, thereby forming a single large and comfortable room. A partial barrier 2 feet deep can then be added, allowing a bookcase to be housed on the sitting room side and a dresser and storage cabinet to be incorporated into the bedroom. The partition is thick enough for a TV to be installed at the corner. And when placed on a swivel base, the set can be viewed from either the bedroom or sitting room.

Both parts of the space must be designed in a way that emphasizes their unity. Colors and patterns should be similar. In this case, the color scheme consists of dove gray, yellow, celadon green and apricot, since the intention was to make the entire space look more like a bedroom than a family room.

In deciding on a design, thought must also be given to the frequent use that this room will receive. The carpeting in the two areas should therefore not only be similar, but might also feature a small pattern that will minimize the appearance of soils and wear.

If you have hardwood floors like I do you should protect them with an area rug. It also keeps your feet warm when you step out of bed.

Keep silk and damasks as well as pastel colors in other parts of the house. An active family room/bedroom needs sturdier fabrics and more defined colors.

A mural for the dining room

It is possible to find mechanical reproductions that emulate the scenes that once were created by hand. Companies such as Van Luit, Zuber and Twigs, to name just a few, have reproduced some of those old favorites.

The original hand-painted paper was intended to create an illusion of spaciousness in a typically small interior. Because of its fragility, the paper usually was applied only above the chair rail.

In cases where a room had several doorways and windows, only a single wall was decorated with the hand-designed paper. The other walls then would be painted in the same color as was used below the chair rail.

The patterns used in today's mechanically made and hand painted papers are both based, in many instances, on originals preserved in museums. Some of them can be seen at the Winterthur Museum and Gardens in Delaware.

These types of vertical designs gracefully lead the eye toward the top of the wall, thus visually enhancing the height of the space.

You can find more information and tips like this on the bedding page.