AccessMyLibrary provides FREE access to over 30 million articles from top publications available through your library.
Create a link to this page
Copy and paste this link tag into your Web page or blog:
Byline: INTERVIEWS BY CARA BIRNBAUM, BROOKE LE POER TRENCH, HANNAH MORRILL, AND EMILY HSIEH
Expert advice on how to make over your bed, write a condolence note, buy a bra that really fits, and more.
An Interview With Ellie Cullman
Cullman is a founder of Cullman & Kravis, a New York Citybased interior decorating firm. Her clients include Oprah Winfrey and Candice Bergen.
A bedroom should be a restful, soothing place. Don't try to make a big statement here; chances are you'll end up hating it in a year. Simplicity is often what feels the most luxurious.
Start at the top. A headboard helps anchor a bed, and I like the cushioning you get from the upholstered variety. Almost any fabric will work as long as it's not hard or scratchy, but I find tufting uncomfortable; I seem to always put my back where there's a button. The perfect height is about two feet higher than the top of the mattress.
Cover up. Never let the box spring showit looks sloppy and unfinished. You can get a bed skirt, but avoid anything ruffled and grannyish, and go for inverted pleats and crisp lines. Upholstering the box spring is another unfussy option. It only takes four yards of material to cover a queen-size bed, and once you find fabric you like, almost any upholsterer should be able to do it.