Sweet Dreams

I was 5 or 6 years old when I embarked on my first sleepover at a friend’s home. But it never happened, at least technically speaking. Rather than spending the night, I left my pal at about 9 p.m. when, at my behest, my mom came to get me.

Why? Well, it was all about the surroundings. First of all, my friend’s parents seemed ancient to me (they probably were in their mid-40s, but they came across as so much older than that). In addition, I just wasn’t into their antiques-filled, dark home. My friend’s bedroom wasn’t cheery, the floors were cold, adornments were sparse, and I wanted out. Although the idea of spending the night away from home had seemed like an exciting adventure, I wasn’t comfortable there and, as a result, my heart was not into it!

Fast-forward four years or so. I went  to Albany, N.Y. (alone!) to visit my godmother, a single woman. She was an administrator at a nursing school and lived near a hospital in an apartment that was strikingly similar to a college dorm. I slept on a cot that hovered above a 1960s brown industrial-style floor. I loved my godmother dearly, but I couldn’t wait to get out of her meagerly decorated, small apartment.

A few years later, I was visiting a good friend in Ohio, again without my parents! Talk about being homesick. Every night when we went to sleep, I prayed that the next day would zoom by so that I could finally go home. Although I missed my family dearly, I must admit that I also was anxious to get back to my own bedroom and its blue furnishings, light-blue bedspread, thick powder-blue carpeting, and crisp white drapery trimmed with lime-and-blue tassels.

When my head meets the pillow, I want to feel at peace. Cold floors — not to mention too much practical and not enough pretty — won’t inspire any sweet dreams. When I think about great guest rooms  or boutique hotels I’ve stayed in, I can honestly say I’ve had the best sleep in rooms featuring top-drawer bed linens, interesting art, and chic appointments.

This issue is a veritable treasure trove of lovely bedrooms, from children spaces to master suites to guest/nanny quarters. I guarantee if you hit the hay in any one of these rooms, your sleep score will soar.

I remember telling Lauren Tolles, founder of Maison Birmingham and co-owner of KSI, that I’d be happy to be her nanny. When she gave me a tour of the third-floor nanny quarters in her Birmingham home, I was thinking, I do love kids! Seriously, it’s that nice, with marble finishes, contemporary furniture, and a lovely ambiance. Another spectacular guest apartment can be found at the home of interior designer Ann-Marie Anton’s parents. Anton, who runs It’s Personal Design in Grosse Pointe Woods, fashioned a caregiver apartment — which has been used by visiting family and friends — as a self-contained space that boasts an urban vibe. And it has its own entrance!

Then there’s the Seattle guest room designed by Anna Versaci, of Anna Versaci Design in Beverly Hills, Mich. Floral wallpaper, yellow velvet pillows, black walls, and a Mid-century-inspired George Nelson Ball Bubble pendant create a look — and feeling — that’s just perfect.

Whether you’re interested in updating a guest room, master suite, or child’s bedroom, this issue is packed with ideas for creating welcoming spaces that are guaranteed to produce a good night’s sleep, complete with visions of sugarplums and other lovely things.

Before we know it, the winter holidays will arrive — and, with them, kids’ sleepovers and overnight guests. Are your bedrooms ready?