This is funny you posted this, because I was wondering today if an ikea bed would work in the guest room. I think I decided against it for now. I dont know anything about MASH but I did consider their beds before I bought mine from dwr. I like that bed in your photo. Where I live, there are scorpions and centipedes and I wanted a bed with little surface area touching the ground. I have the dwr modern bed in walnut and really like it. I got it at their semiannual sale for 15% plus free in home delivery. I think they have a couple storage options also. You probably already considered dwr, but just in case... http://www.dwr.com/category/bedroom/beds.do Here's another link, to hive modern: http://hivemodern.com/pages/category123/beds I dont think I would spend 5k for a bed unless it included the mattress. I really do like that bed you posted sochi. It seems like it would work for your new house.

Thanks so much everyone. I decided to put the ticking stripe on the bench (upholsterer picked it up yesterday). He removed the seat entirely, leaving the frame here, so I could paint/distress it if I want. That's the only piece I would paint, and think it could look great if it had more of a grey/distressed finish. I haven't done that yet, and I know AS chalk paint is all the rage, but after browsing around a big flea mkt and consignment store last weekend, I was seeing that look over and over again.....some of it looked kind of cheap. So I'll think about that one before going forward. The look I would want is more of a grey weathered finish; (a la Restoration Hardware) and don't want it to look amateurish. Also decided to go with the print on the roman shade and the bedskirt; then will use the nubby linen and stripe for accent pillows, cording, etc. I am going to start working on those projects today; or, at least, that is the plan, lol. Voila, after reading one of my responses I see what you mean! But it honestly hasn't been like it may sound. One of the goals I had before beginning this project (revamping two daughter's rooms into guest rooms for them and their spouses) was to get their ideas and create a space where they would feel welcome and comfortable. Before getting started in this room, we had a large sleigh bed, tall bookshelves, a high backed bench, a large nightstand, and full drapes. Way too much oversized furniture, tons of books, memorabilia, etc., and no room for two people to organize their belongings and feel at home. I recall many long drives to my mom's house (14 hours in a minivan with 3 kids) and while I treasure those visits; it was a little disheartening to arrive exhausted and stressed, to a room (my old BR) to share with DH that still had a small bed with a rock hard mattress, non working AC, dressers and other useless pieces stuffed with extra clothing, etc. Don't get me wrong; We all loved my mom and still treasure each and every visit, but agree that it would have been nice to have a comfortable room. My MIL, on the other hand, always had a welcoming and stress-free space, and that is what I would love to create. Travel is harder than ever now, and I know when I arrive in someone's home I am grateful for every little detail devoted to our comfort! All of the kids were here last weekend and I asked for their ideas. I was happy they spoke up and let me know what was important to them. I hope I didn't give the impression that DD was demanding certain things; it really wasn't that at all, just a conversation about what would make them comfortable. Most were suggestions, and of course they are happy with anything we do to create a pleasant space for them, as well as for anyone else who pays us a visit. I'm encouraged and excited about the room so far and appreciate your comments and suggestions. Now to get started sewing......

Lisa A, I'll repeat, an earthquake safe building is one from which the people get out. Your friends in their Tokyo high rise got the good out of that. Highrises on cushions or rollers, which are built to sway rather than tilt, and have dampeners to prevent Galloping Gertie harmonics from building, are, when built correctly, like your friends' building, earthquake safe. There's no way to build a building that won't have some kind of damage if the quake is strong enough where it is. Low, stud and stucco houses survive quakes pretty well. I'm not sure about metal studs though. They can twist, but then they might stand longer than wood. And considering the prevalence of termites here, at least they haven't been eaten. My friend always jokes about how the three little pigs may have been right for storms, but had it all wrong for earthquakes. The house made out of bricks would fall down (though in '94, the city had skip loaders out in the streets before noon, picking up the fallen bricks from the streets, which I thought was very efficient. :) The one made out of sticks (stud and stucco) is the best of the three, but straw (daub and wattle) isn't bad. Kevin, I'm happy to be corrected or enlarged upon!! I, being too used to it, left out the most important part, which is to stay where you are if it's safe, drop and cover your head. That's what you're supposed to do next to the supporting piece of low furniture for the "safe triangle" rather than going running for doorways. I'm not familiar with that e-mail cited, but that's a very good link you appended. The mis-information e-mail claimed that getting under objects like tables is dangerous and so was bed. The sum of it is: The American Red Cross has not recommended use of a doorway for earthquake protection for more than a decade. The problem is that many doorways are not built into the structural integrity of a building, and may not offer protection. Also, simply put, doorways are not suitable for more than one person at a time. The Red Cross, remaining consistent with the information published in "Talking About Disaster: Guide for Standard Messages," (visit http://www.disastereducation.org/guide.html ) states that if you are in bed when an earthquake happens, remain there. Rolling out of bed may lead to being injured by debris on the floor next to the bed. If you have done a good job of earthquake mitigation (that is, removing pictures or mirrors that could fall on a bed; anchoring tall bedroom furniture to wall studs, and the like), then you are safer to stay in bed rather than roll out of it during the shaking of an earthquake. Also, the Red Cross strongly advises not try to move (that is, escape) during the shaking of an earthquake. The more and the longer distance that someone tries to move, the more likely they are to become injured by falling or flying debris, or by tripping, falling, or getting cut by damaged floors, walls, and items in the path of escape. Identifying potential "void areas" and planning on using them for earthquake protection is more difficult to teach, and hard to remember for people who are not educated in earthquake engineering principles. The Red Cross is not saying that identifying potential voids is wrong or inappropriate. What we are saying is that "Drop, Cover, and Hold On!" is NOT wrong -- in the United States. The American Red Cross, being a U.S.-based organization, does not extend its recommendations to apply in other countries. What works here may not work elsewhere, so there is no dispute that the "void identification method" or the "Triangle of Life" may indeed be the best thing to teach in other countries where the risk of building collapse, even in moderate earthquakes, is great. By all means, get under a large, sturdy table unless under it is the place right in the path of flying dishes or light fixtures. If you're in a dining room, under the table is probably the best place to be. What the Red Cross leaves out in the above quote, since it's directed at the problem e-mail in question, is that people who learned to get under their desks at school don't fit in the knee holes of their current desks. The "drop, cover and hold on" works. If you do that and you want to stick your head under the desk, and expose your bum, your head will be better protected, but when people just go for the "get under the table" they often stick their bums under and have the more delicate extremities--their faces and tops of their heads--sticking out! Also, people try to get under their beds and end up with injuries they wouldn't have if they'd just stayed in bed or dropped beside it. Bed is safe IF there isn't a chandelier or ceiling fan above it, a tester, artwork, or other heavy thing on the wall beside it, a tall dresser, armoire, or mirror that's not strappped to the studs close beside it. If you're in bed, pull the covers over your head. Literally!! Teach your kids to do that too. Make sure when you set up your nursery that there's nothing that can fall on Baby's crib--good advice even if you never have earthquakes--and, for Goodness's sake! don't run to Baby when the shaking starts! Baby is safer in the crib than in your arms, and you're safer staying put. Most earthquakes that are big enough to do damage last less than a minute. You can put on your shoes and go get Baby after the shaking stops, and before the first aftershock. If things are falling on you and you don't feel safe where you are, find a structural doorway, or a strong support for the "void area" (the safe triangle). Staying put is good if crap isn't falling on you, but if you can see a place within a few strides that has less falling crap, go for it. It's only going to get worse. The big difference between the safe triangle notion that's current in the U.S. and the triangle of life idea from that e-mail is that the former is supposed to shelter you from falling bookcases, partitions and other tall crap that's coming down and trying to bonk you on the head, and the latter is trying to find you an open pocket when a whole building comes down. I'm not sure that will work in a falling building situation since you don't know which directions the walls and beams are coming from. It's more shear luck if the way the building falls gives you an open space. To Buehl--a belated happy birthday wish. I got distracted yesterday by comings and goings and forgot to write it down. :)

I followed someone's advice and put the painting and needlework picture on the side walls rather than leaving them over the lamps. I think I like the cleaner look. I tried overlapping the pillows in front of the shams per someone else's suggestion but to my eyes didn't look pleasing. Looking at the room again I realized that the dark wood furniture didn't really go very well with the lightness of the bedding, drapes etc. Will have to ponder that. I decluttered the book stand a bit - it's better now