I love the freshness of the photos you've selected. I would go with a pale neutral paint (creamy white or perhaps very pale warm grey) and your current white duvet, and bring color into the room with textiles in throw pillows, throw/blanket, perhaps a small area rug, similar to your first three photos.

The blue duvet cover you're considering is really pretty but, having done a small bedroom aiming for a similar look, I ended up doing away with the colored duvet and going back to a creamy white. It's hard to achieve that fresh and light feel in a room when so much of the horizontal surface is taken up by a color.

I like a fairly spare window look, so if it were me, I'd get creamy white top-down-bottom-up shades that can be dropped to a height that allows you to see the sky while maintaining privacy or a cafe curtain with the same goal, with something else (discreet roller shade?) if/when you need the whole window covered. I've bought TDBU shades from Steve's Blinds and Wallpaper, "Steve's own brand" (I think), which I learned about here on GW. Cost is low and product is very nice quality.

The floors are wonderful. It looks like wood installed on the diagonal. I've never seen that before!

I like the last inspiration picture and would draw your color scheme from it.

Paint the walls the light blue. You have the dark furniture already, and go with white and the light gold for your accent colors. You can add a pop of green too if you wish.

Here's a piece of art that may work as to how to pull the colors and balance them in the room.

By this I mean, you want the room to have pops of color, not be the color. So, for example, the bright blue spread you posted above will be too dominant. Instead, soften the backdrop and then add the accent color you want on top. So go with a white bedspread with a beige/gold throw...or a soft beige/gold bedspread with a white throw. Same thing with the window treatments...white would be nice, but gold can work too.

Then use the art, the pillows, the accessories to add your other colors.

Check out SW Sea Salt for the walls. Here is my broker's master bedroom with Sea Salt on the walls. It's clean and airy and refreshing.

With the exception of #3, the inspiration photos you posted are all very crisp and tailored. There's nothing shabby chic or comfortably rumpled. A tailored look will help your space because that comfortably rumpled look can simply look messy when it's so dominating in a small room. The word sophisticated pops up repeatedly in your comments and it seems your definition of sophisticated in terms of decorating means neat, orderly, tailored, crisp...... I think your inspiration will translate well into your smaller bedroom and I love the inspiration picture Annie posted and the relative use of each color - great jumping off points.

I love your photo #1 and #2 and also the artwork Annie posted. If you plan to keep your coverlet, could you change out the button color on your dust ruffle and then find a new rug and a tailored throw in your chosen color (as in #1). Then you can look for shams and a couple of coordinating pillows and I think you'd have the look you want. Art.com has sales on their artwork all the time, so you could probably buy the print at a fairly reasonable price if you like it or somethine similar.

Would the blue duvet work if it was folded on the foot of the bed and thus provided more "color pop" than "color overload?"

We do need a comforter/duvet (not just a throw) for warmth in the winter time, so I'm trying to find a solution to that. We currently have a comforter that's tan on one side and chocolate on the other, that we fold up at the foot of the bed when not in use, but that's what I want to colorify.

I know you've already refinished the floor - but can you remove the closet? It looks like a later add on and intrudes into the space.

If you could - then the bed in front of the smaller window, with operable curtains the full length of that wall, the nightstands in front of them. And good insulating shades to keep the draft off your neck

I second the idea of light colored bedding.

With a light background, you can make seasonal changes if you want - bring in your cheerful aquas and grass greens and yellows for the warm months, deeper, warmer accents for the cold.

We have very small bedrooms as well. That means form follows function out of necessity. I know you like the bed, but every inch you save with the bed will make the traffic pattern to the other side more comfortable.

I would keep the closet cuz I'm sure you need that space. Even though it's not the best traffic pattern, I would try the bed on the wall without windows to see if you can get around it okay. Otherwise I would put it opposite the closet, again so you have the most room on either side. If you put the bed in front of the window, I would put a curtain the full width of the bed so it centers it on the room, but you can open it for fresh air.

I like the first inspiration picture and would start with paint then work into the rest of the decor, keeping everything light. In addition to taking up space, the bed is a big dark element in the light room you want to create. We have dark IKEA dressers cuz they were cheap, but they suck light out of the room.

One or two of something like this would be a great use of space in that room

Weedy! I've been wondering how this project was going. I'd love to see more pictures of your progress. Did you ever make the bookcase closet door in the other bedroom?

With the dimensions of your queen bed and nightstands, I think the only way the room will work is if the headboard is against the wall with the 4' window. Any other configuration and the nightstands will block access to the closet and the door to the room opening all the way. And since that window looks onto your front porch with no privacy, it's not a big deal to block it.

I would center the bed on the wall and fudge the window coverings so that it looks like the window is centered above the bed as well.
These two rooms have beds in front of windows and the edges of the windows are covered with drapery, so you can't really tell if they are centered or not.

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I like the suggestions of keeping the room light and airy and monochromatic with pops of color. Your inspiration pictures #1 and #3 have light walls with white bedding with a colored throw/comforter. Bring in more color with pillows and lamps.

ETA:
This room is small, but with dark furniture. They do have the bed arranged so the nightstands block part of the closet. I guess if that works for you, that would be an option. You'd have more room at the foot of your bed if you put the headboard on the wall with the 3' window.

This post was edited by geokid on Fri, Nov 14, 14 at 0:39

Thanks everyone for your advice and suggestions. I'm getting the "don't overpop the color" thing.

Here's where I'm leaning now:
--Light blue walls (will pick the exact shade after selecting fabrics)
--Bed against the 4' window wall with curtains behind, along the whole wall
--Ivory duvet cover. I like this one, as it has texture:

I spent the better part of the day shopping fabric stores and collecting swatches and photos. I also found some inexpensive ivory curtains, that I'd like to pimp out a bit with a colored border. I'm thinking along these lines: colored band on all 4 sides, with grommets.

Here are the swatches that are my favorites from my shopping, half aqua and half yellow, laying on the curtains they would be pimping. Thoughts on which would be best for the band?

I'm also thinking 2 aqua pillows and a yellow neckroll for the bed.

And a throw still tbd...am I in the land of over-popping yet?

Oops, sorry geokid, I didn't answer your question. The room with the bookcase closet door is next on the list after this room (and the last one in the house!). Our progress blog is linked below.

Here is a link that might be useful: Remaking Little Beau

Got 'er done! Here's the after:

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Thanks for all of your advice up front. You helped me make it into a room that I love, despite its tininess

Here is a link that might be useful: more details and photos

Wow. Absolutely wow. What a GREAT job you did!

That looks so nice! Love your wall color and bedding!

You must just love this room now! It is serene and the light is absolutely marvelous. The whole space is simple and lovely...and simply lovely.

Congrats on a successful renovation!

Your rooms looks really nice. I also love the duvet. Can you tell me where you got it?

Lovely, and the light fixture is divine!

Thanks for your kind compliments. The light fixture is my favorite part of the room. :-)

karen: I got the duvet from amazon. Linked below.

Here is a link that might be useful: duvet cover

Very pretty room

I am exhausted after looking through your blog :). You guys have done an awesome job with your renovation to Little Beau.

Just want to throw this out, if possible, I would replace nightstands w/something much larger in scale like a pair of bachelors chests to bal out the bed and to give you more storage.

This post was edited by chijim on Sun, Dec 21, 14 at 14:35

The bedroom looks great! I enjoyed your blog also. The bathroom looks amazing! I cant wait to see the kitchen cabs finished.

Read the blog, too. Fascinating read - only complaint: got all involved in your story, not getting my own stuff done, only to find out I have to WAIT for more chapters! Arrgh!
Please keep adding the updates and more details and photos!. This is truly an awesome journey you are on, WOW! My hat is off to you!

I also got caught up in it. Our house isn't large and it will be several years before the kids are on their own, but I'm already looking forward to a finding charming cottage!