The Master Bedroom Plan

The bedroom has been influenced by social and economic changes.  Until the 19th Century, only the wealthy who could afford house large enough to have bedrooms. Everyone else only had houses with 1 or 2 rooms.  Which they would use for cooking, dining, and sleeping.  The one sleeping room was used for the entire family, and during the day would be their living room.

Industrial Revolution occurred, and this lead to the development of the middle class.  The middle class’ houses had enough space for a living room, a kitchen, and more than one bedroom.  This became more normal, parents started to have their own room, and children had their own.

Although the size of the modern family has decreased  children and their parents now normally have their own room. The bed room has become a place of privacy for the owner.  

Private bedrooms for the man and lady of the house were popular going into the 1910, however that turned into having a sitting room instead.  Greater emphasis on privacy was practiced, which is why their were was not as many documented pictures for 1910 bedrooms, as their were for other rooms.  

Bedroom in American usually have a bed, nightstand, chest, and dresser. Furniture and other items in bedrooms vary in style, but have the same pieces. Master bedroom do usually have larger beds, king or queen-sized.   Also have larger and more closest or dressers. Built-in furniture, like closets are common in North America. As time went on the bedroom became a reflection the owner’s personality, and social class. The attractiveness of the bedroom increased as people spent more time in the room.  The master bedroom should be the same size as two guest bedroom.  

Here a few documented bedrooms from 1910-  There were different materials used in different houses based on wealth.

Modern take on colonial revival master bedrooms-

 These would be more like guest bedrooms-

The master bedroom-

What needs to be done- Ceiling repair, floor repair, wall paper replacement, window replacement 

Ceiling repair-

The ceiling is plaster and has loose areas from the sheets that make the ceiling.  There are also small holes that can be repaired with plaster putty.  To reinforce the repaired areas get plaster washers, which are used to add support to a plaster ceiling.  Screw them into the ceiling around or broken area; the screws should go into wood lath above the plaster (picture below).  Spread a joint compound, a thin mud like compound, over the ceiling, it should cover the repaired area.  While the compound is wet press a insect screen (its like a thin window screen), when it’s smoothed flat with a trowel you can’t even notice it.  Then wait at least 24 hours for the compound to dry.  Sand way areas that have ridges or bumps, or fill in areas with the compound that are indented; this will create a flat surface.  Last use one coat of a paint primer, then who white topcoat paint. 

Ceiling diagram

Floor repair-

On the left of the room their are four panels of wood that have been put down, as an alternative to properly fixing the floor.  The floor boards have "Butt" joints connecting them; this is just laying them one after another, instead of interlocking them with groves.  Luckily this is the easiest the repair, because it does not damage neighboring boards.  Get wood planks most similar to the oak floors in color and size, then fit and nail the planks to the joists under the wood.  Joist are the wood frames under the floor.  Use a 2 x 4 nailer support to the end of the board.  This will be nailed to the joist and plank under the end of done plank before it connects to the next planks, it's not scene.

The fire in the 1980s was in the ceiling, however there is soot damage on the floors. Use a vacuum the floor to cleanup any left over soot.  Use a chemical sponge soot residue. Don’t put too much pressure on the sponge, it could damage the wood. With wood cleaner and rags clean the wood.  Then finish the floors as I described in the dining room plan.

Wall paper-

Remove the wall paper as described in the dining room plan.  A lot of it should just peel off, it pretty much already is. I don't like wall paper, at all, but 1910 house owners loved it.  I found an alternative to wall paper, that I thought was classier, but also gave the detailed look master bedrooms had.  First I would paint the master bedroom a light gray.  I would use a technique created by the owner of "The Painted House",  a stamp like roller.  It's six inches, with a stamp part on one end and next to it a regular paint roller.

You use it like a normal paint roller, just in straight lines.  On the website they have 18 different designs, and I really want one.  This is the one I would use for the master bedroom, with white paint.

Flower patterns were most common

Windows-
Only one window would need to be fixed, and I talked about how to do that with the exterior post.

Sources-
Books-
Period Design and Furnished
The Old House Journal
The Complete Home Restoration Manual
Websites-
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,1630910,00.html
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,216994,00.html

http://www.starplanbedrooms.com/blog/2014/08/the-history-of-bedrooms/

http://porch.com/advice/history-bedroom/

http://www.jondon.com/how-to/technical-tips/restoration-disaster-recovery/fire-and-smoke-damage/cleaning-soot-damaged-contents/wood-surfaces.html