One of the biggest frustrations of working in interior design is that a room you decorate almost never looks as good when photographed as it does in person. It’s difficult to get a good angle of a room while you’re in it (making many interior photos lopsided or oddly cropped), and photography tricks that make for a good picture don’t always show off the room in full detail. One I’ve been thinking about a lot lately is a popular favorite on Pinterest: bedroom photos that feature half a bed plus a little room. Like so:
Why It Works
Full disclosure: I’m actually a huge fan of this style of photograph composition. I think it’s a great way to break a bedroom down to its component elements – especially in a space that’s too small to fully photograph. And you do get the most important pieces: the bed and bedding, night stand, and table lamp. They’re also absolutely the perfect type of bedroom photos if you want to steal a color scheme rather than the design itself (for example, this soothing, seaside-inspired combination of soft blue, gray, and off white). But while it’s a good jumping off point (and those cropped edges certainly do inspire you to fill in the blanks), it’s quite literally not the full picture.
Get The Look
So what does the full view show that the half image doesn’t? Well, you get a better look at the bed frame, bedding, and pillows, not to mention a look at the ottoman and artwork. Admittedly, the nightstand and table lamp get a little obscured in this view, but you can also see the’res a lot more to the space than just the bedroom set. A gray chaise and side table really help round out the plush, sleepy vibe of the space. More importantly, you get a much better sense of light levels – something that can make or break this kind of subdued light-neutral color scheme. Bonus: did you SEE that chandelier? A perfect little spot of glam that helps elevate the whole design.
Is my takeaway that you shouldn’t be hoarding a pin board full of heavily cropped bedroom photos? Of course not! I do the same thing! But if you’re in the process of gathering inspiration for a bedroom remodel, it’s important to be aware of what you can and can’t glean from looking at a picture, and not forget to envision the space as a whole.
