Draped in Drama

Gossamer scrims create an instant sense of fantasy and whimsy. With their ease of motion from a passing touch or a fresh breeze, they animate a room and lend dramatic flair. As a counterpoint to the cold lines of a metal bed, sheers can soften a spare setting, adding romance and mystery. Suggesting privacy without actually dividing a room, sheer panels are a stylish, timeless bedroom solution.

Here's how to get the look:

• Leave floors bare to show off the beauty of hardwoods. Place a pretty rug by the bed so you can step onto something soft and warm in the morning.
• Gather draperies loosely around the bed. Romantic disarray perfectly suits a theatrical bedroom.
• If you have a tall ceiling, choose a bed frame in keeping with the room size.
• Gather scrim loosely around the bed and let it puddle on the floor.
• Use the scrim to soften the walls and filter light around the room.
• Place wide, comfortable chairs in the room to ground it and provide a place for reading or napping.
• Use cane seating to reinforce the airy feeling.
• Pay tribute to an antique bed's heritage by using antique textiles.

RESOURCES: Amelia Handegan, Amelia T. Handegan, Inc., 843/722-9373, www.athid.com. Bed, Niermann Week (to the trade), 212/319-7979, www.niermannweeks.com.