Decorating a bedroom is a personal pursuit. This private room where you rest and relax should always enhance your feeling of well-being. Ask yourself: Is this a room to relax in or do you want a bit of drama? Do you want it cheerful or nostalgic? These moods will help you choose colours and furnishings.

The most expensive piece of furniture is the bed, so choose that first. If your budget is tight, put in a basic frame and build a headboard. It can be as simple as a piece of plywood or fibreboard that is cut, framed and painted glossy white or black. Or upholster the board with padding and fabric attached with staples to the back. Nail in upholstery tacks for a tufted look.

Spend your money on a comfortable mattress and the best sheets you can afford. Another tip is to choose appropriate lighting. Make sure you have good reading light and ambient light to make you look beautiful.

The bedroom shown was designed for a teenage girl who loves ballet. The black and white textured wallpaper is bold and theatrical, a good foil for pink bedding and accessories. The side walls are toned down with thinly striped paper that highlights the grey headboard.

Today's lighting has lots of variation in ceiling lights that show off traditional style with a modern twist. Crystal chandeliers are not just for the dining room -- their sparkle is illuminating in every room, from the entrance hall to bath and boudoir.

The modern approach is to wrap a plastic shade around the fixture, allowing some of the crystal to show below the rim. This eye-catching light balances the drama of the bold wallpaper and adds another note of theatre and fun to a room fit for a young lady to dream in.

Q: I have a 10x12-foot bedroom with a wall of louvred closet doors, deep baseboards, wide window casements and moulding at the ceiling. Woodwork and ceiling are painted off-white and match the trim throughout the house.

I am removing blue wallpaper and wonder if the room would look bigger if the walls were painted white as well. The furniture is mostly dark wood antiques. I would use colour in the bedding.

A: The dark furniture will have an impact on the size of the room more than the wall colour. Creamy white is a great backdrop for the rich dark patina of antique furniture, and you could continue the all-white theme with heirloom bedding to create a peaceful and nostalgic mood.

However, a hint of colour is lovely on a bedroom wall -- something reflective and warm such as pastel peach or creamy coffee shades will add another dimension, and the white trim will keep it fresh and airy.

Keep the bedding light, too, and add pattern and texture to really bring the room alive. It can be as subtle as a soft mohair blanket or as nostalgic as a bleached-out patchwork quilt.

Thus column is produced by Debbie Travis and Barbara Dingle. E-mail questions to house2home@debbietravis.com.