A bedroom is the ultimate retreat, an escape from the busy rooms in the rest of our home as well as from hectic schedules. That's why cool and pastel colors with their calming natures are so welcome there. For their master bedroom walls, Lynn and David Purdy chose a very pale green. "I think it's a wonderful color to wake up to, and it's so restful in the evening," says Lynn. The Purdys went with such a subtle shade because they didn't want to compete with all the green that is visible through their large picture window. "I think the soothing shade draws your eye to the window and outside. It's a harmonious blend."

In keeping with the cool attitude, blue was a natural complement. The fabric, chosen for two comfortable club chairs and the bed skirt, is in a soft but lively shade that keeps the room from feeling too washed out (an important consideration when using cool and pastel tones). Its swirling pattern reminds Lynn of clouds. The room is also enlivened by the green batik print used for the window treatments and pillow shams.

For the rest of the room, Lynn chose simple, clean elements such as the wool Berber carpet, a white matelassé bed coverlet, and a glass-topped table. "We didn't want a lot of clutter and fuss, just the feeling of the outdoors with a blue sky," she says.