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The Evening Post - 'Bedroom Bliss' - Interiors Column - Nov 2009
Lesley Taylor, BIDA, Interior Designer and Design Director of Taylor's Etc, takes us on a journey through bedroom design and explains how best to achieve the perfect balance between comfort, functionality and glamour.
When it comes to the design and decoration of a home, the bedroom is often one of the last areas to be addressed. While the kitchen, living space and bathroom usually take precedence, it's the bedroom that waits patiently in line until resources, time and effort can be spent on its transformation. Not only as an Interior Designer but also as a Mum of two regularly needing some much deserved 'me time', I believe this order of preference needs to be challenged somewhat. Although it's not an area of the home that can be flaunted and admired by guests on a daily basis, the bedroom, in my opinion, is a space that requires extra special care and attention. Along with harboring your needs for a good nights sleep, it's the one space you can truly call your own. Treat the bedroom as a haven of solitude, a place where you can retreat after a stressful day at work. The same time and effort should be afforded to the design of the bedroom as it would on the kitchen, for instance, creating the perfect cocoon for you and your partner to enjoy, day-in, day-out. For a chic bedroom that welcomes you with open arms, follow these few simple rules:
By opting for neutral tones such as cream, white, ivory and mocha, you can ensure longevity of the design via the careful selection of en-vogue accessories each season. This way, you can in-expensively re-vamp your bedroom without having to encounter any physical work. Take this summer for example; imagine a pure white background, a crisp white floral bed spread, off white linen curtains that flow effortlessly in the breeze brought to life by freshly cut flowers bursting with vibrant colours and an array of bold, floral patterned cushions - glorious! Then, when the winter dawns, you can replace the vivid bouquet with deep red roses and swap the floral cushions for a lavish, velvet throw and a comfy rug.
If your bedroom is a little on the small size, don't worry, there are a few tricks that can help you to make the most out of what you have. Firstly, choose a pair of curtains or blinds that boast a similar shade to the colour of the walls, again sticking to neutral hues. The blend of pale tones will create an illusion of space, helping the room to appear larger that it actually is whilst ensuring a sense of light and airiness that is far easier to live with.
In a small space, it's even more important to make a focal feature out of your bed. Essentially, it gives the room meaning and should be honoured and rewarded with all the limelight it deserves. The high street is flooded with gorgeous baroque, French style beds that when placed in the centre of the room would instantly grab attention for all the right reasons. An extravagant yet elegant addition to the bedroom like this would merely require simple, un-fussy accessories and fabrics to complement its natural beauty. If you do opt for a overtly decorative bed, team it with a plain duvet cover as not to overpower the arrangement and use cushions or a silk throw at the end of the bed to add an element of interest and character.
If you don't want to replace your existing bed, you could always invest in a new headboard. This is a great way of altering the ambience of the room, without breaking the bank. For a warm and inviting feel, a luxurious velvet headboard would work perfectly and could be coordinated with complementary velvet cushions to add those all important finishing touches. Alternatively, local antique shops are great for finding hidden treasures such as ornate, rustic headboards that would lend well to the current trend for vintage inspired homeware.
Although the aesthetics of a room is an integral part of the design process, the lighting scheme should be considered with great care. While a ceiling hung light is needed to illuminate the room as a whole, additional ambient lighting should be integrated to set certain moods. The addition of two bed side lights can have multiple effects. Not only able to create added interest through an inspiring design, wall hung or bedside lamps operated by a simple dimmer switch can instantly evoke preferred atmospheric settings. Whether you want to enjoy a romantic evening with your partner, get lost in your favourite novel or simple unwind after a stressful day at the office, soft, diffused lighting will set the mood perfectly.
Practical features must not be forgotten. Of course you want to create a room that wows, but as you will inevitably spend around 40% of your time in the bedroom, it needs to fulfill all your functional requirements. If you're an avid telly addict, this may involve the hanging of a flat screen television or if like me you bring work home with you most nights and your home doesn't have the benefit of a separate study, a tidy desk area where you can focus whilst in comfortable surroundings would be needed.
If you're feeling a little adventurous, why not draw upon the trend for open plan living to create a bedroom that adheres to the luxury associated with five-star boutique hotels. An Edwardian roll top bath placed at the foot of the bed is the ultimate style accessory. Imagine being surrounded by scented candles, relaxing in a warm bubble bath in the comfort of your own bedroom while your husband reveals the events of his day on the adjacent bed… Touches like this not only enhance the room's aesthetics but can assist in the smooth running of a hectic, modern lifestyle.
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