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In part one, we showed you how getting the right bed and mattress is key to a great night’s sleep and the foundation of your restful bedroom, But there’s so much more to a beautiful sanctuary than that! Here are my top tips for styling your bedroom.
By your bedside
Bedside tables are pretty much the second most important furniture choice for your bedroom. There are few people who don’t need somewhere for their glass of water or morning coffee, book, alarm clock (who am I kidding, mobile phone!), book, watch, and so it goes on!
There are several key considerations with your bedsides. First, make sure the height is right for your bed. You don’t want to have to reach up or down to grab what you need half asleep. It will also look odd if your bedside is too high or low.
When it comes to matching or not, that’s a decision for you. Many people prefer the balanced, symmetrical look of two identical bedsides, but it isn’t the only option. I have seen many examples of two different, but equally fabulous bedside tables, adding interest and character. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box.
Think carefully about how much storage you need and how tidy you are. I, for example, keep a pretty minimalist bedside: book, coffee cup, lamp, and that’s about it. My husband, on the other hand, well, that’s an argument I don’t need to get into again! But suffice to say he has a lot of stuff by his bed. I would never even consider bedsides for us without drawers ever again (been there, lived to see the mess and dust accumulate). Some bedsides even have cupboards (great for those things that won’t fit in a small drawer like piles of magazines, headphones, iPads, need I go on?). Consider the width of the bedsides too, and make sure there’s enough room for them to breathe with a gap either side. There’s nothing worse than wedging bedside-bed-bedside into a narrow room.
Lamps
Bedside lamps are another essential because nobody wants to get out of bed once they’ve got comfortable to turn off the light. Mood lighting from lamps rather than overheads is also an important part of winding down to a restful night’s sleep. You can make a real statement with your lamps so they can be just as much decorative as they are practical. Make sure the width and height of the lamps and their shades (if they have them) is right for your bed and bedsides. Think outside the box here too: lamps not necessarily designed for bedsides can make a real statement. Pendant lights, as seen all too often on The Block, hanging either side of the bed, are another trend and give you extra space and less to dust on your bedside!
Linen
Linen is another very personal choice and somewhere you can really have fun. You can either go for something really striking and bold which becomes a feature in itself, or something more subtle. I don’t think either is particularly on trend and both are popular. Brands like Aura and Kip & Co are great for high impact quilt sets. The textural, deliberately creased look of linen works well without pattern and with soft, muted colours or neutrals. Try brands like Hale Mercantile Co and Major Minor.
Decorative cushions
It seems it’s something men and women will never agree on, but I’m a great believer in the decorative cushion to finish off your bed. No, you don’t actually use them for anything, but they’re a great way to inject colour, pattern and texture, especially if you’ve opted for plainer linen. It’s a low commitment and low-cost way to include the latest trends in your bedroom too. Consider at ottoman at the bottom of your bed, if you have the space, to store them when you go to bed. You can also sit on it to put your shoes on!
Bedheads
If there’s one trend that’s taken off in bedrooms in the last couple of years it’s bedheads, specifically upholstered ones. Not only are they comfortable to sit up against but they look great too and can make a real feature of your bed. The great thing is, you can invest in a high quality ensemble that lasts you years and change the bedhead relatively frequently if your tastes change or you, for example, move house.
Somewhere to put your clothes
It’s very unlikely there’ll be a time when you don’t have some of your clothes out, whether it’s that day’s discarded outfit or tomorrow’s, ready for the morning. For this reason, one great chair is the perfect addition to a corner of your bedroom. Garments look much better draped over a chair than in a pile on the floor.
Art
Most rooms cry out for a bit of art on the walls and bedrooms are no exception. That said, in my own, due to having a bold patterned wallpaper and a statement upholstered linen bedhead in a reasonably small room, I don’t think it necessary. If you are hanging art and it’s above your bed, please make sure it is safely fixed to the wall as the last thing you want is a heavy frame falling on your head in the night! Less risky options are lightweight canvas art or the popular juju feather hats.
Rugs
If you have hard floors, rugs are always nice in the bedroom, not least to have something soft underfoot when you get out of bed. A round rug is a nice option to break up a room which is often full of rectangles (bed, bedhead, walls, bedsides, art).
Sleepmaker can help you build your own dreamworld, starting with a great mattress or bed. For more information, visit their website.
