It’s no wonder that the kitchen and master bathroom are the most value-adding spaces in your home, and we won’t discuss that analysis, but on a personal level, nothing beats the bedroom. It’s possibly one of the most underrated spaces in any home, probably because guests rarely see it when they visit, but getting the design right here is key if you care about prioritizing rest, self-care rituals, and sleep. And after two years of the pandemic, that’s something we all want to perfect! So, in an attempt to help elevate your room from just a bed in a room to a sleep sanctuary, we’ve put together a list of essential bedroom tips.
Approach design as a work in progress
Design is an amalgamation of many things, and mistakes, to get it «right» is never as easy as it seems, so don’t force it. Take your time, add and take things along the way, be open to changing your mind and backing out if the direction you’ve taken is not what you envisioned.
It can be difficult to know where to start when designing a bedroom, and in reality you always have to take into account all the elements that will ultimately create harmony in the space. BUT, if you want an easy starting point, we suggest you start by creating an idea board. Let us help you put together some ideas, bed designs, materials, and colours. Soon you will begin to see clear themes: the same colours, styles and patterns and you can begin to visualize how you would like your room to be.
Plan the Best Distribution
It is a space in which you are going to spend a lot of time and you need it to be in line with what you need. The choice of green is due to the fact that, despite the noise from the street (especially during Hogueras), green has an enveloping effect that brings you closer to nature.
Deciding on the distribution of the bedroom furniture is a fundamental step in its design. You may have little flexibility, but it’s worth drawing a layout on graph paper, paying attention to the direction from which natural light enters.
Start with the position of your bed, organizing the rest of the furniture around it. Placing the bed lengthwise is best in a rectangular room, while larger bedrooms will allow for more creativity, and you may want to place the bed in the centre of the room. When planning small bedroom layouts, consider moving the bed to a corner to save floor space.
Now consider the space (and budget) you have for bedroom storage. Built-ins tend to be more expensive and more formal looking, but offer a more efficient use of space, especially in a small or awkwardly shaped bedroom such as a loft. The unfurnished furniture doesn’t have to match, but you should at least have a dresser and a few nightstands. And if you don’t have a separate closet, you’ll need to add something to store your clothes.
Decorate with colours and textures
When approaching bedroom design, let colour and texture speak for you, designating places of calm and highlighting moments of ecstasy. Athena’s bedroom wraps you in serenity with its neutral palette, but she strategically placed a vibrant colour duo – the warm mustard hue of the chair and the burgundy red bench – to focus your attention and create that contrast we all crave. It is about creating an interesting dialogue between each piece so that, finally, the room sings in harmony.
An example is a project that we carried out in an apartment in the centre of Alicante. Initially, the client wanted to have plain white walls and ceilings. However, we had suggested a shade of green to be able to connect with nature in a busy environment. However, the client was firm and opted for white. We finally came back about three months later and painted the walls a pale green shade and also changed the crown moulding to be more in keeping with the new furniture we had purchased for them.
Be aware of the lighting (hint: it will be night)
Although natural light is important when designing a bedroom, most of us spend more time in our bedroom when it’s dark, so maximizing the bedroom’s artificial light potential with a smart lighting scheme is crucial to creating a cosy and relaxing space.
Think soft, diffused light from dimmable bedside lamps or wall sconces, or even a string of fairy lights arranged along the headboard. An overhead light may be unnecessary if you have built-in lighting in the closet and good task lighting around the vanity, for example, but in a room with a high ceiling, an oversized chandelier or lampshade will make a point. focal decorative.
Mix, match and select pieces that bring feeling
There’s beauty everywhere, so like the pergolero-birds, let your eye gravitate towards the pieces that make your heart burn, even if it’s not the latest trend! The bedroom is very personal, so it has to speak to you (and your partner).
In any bedroom design, large or small, a few finishing touches can make all the difference. The choice of bedroom accessories depends entirely on your tastes and your budget: invest in a quality rug and you will see your bedroom instantly look more elegant; add cushions and blankets to increase the comfort factor; create a gallery wall to add interest and color; display photos and paintings to personalize the bedroom, and use houseplants to promote a healthy environment.
Style your accessories to create an attractive colour scheme and variety of textures.
And, above all, follow these three tenants of global design
- breaks the symmetry by placing pieces of different heights in the room so that the eye does not stop
- mixes different types of surfaces to create tension between smooth and rough
- don’t be afraid to take risks and always trust your instincts.
