BEDROOM TIPS – THE FOUR S-WORDS
Photography Annette O’Brien / Photoshoot styling Alana Langan / Interior design Julia and Sasha, The Abbey Collective
Our resident product and content assistant (and not to mention fabulous interior decorator) Kate Moss shares with us the four magic S-words to achieve the bedroom of your dreams!
Words Kate Moss
1 CREATE A SANCTUARY
Photography Tanya Zouev / Location Soul of Gerringong
Photography Tanya Zouev / Location Soul of Gerringong
For the room in the house that we use to recharge, sleep and have some down time, bedrooms need to be a place of relaxation and calm, a sanctuary you can step into and instantly relax.
Ensure you have the correct lighting – natural, task lighting (for reading) and enough overall light for the entire room.
Create a little nook with an occasional chair or small lounge that you can use to relax in, read a book or throw yesterday’s clothes on. This adds personality and character to the space and helps to create a focal point away from the bed.
Where possible, consider using curtains instead of blinds for a luxurious and elegant vibe and to block out the light. We recommend sheers that pool at the bottom for that extra bit of softness.
Add some greenery, but ensure you select plants that will suit the lighting availability in your space. Indoor plants have lots of health benefits and help bring the outdoors in, creating a relaxing and calming space. You can use them hanging from the ceiling, on the window sill and sitting on the floor, shelf or bedsides.
2 STYLING THE SPACE
Photography Tarina Lyell, Oh Eight Oh Nine / Interior design Matt and Kim Di Costa
Photography Hannah Blackmore / Photoshoot styling Jess Frazer Interior design Catherine Ryan
Texture, texture, texture. Nothing speaks relaxation like thick furs and soft velvets.
Start your bedroom styling off by choosing a feature item (colours, patterns, texture) then work on adding layer after layer from here. Start with a piece of artwork you can draw colour from, a stand out cushion or a deluxe bedhead.
Choose colours that are easy to mix and match so that when you are wanting to update you don’t have to do a complete overhaul and the items can easily be restyled for a fresh look. Using a natural base, I find soft colours like sage and blush work well with lots of other colours and are easy to pull together with deep tones and varying textures, making the restyling process efficient and affordable.
From here, add some bedding that complements the colours and textures already being used. I like to start with a neutral quilt cover that draws on texture more than colour. I then like to match at least one set of pillowcases or euros with the quilt cover for some balance and draw colours from the artwork or cushions in the throws, creating a visually pleasing aesthetic.
Rugs are a great way to add texture and soften the room, especially if you have floorboards or concrete. There is nothing worse than rolling out of bed on to a freezing cold, hard floor.
3 SCALE
Photography Hannah Blackmore / Photoshoot styling Claudia Stephenson / Interior design Nicola Greenaway
Be mindful of the space you are working with and don’t try to over-complicate it. If you can only fit a queen bed in, don’t try to make a king bed work. Also take in to consideration the amount of space you have for bedside tables. For larger rooms you can be a bit more adventurous with size and scale but for smaller rooms, get creative by using a stool or side table in place of a bedside like pictured above.
Photography Martina Gemmola / Photoshoot styling Bea+Co / Interior design Bask Interiors
Photography Hannah Blackmore / Photoshoot styling Jess Frazer / Interior design Catherine Ryan
Ensure you have enough height in the space. I find a lot of bedroom furniture can sit at one level so it is important to introduce some taller standing items to draw the eye upwards. This also helps give the illusion that the ceiling height in the room is higher than it actually is. For example pictured above in both of these bedrooms, the large-scale pendant light/s draw the eye up and create height in the room. I also recommend using items like a ladder, floor standing mirror or tall plant. You could also get creative with artwork and wall hooks to draw some height in to the space.
4 STORAGE
Photography Annette O’Brien / Photoshoot styling Alana Langan / Interior design Courtney Leslie
Your bedroom should be a space that is free of clutter and mess so clever storage solutions are essential to ensure your mind is clear when trying to relax and go to sleep.
If you are lacking space, use creative storage solutions like a leaning ladder, slim wall shelving, under bed storage or a bench seat you can fill with excess items.
Photography Rikki Lancaster / Interior design Kate Cooper
Make sure your bedside tables aren’t cluttered. If you are a person that likes bits and pieces, consider investing in a bedside table that has an inbuilt drawer or shelving to store necessities that don’t add to the overall style of the space. Try to avoid having more than three items on the bedside table – a light, an accessory or personal touch and flowers/greenery is more than enough.
Customise the space to your needs – if you are someone who indulges in shoes, ensure you have adequate shoe storage so they don’t end up overtaking floor space. If you are a lover of books – install some wall shelving or a trunk at the end of the bed so that all your books are kept together.