The bedroom: a haven of rest

At the end of a hectic day, our batteries need recharging. Is there anything more pleasant than relaxing in a bedroom that is both comfortable and stylish? Here are some hints and tips for designing a wonderful, inviting bedroom with your own individual stamp.
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Be colour-wise
Furniture – don’t overcrowd
Playing with fabrics
Comfort underfoot
Soft lighting
The final touch
A question of style
Romantically inspired
Asian influence
Traditional English
Rustic flavour
Contemporary feel
Decorating ideas for beating design problems
Operation tidy-up

Be colour-wise

For the bedroom, it's best to choose restful and relaxing shades. Green is calming and dreamy; it's making a strong comeback. Blue is relaxing and peaceful. You can create effect with its many different tones, from the very pale to very dark. Yellow induces a feeling of well-being, but it should be softened with white for the bedroom; if the shade is too citrus the effect will be energizing (which is naturally to be avoided). Creams are a wise choice for their soothing qualities. By varying tones and finishes, you'll add interest to the room. Today's beiges are stronger and more dynamic and have regained popularity. Use several different shades of beige and liven them up with accents of red, orange, green or turquoise. Don't be afraid to use pastels, either; these are current favourites.

"Colour blocking" (also called "colour zoning") is the hottest trend. Paint a large square (or any geometric shape) on the wall to create a backdrop for a favourite painting or item of furniture. It is one way of defining a simple and original headboard for the bed, for example. To ensure harmony, paint this zone two shades darker or lighter than the main colour.

Furniture – don’t overcrowd

When it comes to furnishing a bedroom, comfort is obviously the prime consideration. It's best to go for a style that will keep its appeal over the years. Try to go for something other than kit furniture, however. Be original and go for a personalized look: mix pieces of different styles and periods. Don't be afraid of using them in ways other than those for which they were originally designed, either; a small chest of drawers can quite easily become a bedside table. What's more, breaking up symmetry vitalizes a decor.

For wooden furniture, the most popular colours at the moment are dark shades of chocolate, mahogany and chestnut. Such pieces may have rich inserts of materials like leather or suede. Alternatively, look for items with an attractive patina that gives a time-worn look. They may also be decorated with floral patterns or picturesque landscapes. The bed can be of wood or metal such as copper, brass, brushed stainless steel, or iron (painted in a wide variety of colours). Dressers and side tables are essential. It’s a practical idea to have a cupboard, or a bench at the end of the bed, too. People who like to dive into a good book before going to sleep, will appreciate a reading corner with a bookcase, comfy armchair and a floor or table lamp.

Try to avoid cluttering the room with furniture; rooms need to breathe (just as you do), and your quality of sleep will be all the better as a result.

Playing with fabrics

The bed is obviously the central element of the decor. Silk or satin bedcovers in rich, warm colours (red, gold, fuchsia, orange, cream) are the height of current trends. Soft piqué bedcovers, all but forgotten, are back in vogue; keep the bed simple in this case, with plain colours – muted or strong. Rather than having a whole host of cushions on the bed, arrange pillows in pretty pillowcases overlapping each other. Duvets are still popular. They are warm during the winter and always so inviting to snuggle under. Duvet covers can be reversible – this is the best option as it enables you to change the decor with a flick of the wrist, to match the season, for example. Prints are still fashionable – especially stripes, which combine well with checks and florals.

In the bedroom, window coverings are not just decorative. They should block out the morning light and ensure privacy in the evening. Combining blinds and curtains (fabric or sheers) enables you to marry practicality and a pleasing look. The curtains should not only match the bedding but also the style of the window. If the window is large, you can go for thick fabrics and big, bold patterns – geometrical, figurative or abstract. If it is small, simple coverings will suffice: delicate fabrics, light colours, Roman blinds are all ideal. For blinds, you’ll find a wide choice of colours and prints. Use these alone or with plain curtains.

Comfort underfoot

Carpets are inspired by nature. They are textured to look like sand, dry grass or even pebbles in a stream. And shaggy pile carpets are back. They're new and improved with a tighter, more resistant weave, which makes them ideal for the bedroom, either as wall-to-wall carpeting or as rugs. Natural fibres, such as wool and sisal, are also in demand.

The strips in wood flooring are getting wider, giving a more rustic look. Dark or exotic woods such as mahogany or bamboo are becoming noticeably more stylish. To add interest to the floor, play with different-coloured woods to create decorative borders or mosaics. Keep feet nice and warm by placing a small rug by the bed, and remember the reading corner too.

Soft lighting

Crystal chandeliers and wall sconces are popular. They are well-suited for bedrooms, whatever their style. They add a sparkle of contrast to contemporary decors. Clear and coloured crystal can also adorn lamp shades of shimmering fabrics or textured paper, which diffuse a pleasing, muted light. If you like to read in bed, place a swivel lamp on the bedside table, or fix sconces on each side of the headboard.

The final touch

No decor is complete without accessories. Cushions, pictures and flower vases are good ways to add colour accents. Whether you choose them for their practicality or their aesthetic appeal, you must give some thought to the coherence of their arrangement to avoid a cluttered look. Arrange them by theme and group them in odd numbers (three or five together). Beautiful pieces such as sculptures do, however, deserve to be displayed on their own. To create harmony, styles and colours of accessories should go well together. No space is more intimate and private than the bedroom, which makes it the ideal room to display family photos. The ultimate luxury: a fireplace in the bedroom. For those who are not lucky enough to have a traditional fireplace, electric ones are becoming increasingly popular; their realistic flames add both atmosphere and warmth. Many different models and sizes, complete with remote control, are available in various finishes of cherry, oak or mahogany (including a corner model, which is ideal for smaller spaces).
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