It’s been four months since we moved into our new flat and our bedroom finally seems to be coming together! Sure, we haven’t actually hung our mirror on the wall yet, and I still need to get a blind made for the window but it’s mostly there, and it’s such a cosy relaxing space, I love spending time in here! I thought it was about time I showed you around, and I also want to share a few tips on creating a relaxing sleep space!
So, here are some wide shots so you can get an idea of the overall layout of the room! We had a lot to work around in this room, from awkwardly shaped windows, a sloping ceiling on one side, two doors and a small cupboard, so coming up with a plan to stop this room feeling hectic was a bit of a challenge. We decided to keep the decorating as simple as possible, opting for white walls, ceilings and woodwork, and a soft grey carpet which has a really thick pile and feels luxurious underfoot.
Because of the awkward shape of the room, we only really had one wall where we could have wardrobes, and because of the slope to the ceiling we opted for custom made built in wardrobes. This was such a good decision, we were able to personalise them to our exact tastes and it’s such a useful space! I was a bit nervous about picking such dark doors, but they have a hint of glitter to them so they actually reflect the light really well!
The first thing you see walking into the room is the bed, we wanted the biggest bed possible for the space! We weren’t fussy about the bedframe itself, preferring to save our money for the mattress instead, so the frame is a simple one from Next. I had an older version of it in my room at my parents house and loved how it wasn’t big and imposing in the room! We also splashed out on our duvets and pillows, picking them up from Dorma – we wanted to make it a really comfy and cosy space! We have two duvet covers, both are white and both from Homesense – they do really high quality linens at affordable prices, you can usually pick up a king size set for about £30!.
The pillows were a Matalan find and a total bargain at £8 each (link to similar). I love how they add a pop of colour to the room, without being too imposing! The throw is from Made and whilst it was quite pricey, was one of the only throws we could find big enough to cover the whole bed (ideal for snuggling under in the winter, or using instead of a duvet in the summer!).
To the left of the bed as you look at it is a small cupboard, that was part of the original room design. It’s only little, with three shelves, but we decided to keep it and it’s become my handbag cupboard! I’d previously always struggled with finding good ways to store my handbags and this has been the perfect solution! We did have a new door made to match the rest of the doors in the flat, and I’m glad we did as I think it makes it look a little less conspicuous!
The walls were wired for wall lamp, and we liked the idea of not cluttering up the bedside tables with lamps, so we decided to keep that feature. We nearly changed our minds after realising how hard it is to find nice wall lamps that don’t look old/hotel like! We eventually tracked down these copper and grey asymmetric ones online at Lamp and Light, they weren’t cheap but they’re perfect for the space and we get a lot of compliments on them!
The bedside tables were one of the first things we bought, they are the grey Made Elona. They’re actually supposed to have brass legs not copper, this isn’t actually a combo they sell, but a mix up at the depot meant they were delivered with the wrong legs. They offered to send out the brass legs to us but we liked the copper so much we decided to keep them! We really like them, they’re the perfect height and they hold a lot, but the drawers are a bit of a pain because they’re super stiff to open, something to bear in mind!
I was excited to have enough room to have a proper dressing table set up, after having a cramped make-do set up in London. I wanted to make sure the dressing table was in front of the window so I have the best light for makeup. I spent a lot of time picking a dressing table, I wanted an old mid century antique from a local vintage store but ultimately it just didn’t fit with the room. I ended up opting for the classic Malm dresser with a grey set of Alex drawers to store my products. It’s a little basic but it does the job well, and I like how simple they look.
The little mirror on the dressing table was a Sainsbury’s find of all places! It’s got a marble base and brass surround and it’s perfect for being big enough to be useable, but not blocking too much light!
The stool was from Maison du Monde, but in all honesty I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s much smaller than I expected it to be for the price (it’s really too low to use at a dressing table), and it’s broken already, so when I find something better I’ll be replacing it!
The chair was a piece we inherited from Connor’s dad, and I love having it there. It’s a great spot to sit with my cup of tea in the morning, it’s handy for sitting to put your shoes on, and it’s a great dumping ground for coats and scarves! It’s normally draped with a few West Elm blankets, I have three or four of these now and I love them!
And of course we have a classic double Malm chest of drawers! We’ve had this since we moved to London and whilst it’s something we’d eventually like to replace, for now it does the job and it doesn’t look out of place. We currently have a mirror resting on the top, which is supposed to be on the wall but we just haven’t gotten round to it yet!
On the top I’ve tried to keep things simple, I have a copper lamp that used to be on my desk in London, a vase from TKMaxx with a few faux eucalyptus leaves, and a stack of some of my favourite bedroom candles!
So that’s my bedroom! It’s honestly such a lovely calming space, and one of my favourite in the flat. I’d suggest keeping in mind:
- Keeping your colour palette simple. Save your bright coloured walls and multicoloured throw cushions for another room and opt for neutral tones. Think spa like!
- Play with textures. Having a stack of cosy blankets, furry cushions or a throw. Soft furnishings are key to making a room feel cosy.
- Don’t forget your downlighting. Our spotlights have a dimmer switch, but the light is still blue toned, I wanted to make sure we had dim, warm lighting to opt for in the evening. Pick up lamps and stock up on candles!
- Say goodbye to clutter. I try to keep a real limit to what we keep in the bedroom, and what’s on the sides/walls, or on display. Keeping things minimal helps keep your mind quiet, and it means it’s easier to keep tidy and clean! Nobody wants to be lying in bed thinking about the cleaning.
What are your tips for creating a calm bedroom?