The kitchen might be considered the heart of the home, but is any space so crucial to our wellbeing as the bedroom? It’s the first space we see in the morning and the last one we see at night, but making sure it suits your style can be a difficult task.
While some of us might rely on restful hues and a clutter-free policy in order to guarantee the coveted eight hours, others will wake up energised by bold colour and brilliantly clashing pattern.
We’ve rounded up twenty of our favourite bedroom ideas (and we see plenty of them) to inspire you. One of them could be the bedroom of your dreams…
Curtain Call
The simplest way to split up space is with drapes, which lend themselves particularly well to studio living. Quick and affordable to install, they can still add serious wow factor – go for chic but understated plain linen, such as in this Paris home designed by Batiik Studio, or take the opportunity to add a powerful print.
Dark Art
It’s a shame that so many shy away from darker walls, which can feel wonderfully cocooning – perfect for the bedroom. In this north London home, interior design firm Studio Iro has let a moody shade of Bauwerk’s limewash paint shine by keeping everything else gratifyingly simple. Studio founder Lucy Currell describes her style as ‘soulful and warm, while remaining visually balanced and calming’.
Get Into Shape
Opting for contrasting colour and pattern might not sound conducive to sleep, but this space shows just how well it can work when rooted in earthy tones. The silhouettes of a modern wall hanging by Richard McVetis are reflected in the expressive quilt, which was created by designer Isabel Fletcher using textile offcuts.
Mellow Yellow
Cheery and supremely liveable, buttery yellows are a brilliantly uplifting choice for bedrooms. Subtleties in shade can make all the difference here, so look towards hues that have a warm, golden undertone, rather than anything that gravitates towards green – it’ll feel suitably sunny on long weekend mornings.
Tough Luxe
Be inventive with salvaged finds to create a look that’s subtly industrial – and wholly original. Here, a mattress rests on old builders’ palettes, while a wall of scuffed steel lockers acts as a headboard and a smart storage solution. The layered dusky pink bedding elevates these time-worn finds to something far more luxurious.
A Place for Everything
Built-in storage above the bed went out of fashion years ago – it’s often the first thing to go when new buyers arrive – but thanks to attractive bespoke cabinetry like this stylish example in a Sydney home by Killing Matt Woods, it’s enjoying a renaissance. An inset shelf also eliminates the need for bedside tables, reducing visual clutter and maximising floor space.
Dream in Technicolour
Paint isn’t the only way to inject colour into a room, as this gloriously inventive bedroom inspired by the Memphis group proves (with panache). Choose bright tiles cleanly framed by graphic black grout and primary-hued furniture to emulate its 80s-tinged style – wallflowers need not apply.
Softly Does It
Soothing greens, greys and dusky pinks are go-to shades for good reason. Case in point is this restful space in the ELLE Decoration-designed Covent Garden penthouse which, according to our very own Editor-in-Chief Ben Spriggs, ‘heralds the new direction that the look of peoples’ homes will take in the months and years to come’.
Ahead of the Curve
The headboard is the natural focal point of a bedroom, and with its architectural curves and pop of crimson, this curved design by London interior studio No.12 commands attention. ‘Plain but polished fabrics, such as velvets in rich tones, create a sophisticated, timeless effect,’ say founders Katie and Emma.
Sunken Treasure
Why not create a bed that you can sink into – literally – like the one in this restored riad in Essaouira, Morocco? Tadelakt, the traditional North African lime-based plaster, is so versatile it can be moulded into virtually any shape and here, designers Graham Carter and Emma Wilson have used it to create the white ledges and raised headboard into which this bed is artfully set.
Gold Standard
Brighten up even the dreariest morning with golden accessories. To make this most precious of colours sing, set it against sumptuous blue walls, which make an ideal partner for this vintage quilt and brass spotlight. Even the custom-made white linen curtains have golden corduroy patches sewn in.
Celebrate Simplicity
If your home’s got bones as beautiful as this farmhouse ceiling, let them shine with a simple, uncluttered configuration. The floral bedlinen from Society Limonta – inspired by the optimism of springtime – brings a hit of verdant colour to an otherwise whitewashed space, while the solo artwork rested on the floor feels brilliantly unfussy.
Pattern Clash
Why are we happy to revive a tired sofa with a scatter of clashing cushions, but can’t see beyond matchy matchy set ups in the bedroom? These swirling designs are by Brooklyn-based textile studio CLR Shop, whose throws are woven in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains from eight miles of cotton.
All Natural
Layered natural tones let texture do the talking. See the oatmeals and taupes of this impactful space, which work in brilliant balance with the raw plaster wall and the oversized rattan pendant. An artfully arranged spray of dried flowers is a unique alternative to a framed print on the wall.
Rework the Classics
Give heritage designs, such as this ‘Honeysuckle & Tulip’ wallpaper by Morris & Co a new lease of life by pairing them with future classics. We love Thornam’s leather ‘The M’ headboard which smartly hangs from two hooks – it tempers the busyness of the wall-to-wall print.
Classic Elegance
Soft grey tones set a relaxing atmosphere for sleep. In this room, the bed is dressed in linen by Geismars that will only get softer over the years. Paired with white walls and floors, plus a Parisian design classic in the form of a Serge Mouille wall light, it’s an effortlessly chic approach that feels calm and considered.
Go Green
Biophilia speaks to our innate desire to be surrounded by greenery, and placing a selection of verdant houseplants beside the bed ensures nature is the first thing we see before we go to sleep and when we wake up. Choose varieties with air purifying qualities for extra bedroom benefits.
Cocooning Colour
Abigail Ahern is the queen of moody, saturated colour and her bedding collection for Secret Linen Store demonstrates how layering darker tones, from aubergine to a deep jewel-like teal, can produce a scheme that feels both dramatic and dreamy. Natural materials and white floorboards offer visual balance.
Bloom Time
Busy patterns can be conducive to a quiet mind. The tight repeat and on-trend orange/pink colour clash of this ‘Golden Lily’ wallpaper in ‘Pink Fizz’ from Archive by Sanderson Design could, at first glance, seem like an unusual choice for a bedroom, but for maximalists it’s as peaceful as a bedtime story. Plus, it’s sure to cheer you up when the alarm sounds…
Dream in Ombre
If you are a little shy when it comes to bright colour, green is a good entry into more confident bedroom stylings. Instantly calming because of its associations with nature, it is made even more palatable when presented in an ombré effect – like this ‘Folia’ wallpaper by Paint & Paper Library, with its subtle leaf motif.
