Nights are getting chillier as the dreaded winter sets in. Chances are, you’ll be spending longer between the sheets over the next few months. So if your bedroom is looking drab, it might be time to give it a boost by introducing some soothing romantic appeal. Here’s how to create your own little sanctuary of dream-time indulgence.
Lucy Miles, head interior stylist at Living Edge is an expert at upping the ante in the bedroom stakes. She has a fantastic eye and loads of experience in styling beautiful bedrooms every day. Lucy knows exactly what’s on trend.
Texture is always big in bedrooms, she says. “As we come into winter, start pulling in cosy layers that add depth – throws, Mongolian now sheepskins, voluptuous double sided duvets with contrasting textures and patterns, an ottoman at the end of the bed.” It’s a sumptuous look that wouldn’t be right in summer.
Colours that add romance include soft beige, greys and biscuits. “We’re also using a lot of soft golds, lilacs and rose – a really soft almost ballet pink. If you want to create a feeling of drama then bring in heavier colour accents of black, deep inky blue or metallic charcoal.”
Soft lighting is also key – whether it’s suspended on lamps, on bedsides or wall-mounted. “Anything in fabric will soften the room and at Living Edge, we can custom-make shades to suit the room’s decor. You can always have some fun trying a bit of DIY, perhaps adding beautiful antique fringing or delicate pom poms around the bottom of the shade.”
Candles of course add mood lighting, but they also give off a beautiful aroma. “It’s good to have a natural life element. A small vase of some kind of floral gives a breath of life to a room and there’s nothing nicer than a Mor candle or a diffuser.”
For each room she is staging, Lucy tries to give it its own personality with a colour theme and a layered look. She starts with a valance, sheets, duvet and a second duvet, which she rolls or drapes over the end of the bed for height. She adds a headboard in cane, velvet or linen to frame the bed. “Upholstered headboards are big. We’re broadening our range and getting them custom-made in gorgeous velvets.”
Next, Lucy brings in Euros – at least a single – then a cluster of standard pillows in contrasting colours and textures. After that she adds bedside tables and a set of lamps. To get the stunning look for which Living Edge is renowned, every room is beautifully coordinated to tell a cohesive story. Nothing is random.
If you’re not comfortable putting a bedroom look together, Living Edge has stylists who can help you make your room look divine.
“They come in, look at the room and what else is in the home, talk to the client about what they like and whether they’ve seen an image that are inspired by – and go from there. We can source all product from scratch, providing interior design and furniture packages. Often though, we work with a client’s existing furniture, pieces they already have in their home. If we see something we can utilise in a new way, we’re not afraid to use it.
“A few months ago, we were in a home and found these incredible dressing screens with beautiful tapestry insets. We used three as headboards and they completely set the scene, adding fantastic drama. It’s really fun to utilise something the client already owns in a different way or working with their drapery and building a story around it. When you live with something you often get used to it. It takes a new eye to see it.”
Though a few accessories personalise bedroom spaces, less is definitely more in the bedroom. Lucy says, it needs to be cosy, but she prefers the intimate bedroom space to be less cluttered. Paring back ensures a calm, serene ambience that’s not as busy as the rest of our lives.
And what could be more delicious than slipping between crisp white bedlinen and surrounding ourselves in layers of feel-good luxe without everyday distractions to help us dream better at night.
