EXPERT TIPS
BEDROOM DESIGN INSPIRATION
How to create a space beyond your wildest dreams
What does relaxation mean to you? For some, it’s about curling up on the living room couch at the end of a long day – for others, it might be taking to the dining room with a few close friends and a bottle of wine in tow. But a point on which we can all agree is that the bedroom is the one place in the house that was made purely for relaxing in. It’s a space that should soothe you and gently lull you towards a restful sleep. It’s where dreaming takes place and where you wake up to the view you want to see every morning. So, it follows that your bedroom should be cosy and calming, filled only with the things you love. But just as we all have our own take on what ‘chilling out’ is, everyone has a distinct idea of what ‘comfort’ looks and feels like to them.
So, while we’re not trying to convert you away from pale colours and pared-back neutrals if that’s your thing, we will tell you that dark wallpaper works like a dream in the bedroom, naturally evoking nightfall and cocooning you in its inky depths. But regardless of whether you go into the light or over to the dark side, “A tonal scheme is what makes a truly relaxing bedroom,” according to our Decorating Consultants. “Choose colours that coordinate with your chosen wallpaper or fabric when decorating the rest of the room. Even the ceiling should be a muted version of what you have in the space, rather than a stark white, so that everything combines to create a cohesive palette.”
The stuff of dreams
If you’re someone who finds peace and tranquillity in nature, surrounding yourself with a verdant motif like BAMBUSA or PALMERAL will feel just as serene. Alternatively, prints that are rich with intricate detail – think the psychedelic wonderland unfurling across MOON GARDEN or the prehistoric playground of DINOSAURIA – will delight a distracted mind, making for a mesmerising alternative to counting sheep into the small hours. Then by covering all four walls in your chosen design – complete with a plump of matching cushions on the bed – you will be completely enveloped in a world of your own making. Our design says, “It will make the space feel more harmonious and avoid a single feature wall on its own feeling heavy – having them all papered actually pushes the walls back out.”
Play with prints
Yes, even grown-ups can decorate their bedroom with dinosaurs. The key to our playful prints working in all spaces (and for all ages) is down to their sophisticated colour palettes and painterly, mural-esque qualities. According to our design team, the House of Hackney signature of “a large, organic motif, which grows around the walls of the room in a natural way – rather than something graphic or too repetitive,” is especially suited for the bedroom. Think ZEUS, MIDNIGHT GARDEN or ARTEMIS as pictured here.
Night Lights
The perfect bedfellows? A luxurious lampshade paired with a statement-making stand.
