This image: Sainsbury’s Coastal range of accessories, from £6
Angelina Villa-Clarke talks to the experts to reveal the latest trends and how to achieve the perfect bedroom sanctuary
The bedroom is one of our most private rooms and it is often the place where many of us express our personality. It’s a personal sanctuary we can retreat to and relax in at the end of a busy day. To create the ultimate modern bedroom, blend trends with timeless pieces of furniture, adding in cherished items which have special meaning for you. Whether you veer towards a Nordic cool sensibility or boutique boudoir, comfort and cosiness is important, so choose fine linens, sumptuous bedcovers and luxury window treatments.
A one-stop shop for a pulled-together, unique finish is Sandra Jane at Home. As well as advice on how to create your theme, with complementary fabrics, wallpapers and accessories, they can also commission original, crafted furniture to match your style.
A neutral colour palette works well. Iced Mauve, Pashmina and Lavender Mist are all pretty, pared-back paint shades available at Benjamin Moore. These are ideal base colours from which to add interest – paint a bolder statement wall, mix and match prints and textiles and use contrasting accessories.
Ruth Mottershead, marketing director at Paint & Paper Library, suggests darker hues give a cocooning feel: “Clutter-free bedrooms are the key to a good night’s sleep – so painting walls, doors and skirting boards the same in our Architects’ Matt helps create an oasis of tranquillity. I choose dark colours for the bedroom so that, even in lighter evenings, I am sure of a restful sleep and feel cosseted in the rich colour.”
Textile designer Vanessa Arbuthnott reveals how to bring this idea to life: “Layer colour and pattern gently for the ultimate in pared-down living. Make this room a haven from the busy world outside. Made-to-measure quilts and padded headboards are the ultimate bedroom luxury.”
To complete the look, add in accessories. Check out the homeware collections at Sainsbury’s, currently causing a stir with their accessible take on high-end design. From the indigo-blue bed linens to the relaxed, muted Coastal range, you’ll find a host of covetable pieces for a contemporary bedroom. Rona Olds, head of buying for Sainsbury’s Home, comments: “There’s no doubt that patterned bed linen is having a renaissance. It is a brilliant way to bring a focal point to a bedroom scheme. Layering is key, so team the Ditsy Geo linen set with a bold Moroccan style cushion and a navy knitted throw.” This image: Little Greene’s Scree and Shallows grey paint, £38 for 2.5 litres
Wallpaper is also back in vogue. Sandberg designs combine flora and fauna, while the new ‘trompe l’oeil’ effect wallpapers, such as Mineheart’s Panelling Wallpaper, are a contemporary update for bedroom walls.
David Mottershead, managing director of Little Greene, says: “Waking up surrounded by a botanical print is like waking up in your own art gallery. Keep the look on-trend by painting the skirting boards and mouldings in a dark colour inspired by the wallpaper.”
