Category Archives: Bedroom Inspiration

Storage Bed

Small bedroom spaces will benefit from having a storage bed that they can place all there personal essentials in. Storage beds come in two varieties, ottoman or drawers. Choosing drawers as an under bed storage option is great as you can simply pull the drawer open and have instant access to your belongings, however you need to make sure there is enough space to open your drawers.

Ottoman beds are practical and easy to use, you simply lift the bed frame using the gas lift mechanism to access the space underneath your bed. Ottoman beds are great for rooms with limited space as they bed lifts upwards or side to side so you do not have to worry about the space around the bed.

To maximise the space in your room you should purchase a bed with a high headboard as this will draw the eye upwards making the room seem taller. Your bed should have no footboard as this will create more space and also discourage you from placing clothes, handbags or ties on the end.

Choosing the Right Furniture

Finding the right storage for your bedroom doesn’t have to be traditional; choosing items that belong in other rooms can create a visually exciting style and provide you will excellent storage.

Console Tables
Console tables are a slim line versatile piece of furniture that can be used in the bedroom as a desk or dressing table. Using a console table as a desk will provide a place to study or do paper work, place shelves above the desk or to the side will provide room to space out your accessories. Console tables can be turned into dressing tables by placing a beautiful ornate mirror on the wall in front of the table, purchasing a fold away chair or upholstered stool will help to finish to desired look.

Bookcases
Bookcases are ideal for storing items on; there unique slim line features mean you can place into alcoves or against small structured walls. Some bookcase designs come with the facility to place boxes or storage baskets on the shelves which is ideal for placing personal bits and bobs in.

Sliding Wardrobe
Sliding wardrobes can be a life saver if you do not have the room for hinged swinging wardrobes. Sliding wardrobes are great for placing small chest of drawers inside, however you need to make sure you measure the space carefully otherwise the doors may not close. Sliding wardrobes come with an option of mirrored fronts, choosing mirrored front wardrobes are great for smaller rooms as it reflects the light around the room creating a sense of space and light.

Bedside Tables
Bedside tables are great as an additional storage feature as they come with deep storage drawers that are great for placing small essentials or folded t-shirts. If you prefer a larger space for storing your laptop or books then choosing a bedside table with a storage drawer and large cupboard or shelf underneath may be more ideal for you. If you have no room for a bedside table then another alternative is to place shelves above your bed, remember to place them high so you do not bump your head getting in and out of bed!

Choosing a Colour Palette

Keeping your bedroom neutral with light tones is the ideal décor for smaller bedrooms. However if you prefer to introduce colour into the room why not do this through your soft furnishings. Choosing a bright colourful bed throw, lamp shades and decorative cushions can brighten the room and make it feel more personalised to you.

If neutral coloured walls are to plain for your palette then you can choose a pastel colour and explore the different pastel tones, for example choosing a pastel green for your main wall and then choosing a lighter pastel green tone for your other walls will create a fresh appeal to the room. If you are introducing colour to your walls then you should keep your soft furnishings neutral.

Accessorising Your Bedroom

If you have wooden floors and you want to warm the room with a beautiful rug, than make sure your rug is placed under the bed, your rug should be large enough for you to step on to it when you get out of bed. Rugs should be kept simple, no bright colours or patterns as this will take over the room.

Ceiling lights are great for creating a focal point in the bedroom. Low designs and large features look great in neutral toned rooms.

Shabby Chic

Shabby chic style is a form of interior design where the furniture is selected due to its age and signs of wear and tear. Newer furniture can be distressed to achieve the appearance of an antique look. Shabby chic style is a popular décor in bedrooms; it has a soft cottage appearance that offers a homely appealing feel.

Choosing The Right Tones

To create a shabby chic look in your bedroom your colour palette should consist of white, pastel pink and pastel blues. Shabby chic is a feminine style that has floral patterns and ornate details.

Feature walls are a popular choice to capture the perfect shabby chic look. The Flourish White & Silver Floral Wallpaper has a beautiful floral pattern that would look stunning as a feature wall behind your bed. Keeping your walls light and airy will contribute towards the shabby chic style.

The Indira pastel peacock floral wallpaper is a luxurious wallpaper that will look beautiful as a feature wall. The stunning pastel pinks and light hints of pastel blue and green set the perfect colour tones for your shabby chic look.

Shabby Chic Furniture

The furniture you choose for your shabby chic look is important; placing the right furniture in your bedroom will help to achieve the desired style. White painted furniture is an excellent choice as it displays the distressed detail whilst providing a sense of space in the room.

Your bed is an eye catching piece of furniture that should provide comfort and support. The Vista solid pine and distressed bed is the perfect addition for a shabby chic room. The Vista Bed has a gorgeous hand painted distressed finish that has authentic detailing and discrepancies which add charisma to the bed.

When creating a shabby chic look your bedroom should be coordinated with furniture from the same range to capture the stunning rustic appearance and contemporary feel. Your wardrobe, bedside tables, chest of drawers and dressing table will provide excellent storage whilst contributing to the shabby chic look.

Feature chairs are a great additional to your bedroom, they can be used as a quiet place to snuggle up and read a book or used as a elegant chair for a dressing table. The Louis shabby chic chair has a neutral coloured distressed painted frame with check pattern fabric that will blend into any shabby chic interior.

Shabby Chic Soft Furnishings

Soft furnishings allow you to display you personality within your room. Choosing the right furnishings can set the ambience and help you to relax.

Dressing your bed in the right style of bed linen is important as your need to make sure your distressed style bed is on show and you do not loose the shabby chic style. Keeping your bed linen white with a floral, pale pink or pale blue throw or bedspread will add a touch of colour without taking the emphasis away from the detailing on the bed.

Accessorising your bedroom with ornaments and nik naks is where your personality will shine through. Metal and wicker is a popular choice when accessorising a shabby chic bedroom. Candelabra, bird cages, flowers and rustic frames are some of the popular items used when accessorising your shabby chic room.

Guest Room Essentials

Guest rooms are designed so your friends and family can stay over night and still have a level of privacy and comfort. Guest rooms are usually a neutral colour so they can make all gender of guests feel comfortable.

The Guest Bed

The guest bed is an important selection when designing your guest room, it is the main source of comfort and the difference between a good nights sleep. There are many types of guest beds to choose from depending on the room size and how often you will use your guest bed.

Day Beds are perfect for guest rooms as they have a unique, modern style that is both comfortable and versatile. Most day beds have the option to add a trundle underneath the bed, this is great for multiple guests as you can pull the trundle out from under the bed to create 2 separate beds.  Day beds have a beautiful ornate structure that can be used as a bed or a seating area. When the day bed is not being used as a bed you can place lots of cushions along the back frame to create a quiet reading space or a comfortable sofa effect.

Folding guest beds can be placed anywhere in your home as they are easy to transport and fold away for storage. If your guest room has multiple uses then you may not want your guest bed on permanent display. Purchasing a folding guest bed allows you to fold away and place in storage.

If you have a big enough room and you want to allocate your room to strictly guest use only, then purchasing a normal bed frame may be the perfect option for you. A bed frame can be purchased with storage that allows your guest to put there bags away. If you are expecting couples or multiple guests a double or king sized bed frame can be a comfortable option.

Guest Room Storage Space

Storage space in your guest room should be considered carefully to make sure you are maximising the space to the best of its potential. Adding storage facilities to your guest room will allow your guests to place there clothes, bags and essentials.

A bookcase is a brilliant option for storage, with a large selection of sizes and styles they can hold an excellent amount of essentials. The Cubo Black and White Cube Storage unit has a modern yet simply design that is ideal for placing in a guest room; the slim line design has three drawers that allow your guests to store there private belongings as well as seven shelves for placing folded clothes and bathroom essentials. If you want your guest room to have a modern yet rustic flare then the Scan White & Bamboo Ladder Bookcase will look fantastic as a feature piece of furniture.

Side tables are great for placing next to a guest bed and will offer a handy place for your guests to store there mobile phones, mp3 player or books. Side tables can also offer storage drawers that can be used for placing belongings inside; the Ohio 3 Drawer Bedside Table is a classic example as to how much storage a bedside table can offer. Bedside tables can offer less storage drawers and bigger storage cupboards that you can place your laptop or books inside.

Chests of drawers have a wide and narrow design, depending on the size of your room would depend on which style you can fit into your guest room. Narrow chests are great for smaller rooms as they fit into alcoves or small spaces, narrow chests have deeper drawers to compensate for the narrow structure.

Displaying Your Personality

Neutral décor is a popular choice when decorating guest rooms; however there is nothing to say you can’t portray your personality through your choice of art. When couples move in together there is always that one piece of questionable art that you can not agree on, more often those pieces of crazy daring art will be displayed on the guest room wall.  Placing crazy canvases, art and ornaments can create a visually exciting effect that your guests will enjoy looking at.  (Stag head image)

Mirrors placed around the room will allow your guests to admire themselves in the morning before greeting everybody for breakfast. Mirrors are ideal for making a room seem larger; they bounce light around the room making it feel bright and airy.

Final Touches

Adding final touches to your guest room can make the difference to making your guests feel at home. Soft furnishings like cushions, curtains and throws will make the room feel homely and inviting.

Don’t forget your guest will require a shower or use of the bathroom in the morning, placing large shower towels and face clothes in there room allows them the choice to bathe without needing to ask. Everybody accumulates samples of toothpaste, perfumes and shower gels leaving them in a jar or bowl in the room can make your guests feel at ease and welcome.

Cool & Contemporary

Your bedroom should meet your personality and interests, a cool and contemporary style can transform your bedroom into a stylish haven that will make you feel relaxed and happy.  Below we have added some inspiration on how to create a cool and contemporary look and feel in your bedroom.

Choosing The Right Colour Tone

A cool and contemporary style can be created using a simple neutral colour palette, mocha, light browns, stone, creams and light grey are some of the colours that are recommended for creating your desired look. Neutral tones have a warm and inviting feel that soften the look of your room. Adding a light grey tone or pastel blue effect will project a feeling of serenity and calm in the room.

Creating The Look

Placing the right furniture in your room will contribute to creating the perfect contemporary look. If your walls are cream and your accessorising in mocha browns you will be able to use a darker wood for your furniture. If your walls are light browns, mocha, light grey or pastel blues then we would recommend cream or white furniture.

Your bed is the most important piece of furniture in your bedroom; it provides comfort but also sets the ambience and style in your room. To create your cool contemporary look we would recommend a bed with a tall headboard as this will give a beautiful grand opulent look. Material beds are great for blending into any scenario; they come in all different colours and materials making them the ideal choice when creating your contemporary look.

Should my other furniture match?
Your should try to aim to have the bedside table, chest of drawers and wardrobe matching from the same range as this will look more effective and will look great in your contemporary style bedroom. Your bedroom furniture can be a light or dark wooden finish depending on the décor in your room.

Placing a feature chair in your bedroom can contribute to styling your perfect contemporary bedroom. A feature chair can also be used for a quiet comfortable reading corner or a place to stack your cushions off the bed.

Soft Furnishings

Soft furnishings provide the finishing homely touches to the room. Keeping your accessories neutral will complement the room and furniture.

The cool contemporary look can be created through your bed linen by choosing white or cream duvets with mocha or light grey throws or bedspreads on top. Placing decorative cushions on top of the bed in mocha or light grey tones will provide a beautiful finishing touch.

Is Lighting Important?
Lighting can set the mood and give a completely different look to the room. Bedside table lamps provide a decorative feel and should be kept to a slim intricate design. Ceiling lights look great hung low as it gives a more personal, warm feel that will complete the contemporary style.

Rugs look great in bedrooms and can make a room feel warm. Rugs should be placed under the bed with enough carpet showing so you can put your feet on first thing in the morning. Contemporary style rugs should be plain with soft brown or cream tones. Plain rugs do not have to be boring, purchasing a fluffy style rug is very popular in modern bedrooms and living rooms now a days.

The Guest Bed

The guest bed is an important selection when designing your guest room, it is the main source of comfort and the difference between a good nights sleep. There are many types of guest beds to choose from depending on the room size and how often you will use your guest bed.

Day Beds are perfect for guest rooms as they have a unique, modern style that is both comfortable and versatile. Most day beds have the option to add a trundle underneath the bed, this is great for multiple guests as you can pull the trundle out from under the bed to create 2 separate beds.

Day beds have a beautiful ornate structure that can be used as a bed or a seating area. When the day bed is not being used as a bed you can place lots of cushions along the back frame to create a quiet reading space or a comfortable sofa effect.

Folding Guest Beds

Folding guest beds can be placed anywhere in your home as they are easy to transport and fold away for storage. If your guest room has multiple uses then you may not want your guest bed on permanent display. Purchasing a folding guest bed allows you to fold away and place in storage.

If you have a big enough room and you want to allocate your room to strictly guest use only, then purchasing a normal bed frame may be the perfect option for you. A bed frame can be purchased with storage that allows your guest to put there bags away.

If you are expecting couples or multiple guests a double or king sized bed frame can be a comfortable option.

Storage Options for your Room

Storage space in your guest room should be considered carefully to make sure you are maximising the space to the best of its potential. Adding storage facilities to your guest room will allow your guests to place there clothes, bags and essentials.

Bookcase Options
A bookcase is a brilliant option for storage, with a large selection of sizes and styles they can hold an excellent amount of essentials. The Cubo Black and White Cube Storage unit has a modern yet simply design that is ideal for placing in a guest room; the slim line design has three drawers that allow your guests to store there private belongings as well as seven shelves for placing folded clothes and bathroom essentials. If you want your guest room to have a modern yet rustic flare then the Scan White & Bamboo Ladder Bookcase will look fantastic as a feature piece of furniture.

Optional Bedroom Furniture

Side tables are great for placing next to a guest bed and will offer a handy place for your guests to store there mobile phones, mp3 player or books. Side tables can also offer storage drawers that can be used for placing belongings inside; the Ohio 3 Drawer Bedside Table is a classic example as to how much storage a bedside table can offer. Bedside tables can offer less storage drawers and bigger storage cupboards that you can place your laptop or books inside.

Chests of drawers have a wide and narrow design, depending on the size of your room would depend on which style you can fit into your guest room.

Narrow chests are great for smaller rooms as they fit into alcoves or small spaces, narrow chests have deeper drawers to compensate for the narrow structure.

Give your walls Personality

Neutral décor is a popular choice when decorating guest rooms; however there is nothing to say you can’t portray your personality through your choice of art. When couples move in together there is always that one piece of questionable art that you can not agree on, more often those pieces of crazy daring art will be displayed on the guest room wall.

Placing crazy canvases, art and ornaments can create a visually exciting effect that your guests will enjoy looking at.  (Stag head image)

Mirrors placed around the room will allow your guests to admire themselves in the morning before greeting everybody for breakfast. Mirrors are ideal for making a room seem larger; they bounce light around the room making it feel bright and airy.

Don’t Forget the Final Touches

Adding final touches to your guest room can make the difference to making your guests feel at home. Soft furnishings like cushions, curtains and throws will make the room feel homely and inviting.

Don’t forget your guest will require a shower or use of the bathroom in the morning, placing large shower towels and face clothes in there room allows them the choice to bathe without needing to ask. Everybody accumulates samples of toothpaste, perfumes and shower gels leaving them in a jar or bowl in the room can make your guests feel at ease and welcome.

Bed Space Saver

Your bedroom is a personal space that holds all your personal belongings, clothes and essentials. Keeping your room clutter free and tidy can improve your mood and help you to relax in the evening. If storage space is an issue for you due to small space or just simply having to many clothes or shoes then an alternative form of storage is available under your bed.

Ottoman Beds

An ottoman bed is a storage bed that is designed to store your belongings out of sight so your room can be kept nice and tidy with ease. The ottoman bed frame and mattress lifts up using a gas powered mechanism, this allows you to place your essentials under the bed without risk of the bed frame dropping.

Ottoman beds are excellent for storing bed linen, shoes, clothes and other personal belongings. Having extra storage space underneath your bed can help to de-clutter your wardrobes and chest of drawers. There are different bed bases to an ottoman, some have fitted bed bases that elevate your belongings off the floor and some ottomans have no bases which means you will need to place your items on your carpet.

The Accent Fabric Ottoman Bed offers amazing storage with a discreet design that allows you easy access to your belongings. The accent ottoman bed has a bottom floor that is elevated off the floor, which helps to keep your essentials hidden. Some ottoman beds have built in floors to protect your flooring and your belongings from damage or indenting your carpets.

The Chelsea Fabric Ottoman Bed has a strong gas lift that allows the bed to be lifted to reveal convenient under bed storage. The ottoman bed has a low design that allows you to place your belongings on the floor without them being on show. Placing your items on the floor is an advantage for heavy items as you do not have to worry about them falling through the bed.

Beds With Drawers

Bed frames with drawers are excellent for storage, the pull out drawers are situated underneath the bed and are easily pulled out to reveal all your belongings. The drawers have there own framed structure that is elevated off the floor so you can store smaller essentials without the risk of them getting lost.

There are different styles of beds with drawers; some beds come with multiple drawers for maximum storage where as some beds come with an option to place your drawer on the left or right hand side of your bed.

The Infinity EU Multi Storage Bed is the perfect example of a bed with under storage drawers. The beautifully structured bed features 2 storage drawers on either side of the bed and 2 storage bays that allow you to place items under the bed without having to move the bedside tables to open the drawers.

The Cocoon Gloss Bed has a full length drawer that slides in underneath the side rails of the bed. The Cocoon has a drawer on either side of the bed that offers excellent storage space for a clutter free environment.

Fabric Beds vs. Leather Beds

Both fabric beds and leather beds are a popular choice when purchasing a bed. The luxurious materials have there own advantages and disadvantages and in the end the decision will come down to personal preference.

Fabric Beds have excellent comfort and allow you to sit up in bed without having to rearrange your pillows. The comfortable padded headboard is upholstered with soft luxurious material and finished in a soft fabric. Fabric beds are available in a wide range of choices from mink velvet fabric to grey fabric. Choosing a fabric material also gives you more options to include pattern or print designs as well as being available in a wide range of colours to suit your décor.

Fabric material has neutral qualities that are able to be placed along side wood or gloss furniture making it easy to coordinate your bedroom. Fabric beds can be repaired easily if damaged and can be cleaned of stains using furniture cleaner. If you have pets that like to jump or sleep in the bed with you, then vacuuming your bed every so often will help to remove access pet hair from the material.

Leather beds have a classy, durable look that will suit most bedroom décor. Leather beds are commonly manufactured in dark brown, cream and black however you can get additional colours from specialist manufacturers.

Leather can age well if you look after it correctly; using special cleaner to hydrate the leather can help with the aging process and can create a beautiful aged leather effect in your bedroom. Leather is easy to clean and maintain, however it is important to keep zips and sharp objects away from the material as it is harder to repair.

Create The Look

Your ottoman bed is a stylish and elegant piece of furniture that should be completed with beautiful linens that compliment the structure and colour of the bed. If you want to show the structure of your fabric bed and use it as a feature to complement the linen and décor, then tucking your bed sheets and duvet under the mattress will add a stylish and modern look to your room. Tucking the bed sheets underneath the mattress will also make it more convenient and easy to lift your ottoman without the sheets being disturbed.

Storage drawer beds look great with the bed linen tucked into the mattress or if you want to disguise your drawers the storage beds can look just as nice with the linen draped down. Fabric and leather beds have there own distinctive look, adding a throw or bedspread to your bed can create a opulent, luxurious look that is both eye catching and modern.