Small extras help create dream bedroom
It’s the little extras that make a bedroom something special. A stand-out headboard, stylish bedside tables, good lighting and even an ottoman at the foot of the bed can turn a basic bedroom into a relaxing sanctuary.
HEAD START
To instantly make your bedroom feel more special, add a headboard – they come in all styles, shapes and colours and are comfortable to lean against, as well as creating a focal point. For a villa with a high stud, the formal look is a natural choice – channel the vibe of an upmarket hotel room when choosing fabric – perhaps add metal studs or a luxe trim. In a spacious room, the bigger the headboard the better – a deep buttoned headboard in a touchable fabric such as velvet will instantly add sophistication.
In a room with a lower stud, think about taking the headboard all the way to the ceiling. If you’re looking to create a bedroom with a subtly masculine feel, consider a leather headboard. In a more casual room, headboards are not as common – instead the bed can be pushed up against a statement wall, perhaps covered in a grass paper or striking wallpaper. If you’d like to create your own affordable headboard, The CoverQuick bedhead from Harvey Furnishings is an upholstered headboard inner with a click-in system that allows you to change out the fabric easily.
AT THE FOOT OF THE BED
Ottomans are the ideal doubleduty furniture piece for bedrooms - a long ottoman that sits at the end of the bed will come in handy. You can sit on it while you put your shoes on and toss your clothes on it when you get ready for bed. A lidded version will be perfect for storing out-of-season bedding and bulky clothes.
Ottomans in bedrooms are kidfriendly too, especially if they’re made in leather or a robust fabric. They’re perfect for resting a board game or colouring in and ideal for storing messy toys - a quick scoopand-run tidy up, shut the lid and you’re done.
BESIDE THE BED
The classic pair of matching bedside cabinets will never go out of style and ones with drawers are ideal if you’re the sort of person who collects bedside clutter. If you want to have a lamp or clock on your bedside table, you’ll need drawers or a shelf for storing books and other items. But think laterally when it comes to bedside furnishings.
Who said you need to have a bespoke beside cabinet – what about a stool, chair or even a storage box? And it’s no longer de rigueur to have everything matchy-matchy – different options on either side of the bed are just fine too, but perhaps keep them in similar colour tones.
LIGHTS OUT
Consider the practicalities – will your lighting be bright enough for reading in bed? Is it dimmable if one of you prefers to read late into the night while the other slumbers? How much room do you have on your bedside table? Rather than opting for a lamp that takes up lots of space or reading lights mounted on the wall, some of today’s most fashion-forward bedrooms have pendant lights that hang on either side of the bed.
If you’re brave enough, you could even consider one pendant light and a standing lamp (with the same style of shade) on either side of the bed.
MIRROR, MIRROR
Every bedroom needs one, preferably full length, but the reflective quality of a mirror means it will bring light and a sense of space to a room that is small or lacking in natural light. A vintage mirror, a collection of mirrors or one with a beautiful frame will act like a work of art in a bedroom.