Play up the personality, says designer and TV star, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen

What’s your own bedroom style?

“My bedroom has a lot of black, which anchors my scheme. Generally speaking, dark colours are better for bedrooms, because they create a more restful and cocooning atmosphere, rather than light, bright colour palettes,” explains designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, right, whose new range for Appletree Living includes a black and gold Dandy duvet set, from £75.

“Our walls are neutral and contrast with a black carpet and headboard. Beautiful champagne-coloured silk curtains dress the many windows.

“I’m very, very fond of our photographs, in fabulous heavy black frames, of our two daughters and our family. They add to a display of photos taken over the last 25 years of ‘celebrity-dom’.

“My favourite item is a lovely Georgian starburst mirror which I bought in a flea market and works really well.”

With a dressing room and a bathroom leading off the bedroom, Laurence can see the roll-top bath from the bed. “It’s a lovely way of celebrating space but also maximising the efficiency of how it works,” he enthuses.

How do you create the perfect bedroom?

“The big thing is adding personality, and the more personality, the better,” he urges. “So, if you feel like being Cleopatra, be Cleopatra! It’s about really letting go and not denying yourself – just go for it.

“You’re actually at your happiest when you inhabit a space that really reflects who you are, and a private, inner sanctum like a bedroom is the perfect place to express that.”

Flamboyant and stylish, Laurence is no fan of minimalism or hiding possessions away. He added: “If you’ve got things that mean a lot to you, surround yourself with them.

“Surrounding yourself with the things you own is surrounding yourself with memories and the stories of your life – stop putting them away in a cupboard.”