MEADOW BEDROOM DESIGN DETAILS

If you're disappointed with your bedroom or living room, there's still time for you to make quick and effective changes to modernise your home in time for Christmas.

Focusing on the details and changing your accessories, will give your room a boost of energy, refreshing how it looks whilst invigorating how it feels. Small changes can make a big impact.

Last week I shared fundamentals of the makeover for The Meadow bedroom at my seaside house. This week, I'll show you the details that elevate the space to a cosy and welcoming bedroom for guests to relax in comfort and style. These are my design hacks that you can apply to modernise your own room in time for the festive season.

HOW IT LOOKED

This is how the bedroom looked when I bought the property: a yellow paradise.

MAKING A FEATURE

Every room needs a strong feature to draw the eye in and ground the space:

• In a living room the feature might be a fireplace.
• In the kitchen, the heart of the home would have previously been centred around the oven but, with modern open plan living, it's shifting to a central island with overhead lighting or bifold doors showcasing a garden vista.
• The bathroom feature should not focus on the toilet. A slipper bath or a luxury shower are usually the main features, but a gorgeous sink vanity could also take centre stage.

Take a moment to think about your room. What's the main feature? When you think about how you want the room to feel, does the feature emulate those words?

For example: in the Meadow bedroom, the main feature is the king size bed. I chose a divan bed because I needed the lift up storage space for spare bedding, but it's just a box shape and not very attractive.

I could have bought a simple rectangular headboard to pop onto the bed frame but, I like things that are different and I wanted my guests to feel as if they'd arrived at a luxury hotel.

Over the last few years, I've been designing bespoke headboards for my clients because it personalises their bedroom and looks gorgeous.

Firstly, I designed a scalloped shape that reminds me of seashells. I then sourced the Harlequin Daisy Trellis fabric that's reminiscent of the daisies around the seaside town. Put the two things together, with a trim of contrast piping, and I'm so delighted with the design. It's attractive whilst also creating a relaxing and calming atmosphere in the bedroom.

Headboards initially evolved as a way of reducing draughts from sleeping against cold brick walls. With modern houses and insulation, a headboard is now a design feature, but it also provides a sense of security and safety.

The pattern, colour, texture, style and shape of your headboard come together to create the overall design. It can nurture and comfort you, energise your morning or help relieve anxiety so you have a better night's sleep.

Using elevated scallops, helps to take the eye on a journey around the room, and also raises your eye level. Instead of looking at the flat bed, the eye now travels from one table lamp, up and over the scallops (like a mountain range) to the other bedside lamp. Taking the eye on a journey, stops the room from feeling dull, creating more interest and appeal in the bedroom.

STRENGTHENING THE FEATURE

To create a romantic bedroom, I decided to strengthen the scallops with a complementary bed throw and frilled crisply edged bedding. This softens the bed, making it feel calm and relaxing.

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If you're using geometry in your room design (scallops, curves, squares, pattern), it's always a good idea to use a subtle nod to it in several different ways in the room. Your mind will pick up on these connections subconsciously, enhancing your overall design.

CREATE A MOOD WITH LIGHTING

The table lamps, although very useful as a task light for reading at night, also helps to create a relaxing and restful mood. This is enhanced with a fabric pleated lampshade that emits a soft diffused light.

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This enhances holiday vibes whilst creating a romantic setting for guests to chillax in style. It's another touch point of luxury.

When choosing lights for your room, consider both daytime and night time settings to alter the mood. As with this lamp, the soft fabric diffuses light, whereas a crystal light would create drama in a room.

The ceiling pendant light has crystal droplets to give the bedroom a lift of energy. With 3 exposed candle bulbs, it also gives a brighter light for getting dressed or putting on make-up.

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Although it's a bright light, the style of the pendant is soft and romantic. I bought this Laura Ashley light over 20 years ago, and it's followed me from house to house ever since.

It's a great size for a bedroom, giving off enough light without being glaring or overpowering.

Lighting should be positive (so it wakes you up with energy in the morning) and negative (helping you to relax and sleep soundly).

ADJUST NATURAL LIGHTING

In this Meadow bedroom, there's glorious sunshine in the morning. As lovely as this is, it can also be too harsh for the bedroom. To diffuse the natural sunlight, I've incorporated a sheer privacy roller blind.

As well as creating calm energy, the blind reduces the strength of sunlight which helps prevent any sun damage to the antique desk. As a privacy blind, it's also useful to block out the ugly visual of a brick wall opposite.

For additional privacy and to create darkness in the room, I've incorporated curtains in the same fabric as the headboard. This connects the two areas of the bedroom and strengthens the design style.

The curtains are a simple box pleat so they stack to the side neatly. This bedroom is minimum fuss with maximum impact. The design detail are subtle to create an elegant room.

Guests come to this seaside house to relax and get away from everyday stresses, so everything in the bedroom is aimed at taking them on a journey to a peaceful and welcoming sanctuary space.

Create the mood for your room with subtle details, using colour, pattern and lighting to give a lift in energy but also help create a sense of calm. It's the Yin and Yang of design. They promote balance and harmony, which is perfect for my guests.

You'll notice there's also a full length mirror near the window. This will help capture the natural light and throw it out into darker parts of the bedroom. The mirror is situated within an alcove, which can be an area for stagnant energy, but the mirror helps to keep energy moving and an equilibrium in the space.

THE FINISHING TOUCHES

What could be more glamorous than antique furniture where you can sit and read, pen a letter, get glammed up, or take a selfie with the amazing glow from the sunshine. It's also a great spot for people watching.

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I incorporated antique furniture in this bedroom because it's a period home and the furniture has a lovely energy. Watch the highlights to spot furniture details that complement the seaside.

The furniture balances the overall design, with romantic curves to relax in comfort.

A chair isn't just a place to sit, it's a moment to relax and unwind and space to take time out and think. Many a dream has begun by sitting and staring out the window. What would be your dream?

To help protect the desktop, I've added a piece of glass that's made to size. This reduces the possibility of the wood from getting accidently damaged by guests or destroyed by the sun.

I've also added a vintage tray with glasses and a crystal decanter for chilled water. It's a lovely way of modernising old wine decanters that are very rarely used nowadays.

There are minimal accessories because this is a family holiday home and guests need space to put out their own things.

When you accessorise your room, think about how people will use the space.

Where will they charge phones/tablets/laptops etc? What task lighting do they need for reading, make up or getting ready?

Also important, particularly in this seaside house, is how much space do guest need in the room. Guests will bring suitcases and bags so floorspace, wardrobes and drawers should be empty for them to use.

Everyone who visits is always sad to leave and wants to stop longer. This is such a cosy, romantic and restful bedroom that's perfect for leaving your troubles behind.

Now I just need to finalise the flooring. Do I go with a carpet or wooden floor? Keep watching for the updates.

If you're struggling to modernise your home

and would like a festive update,

let's get together

and I'll create your perfect room

that's elegant, organised, cosy and stylish.

In the meantime

WISHING YOU AN AMAZING WEEKEND