Johannesburg - The bedroom should be a sanctuary – a comfortable, luxurious and intimate space in which to relax, unwind, recharge and get ready to face the world again – and as such, its decor should reflect this.
“The bedroom is usually the biggest reflection of you – it is where you want to feel most safe and peaceful,” says Anton Odendaal from Rochester Luxury Living.
He offers an overview on some of this year’s hottest bedroom trends.
1 Hotel inspiration
“One of the hottest trends for 2013 is to turn your bedroom into a relaxing suite, inspired by your favourite chic boutique hotel.”
Hotel suites usually make great use of space, and they are beautifully decorated by professional decorators. “As such, they make the perfect source of inspiration for space-saving and design ideas.”
To get the hotel-inspired look in your bedroom, Odendaal offers the following decorating tips:
* Choose a non-gender-specific bedroom suite, and keep things simple – with clean design lines and an uncluttered feel.
* High, upholstered headboards are a must-have, replacing the traditional wooden bed frames.
* Ensure your bedroom is self-contained and über luxurious – include the likes of a coffee station, mini-bar, pop-up television cabinets at the end of the bed and a good quality audio system.
* Add a living space, with separate seating, if the space allows for it. Fireplaces and blackout shades are another great addition.
* Matching bedside tables that are able to store everything at arm’s length when you are sitting up in bed are essential, complete with lamps that can be dimmed.
* Wi-Fi access is convenient for those homeowners who like to browse the internet from their tablets while relaxing in bed.
* Traditional bedspreads are out in favour of the turned-down look. Place more emphasis on sheets and sleeping pillows, which are now stacked. Extra-long pillows that span the width of the bed are especially in favour.
2 Colour and texture
Cool neutral colours create a sense of serenity and calm. Nature-inspired tones such as grey, teak, sand and stone are popular, Odendaal says.
“Grey is the new black – it is the perfect neutral and bang-on-trend for this season.”
Odendaal notes that jewel tones, such as emerald and ruby, are also hot, to give neutral hues a pop.
“Emerald green and vampy burgundy are popular – they are rich and warm colours that are riding on the wave of renewed interest in luxury and opulence.”
Combining a number of textures in harmonious hues is another big trend, says Odendaal.
“A room with items of the same texture can be excruciatingly boring. Decorating with texture and patterns, on the other hand, makes a room interesting and alive.
“Contrasts of smooth and rough, thick and thin, shiny and dull serve to pump up the interest quotient and prevent a room from appearing too staid. To achieve a successful composition, choose items with varied textures, but in harmonious colours – mix stripes with checks, use pile rugs on tiled floors, and marry leather with wicker and wood, for example.”
3 Furnish for luxury and purpose
Increase a bedroom’s appeal by making it more than ju st a place in which to sleep. “If your bedroom is really inviting, warm and luxurious, you will be drawn to retire to bed earlier and linger longer in the morning,” says Odendaal. “Create a cosy reading nook by the window, or tuck a chaise lounge under awkward-angled eaves. Include a writing desk in an unused corner, where you can sit with your laptop and do some work or catch up on your e-mails.”
Odendaal says that it is important to make sure that your choice of furnishing is luxurious and super comfortable.
4 Head it up with an upholstered headboard
Upholstered headboards are a must-have for any well-appointed bedroom, says Odendaal.
“Upholstered headboards, whether upholstered in leather or fabric, have many benefits – they are attractive aesthetically, space-saving, comparatively easy on the pocket, comfortable to lean back against, and what’s more, they make viewing television from your bed a cinch.
“They also create the illusion of your room being larger than it actually is, as there is no footboard to divide the space visually.”
5 Add some sparkle and style with mirrors
Mirrors are a great addition to any bedroom – they are practical for getting dressed, add sparkle and soft romance to the overall decor and they reflect outside views and light that can help a small room feel larger and airier.
Mirrors can be used in a number of ways, says Odendaal. You can lean an oversized mirror against a wall to create the illusion of depth, or place long mirrors on either side of the bed so that, at night, they reflect bedside light or, during the day, reflect the natural light from windows.
6 The master rules
Your master bedroom and adjoining en suite bathroom should be visually connected to one another, says Odendaal. “If your bedroom has a clean-cut contemporary style, with a grey and emerald green colour composition for example, it is essential that your en suite bathroom has a similar look.
“Include towels in the same colour as your window dressing for example, or have bathroom vanities in the same wood as that used for your bedroom furniture.”
8 A romantic ending
The foot of the bed is often overlooked but it can serve as a really functional space if used correctly, notes Odendaal.
“Why not take advantage of the end of your bed and use a bench or chaise to transform the area into an inviting seating spot, while simultaneously balancing the visual presence of a large bed.
“It can be a very practical inclusion – for example, it is the ideal place where you can put on and take off your shoes, or where your kids can sit and enjoy tea together.
“Alternatively, if you are short on storage space, why not include a trunk at the end of your bed? This can also be used as seating, or a convenient storage space in which to put your scatters in at night, or to store your bedding.”
9 Improve your bedside manner
Bedside tables should suit the decor, complementing the style of the bed or headboard, but they should also be seen as offering valuable storage space to keep clutter to a minimum, says Odendaal.
“If space allows, choose oversized bedside tables to ensure roomy real estate for night-time essentials and adequately-sized bedside lamps that are in proportion to the size of the bed.”
10 Keeping calm with closets
Clutter and chaos in the bedroom are out, says Odendaal. “Today’s bedroom needs to be a tidy and organised space, one that engenders a sense of well-being and calm.”
Well-organised cupboards and adequate storage space is therefore essential.
“Free-standing armoires and chest of drawers are becoming increasingly popular as they add style and character to the overall decor composition.
“These pieces are also a great way of adding extra storage to a room that already has built-in cupboards. What’s more, they are portable – if you sell or move home, you can take these pieces with you.” - The Star
* For more information, see www.rochester.co.za