Top interior decorators share 11 easy ways to transform your bedroom into a warm, inviting and tranquil space to unwind at the end of the day.
Go for a neutral colour palette
“When designing a dream bedroom retreat that is warm, inviting and tranquil, select a neutral colour palette and include pops of colours that have warm hues. If your colour scheme has cool tones to it, include a warm blanket, and woodsy accents to bring in elements of warmth and comfort that are welcoming and relaxing to the space.
“Opt for neutrals or white for your bedding. A white palette allows you to mix and match accent pillows, rugs and throws flawlessly.” – Leanne Van Niekerk, owner and designer at LVN Interiors
Incorporate textiles
“Our bedrooms are not only a place to sleep, but a retreat where we recharge our bodies, minds and souls. Textiles are key in creating a welcoming and relaxing sanctuary. From layered luxurious bed linen to great comfortable floor coverings, cosy textiles and materials in a bedroom promote a restful environment that is too good to leave.” – Leanne Van Niekerk, owner and designer at LVN Interiors
Create a sense of calm
“Start with decluttering your bedroom. Clean surfaces are more calming than cluttered ones, so choose furniture with plenty of storage so items can be put away. Use a soft and gentle colour palette of off whites, dusky pinks, soft lavender, sage greens or soft taupe to create a calming atmosphere.
“Use aromatherapy scented candles that can improve your mood, allow you to meditate and cast a warm and inviting glow and scent that induces relaxation.” – Louise Sweeney, founder and creative director of Lulu Maison Interior Design
Use light, soft fabrics
“Buy the best you can afford with your mattress and quality linens, which will keep you cool in summer and warm in winter. Use 100% linen or cotton as bedlinen. Layer your base duvet, which could be down/feather or pure wool or cotton, in the summer, and layer with wool and cotton blankets and cushy pillows.
“Control temperature, light and noise. A cool temperature is best for sleep. Use a billowy soft sheer fabric as curtaining to create a soft and gentle look with a blockout to control the light. Avoid overhead lighting; rather use soft lighting that includes dimmers to create soft illuminations.” – Louise Sweeney, founder and creative director of Lulu Maison Interior Design
Embrace wallpaper
“Adding wallpaper in a bedroom can elevate a good space into an exceptional one. Keep the rest of the room neutral and use simple fabrics to make the wallpaper stand out. We have also introduced an unexpected bed frame creating a fun and playful setup for a couple with kids, but still in keeping with the luxurious feel.” – Sue Lederle, owner and founder of Lederle Design
Use tones and textures
“Use colour to make your space pop. Of all the rooms in a home, the bedroom is the most personal one, a place to retreat to. We love adding a bold feature wall and including some colour to create a warm and inviting feel. Along with changing up the tones, use textures in your blankets and cushions to bolster the effect.” – Sue Lederle, owner and founder of Lederle Design
Generous tailoring
“Celebrate craftsmanship, beautiful fabrication and quality. Dress the room in thick luxurious velvets, brocades, linens and embossed cottons and wrap in a striking, modern wall treatment. Infuse old worldly grandeur with lush and rich modern textiles and designs. The interior will remain warm, inviting and luxurious to the touch and very easy on the eye.” – Schanè Anderson, founder and creative director of Olala Interiors
Layers upon layers
“You can introduce layers in all areas, from the walls – where the use of beautiful wallpaper adds pleasing texture and ties all other elements together to create a cohesive whole that’s pleasing to the eye – to the floors, where I would use luxe carpeting that softens the overall look of the room and adds to that all important tactility.
“Of course, both of these elements (wallpaper and carpeting) can enhance the elegance of the room, too, appealing to the senses.” – Judy de Villiers, CEO and head designer at JDV Interior Design
Luxe lighting
“Lighting plays a key role. The aim is to soften and add warmth, and with this in mind, I would pay careful attention to mood lighting. General lighting and task lighting are obviously important. I would make sure that these are all on different switches, so that the general and task lighting can be switched off and the mood lighting left to work its enchantment.” – Judy de Villiers, CEO and head designer at JDV Interior Design
Follow a hygge philosophy
“The bedroom must embody the concept of hygge, which is a quality of cosiness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being (regarded as a defining characteristic of Danish culture). In order to achieve hygge in your bedroom, work with soft neutral colours, earthy textures and calming horizontal lines.
“Ensure that the furniture pieces are functional and comfortable for how you want to live. Struggling with loose charger wires, scratchy fabrics and an unstable bed is going to take away from that feeling of contentment. Make sure you love your bedroom as it’s a private space for your eyes only. Make sure it’s a space that you love.” – Erica Schalkwyk, director of Form Interior Décor and Design
A plush rug
“A beautiful plush rug in your bedroom adds warmth and gives your space a fresh look. It also reduces sound – if your bedroom has a bit of an echo a carpet is a great solution. I suggest that an area rug should always extend 500mm/600mm past the sides and end of the bed – this makes the room look proportionate.” – Emma Hughes, director of Hughes Conceptual Interior Design
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