Embrace low ceilings Chandeliers and high ceilings can be natural bedfellows, but a low ceiling simply means you need to choose a light design that’s in proportion. Here, for example, the glass part of this design is broader than it is deep, and the hanging chains could further be shortened if required.
Add some pattern to your sleep space without redecorating the whole room by creating a feature wall. This angled nook looks stunning with some bright floral wallpaper. It’s bold enough to change the look of the whole room, even though it’s a relatively small area. To tie the wall in with the rest of the space, pick out some key colours and use the same shades in your bed linen or accessories.
Add storage to the area around your bed with a couple of well placed wardrobes. These Ikea cupboards have been perfectly positioned to create a cosy area for the bed in between. Paint the sides of the cupboards and the wall behind in a shade that contrasts with the rest of the room and fit some handy shelves into the new space.
Hang with precision There’s nothing more frustrating than hanging your art only to realise it’s not at the right height. Most galleries hang works with the centre of the piece 150cm from the floor, so it sits at the average eye level. Use a spirit level and pencil to mark the holes before you drill. Double check each measurement to ensure you have the right height and balance. Tip If you’re hanging pictures yourself, consider using D-rings rather than a wire or string. Most wires are attached to the frame with D-rings, so simply remove the wire and insert two screws in the wall that fit inside the D-rings. Hanging this way removes any future slips or crooked wall hangings.
Start with the largest first Balance and symmetry are key for creating a gallery wall that works. Start with the largest piece you intend to hang on your wall and use this as the focal point. Work from the centre out. We recommend spacing artworks at least 3cm apart from one another to make each stand out on its own. Try to keep the overall pattern balanced against other furniture or centred in a room. Tip Before you break out the hammer, lay out the works and cut newspaper to the size of each. Using masking tape, position the paper on the wall as you would the art, then try a few different arrangements until you’re happy with the effect.
If you enjoy breakfast in bed or love to layer lotions on your skin last thing at night, it’s sensible to select a glass-topped table that’s quick to clean and stain-proof. Any local glass company should be able to cut a piece of toughened glass with polished edges to fit an existing table. Choose a clear finish for simplicity, or mirrored glass for added glitz.
Get the height right When shopping for new nightstands, it’s worth noting down the height of your bed. As a general rule, bedside tables work best when they are as tall or slightly taller than the top of your mattress. Smaller tables can look lost, particularly if your bed has a French-style rounded back that doesn’t sit flat against the wall.
HUB had to again negotiate Listed Building Consent to reinstate the high ceilings (a false lowered ceiling had been in situ) and to build the mezzanine gallery level with modern glass balustrade. Accessed via a side staircase, a row of sleek, built-in wardrobes offers masses of storage space. ‘The mezzanine levels in the bedrooms provide extra floor area and valuable storage space,’ Creighton adds. The bedroom also has a beautiful, en-suite bathroom and a walk-in wardrobe.
‘It was important to the owner that we open it all up,’ says Holly. ‘He wanted to be able to sit in the living room and see right through to the garden.’
It’s easy to think that walls with windows must be left bare for fear of obscuring the light. However, adding storage here can work perfectly if the proportions are right. It’s best to ensure the storage doesn’t encroach too far into the room – as in these shallow shelves – and to paint it in the same colour as the walls. You can see that freestanding units on either side would have hemmed in the window pictured, but instead, the bespoke open box shelving fits snugly around it and works well with a simple blind.
Build a partition wall Still at the planning stage? Then consider having a partition wall built on one side to create a discreet corridor for wardrobes. With a particularly large space, you could even do this on both sides of the room, effectively squaring off the sleeping area to make furnishing it a much easier task, as the bedhead and bedside tables can sit up against one of the walls. Or opt for back-to-back wardrobes, with one side open to the eaves and the other open to the bedroom.
Fitted wardrobes
The wardrobe is a children’s one and was originally pine, until Veronica refreshed it with Annie Sloan chalk paint.
The guest bedroom does double duty as a home office, with a work desk, which Veronica painted, in an alcove and a sofa bed freeing up space. The chimney wall is a rich grey-blue.
The birdcage light is one of Veronica’s creations. ‘I like birdcages, and put fairy lights around this one to make a bedside lamp,’
Veronica has gone for dark grey in the master bedroom. ‘This room has three windows, so I could afford to be bold,’ she says. Her upcycling skills are very much on show in here: the chest of drawers has new, mismatched knobs; the wooden mirror, originally cream, is now silver on a dark grey base, and the formerly cream chandelier has been sprayed copper.
Freshness
Many children’s picture books have beautiful covers that are mini works of art, and investing in a front-facing bookcase can brighten up a room no end, as seen here. They also make it easier for little ones to hunt for much-loved titles.
Trolleys for bedside tables
‘I installed panelling around the room to create wardrobes that would house the client’s clothing,’ says Chris. ‘Storage is something you don’t get an awful lot of in many of these houses, so we wanted to change that.’
Chris installed panelling in this room, too, although in a slightly different style. ‘That’s because it’s the top floor, and it would have been typical of these houses to have had a cheaper style of panelling,’ explains Chris. It’s called plank and muntin, and is a cheaper way of making a timber wall.
A wardrobe is never small enough to be discreet, so it sometimes makes more sense to draw attention to it, rather than attempting to slot it away. Choose a large, handsome wardrobe, like this French-style design, and set it at an angle across a corner to make a beautiful feature of it.
wardrobe
A wardrobe made to suit your bedroom does not necessarily need to be built into it. This lovely bespoke piece is freestanding, but has been made specifically for the owners and their bedroom.
window seat idea
Rustic headboards. Everything
Inset bedside table shelves
Wardrobe next to bed with pull out side table. Cupboard doors need to be higher to allow for clock, lamp, cup of tea, when opening the doors.
If room is too compact for a full-sized wardrobe, put up some hooks or pegs. Inexpensive and easy to install, they provide useful clothes storage for visitors, and can be used to hang decorative items on at other times of the year. Like shutters as headboard for bed.
Jewellry displayed under jars.
Tartan wallpaper & colour scheme
Position of pictures and small dressing table
Eclectic mix of old and new
Dressing table position
Toile de jouy
The mirror
The grill vent at the top of the wardrobes
Arrangement of shelves around bed - place for coffee cup
Mirrored wardrobe doors
Use of space and stairs access to top bunk
Arrangement of rug half under bed and half outside it
Bunk beds with drawers at bottom
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