Create your dream master bedroom with our 7 design tips
Our bedrooms truly are our own personal sanctuaries – the place we go to rest, relax and rejuvenate every single day! There many important considerations when designing a master bedroom to make it feel highly functional, but also calming and restful, your escape and cocoon at the end of each day.
Follow our 7 design tips below to create your dream master bedroom and get the best out of your design…
1. Purpose
First and foremost, identify the purpose of your bedroom! I know that might sound silly but trust me, articulating the purpose will make the design process so much easier.
Ask yourself, what is my bedroom used for…
- A space for sleeping only
- A space I relax every day - perhaps doing meditation, watching TV, reading etc
- A retreat, a bigger space away from the rest of the home and where I enjoy lots of down-time. It’s my escape from the rest of the household!
- A multi-functional space where I sleep as well as work or study
As you can see, all these purposes are very different and will dictate the inclusions that are needed in your bedroom.
2. Feeling
This may sound ‘woo woo’ but knowing the feeling you want to evoke in your bedroom is a critical step. Bedrooms are a place of rest so they need to have a feeling of relaxation, calm and tranquility that is personal to you. A great tip is to think about what makes you feel the most relaxed and build your design scheme around that. If you are most relaxed by….
Being by the ocean… then your bedroom colour scheme could be anchored in coastal hues of blues/ greys/ whites. You could add coastal touches with textures and décor pieces.
Being amongst nature…. then your bedroom colour scheme could be anchored in earthy tones of greens, blues and terracotta. Use warm timber furniture pieces and art that captures scenes from nature
We suggest using calm and muted tones to help create that vibe of relaxation. Integrate soft flowing textures such as sheer curtains to provide those soft flowy vibes.
3. Room layout and flow
The layout of your master bedroom is so important to create a highly functional space. Always start with your bed position because the bed is the biggest piece of furniture in the room and is clearly a must have item! Ideally, position the bed so that when you walk into the room, you’re looking at the foot of the bed, not the bedhead or into the middle of the bed. This is to ensure….
- Flow around the bed is optimized, allowing everyone to circulate around the room with ease
- It’s more inviting to walk in at the foot of the bed as it creates a cosy ‘welcome’ to the room
- Provides a lovely view if people or guests walk past the bedroom door - who doesn’t love a made bed?
Once you’ve drawn the bed into your floor plan, add the additional ‘must have’ furniture items. Go back to your room’s purpose to consider what you must include to fulfil that purpose.
4. Furniture
Furniture heavily influences the mood of your bedroom, so ensure you select items that continue to bring the FEELING you want to create and the PURPOSE they need to fulfil.
In addition to a bed, there are two other critical pieces of furniture for a master bedroom:
Bedside Tables and there are a few functional things to consider when selecting the perfect bedside tables…
- The top surface. Ensure it's big enough to fit all your bedtime essentials - a lamp, an alarm clock, book, reading glasses and some water.
- Storage. It’s helpful to have drawers to store items that you’d like to keep at your beside but not on show (medications for example) or a shelf to stack your books.
- Proportion in relation to the size of your bed and your room. For instance, if you have a large bed and a generous size room, select bedside tables that are more substantial in size so that everything looks in proportion.
A bench seat or an armchair stylistically adds a sense of comfort and warmth to a bedroom. It’s also extremely practical, as a somewhere to pop your clothes at the end of the day or a spot to sit and take your shoes off. You’ll honestly be pleasantly surprised at how much you use this piece of furniture.
5. Lighting and window treatments
These are crucial elements of master bedroom design! A bedroom requires the perfect combination of natural light and artificial light.
Windows provide natural light for your bedroom and are critical to lift your mood, feel connected to nature, allow fresh air to flow and to naturally warm your space. The fun then comes in with selecting window treatments to really set the mood for your bedroom. Don’t underestimate the power that beautiful curtains, blinds or shutters can have!
There are lots of choices for window treatments so think about both the ‘feeling’ you want to create, as well as the practical requirements for your room. For example…
- Do you need your window treatments to block out the sun at certain times of day while letting light pour in the rest of the time?
- Do your window treatments need to provide full or partial privacy?
- Are your windows high and therefore need remote access to open/ close?
- Do you need block outs to get deep sleep?
Ensure your bedroom lighting is warm and not too bright, with either soft downlights for a streamlined look, or a beautiful pendant light if you’ve got higher ceilings and looking for a statement. Either way, we always recommend including a dimmer switch!
6. Wardrobes and storage
There is nothing better than a clutter free bedroom – where all your clothes, shoes and accessories are put away. Having storage that hides all your ‘stuff’ creates a more relaxed space where you can just zone out!
Bedroom storage can take many forms - from built-ins, to walk-ins, to free-standing storage such as drawers or a wardrobe. Built-ins or walk-ins are the most ideal options because they look polished and luxe. Plus they’re a GREAT investment when it comes to the resale value of your home.
This one’s a big topic on it’s own, so stay tuned for a future blog on designing the perfect robe.
7. Soft furnishings and personal touches
We cannot forget soft furnishings! This includes the bed head, bed linen, cushions and throws – these all have a super-power to help create an emotional response and set the tone for your room. So select soft furnishings that make you feel ZEN and bring the relaxation vibes!
Also remember that the master bedroom is generally a very private space in a home, it’s not somewhere your guests will usually venture into, except by invitation 😊. So this is a space where you can add lots of personal touches – displaying photos of your loved ones, hanging art that you love or displaying items that are sentimental. These are all great ways to create your own sanctuary that feels unique and special to you.
So there you have it – our 7 design tips to create your dream master bedroom!
Your bedroom is a space where you can really have some fun creating YOUR DREAM relaxation zone, that’s private and personal. We hope you enjoy the design process.
I hope you find these tips helpful, but of course, if you are looking to refresh your home in a bigger way and would like some design and decorating support, I’d love to chat about working with you. You can book a complimentary 20min Discovery Call by simply clicking here. Or enquire about working together here, and we will be in touch.
Anna x