The bedroom should be a relaxing sanctuary but when styling mistakes are made, it can look cramped, cluttered and far from restful. Here’s how to set eight common bedroom mistakes straight from choosing a wooden double bed instead of a king size to adding bedside drawers…
1. Bed too big
A large king size bed can be the epitome of luxury, but when it swamps the floor space available, it sucks the life out of the room. Measure the room and measure the bed you are considering purchasing to make sure you have ample room to walk around it. It is possible to buy made-to-measure bespoke bed frames, such as our Beam bedroom collection, but remember mattress sizes are standard (unless you have a mattress made too).
2. Not enough storage
When you don’t have enough storage in a bedroom, you risk setting a scene of chaos and clutter. From clothes hanging off the footboard of the bed and the bedroom chair to boxes piled on top of wardrobes and things being lost, the need for storage is clear. Consider open shelving or bookcases for the bedroom for easy to access storage, but for when things need hiding away, you’ll need a chest of drawers or a dressing table with drawers. You may also want to consider hidden storage under the bed or even a wooden blanket box.
3. The radiator taking centre stage
You need it for warmth in the bedroom and so leaving it uncovered makes sense as the heat would be blocked otherwise. But that means the radiator can take centre stage which isn’t what you want. If this is the case, a radiator cover is an ideal solution.
4. The wrong level of lighting
From being too stark to being too dim, bedroom lighting is important to get just right. You need to layer light from the functional pendant light to the softer glow of a bedside table or floor lamp. Add a dash of something different by choosing materials such as stone, as in the rock pendant light, perfect for the industrial style bedroom.
5. Nowhere to sit
A lack of a small armchair will put you at a disadvantage. The truth is, there are plenty of low backed bedroom chairs that will become an instant hit in the bedroom. A yellow velvet armchair adds both colour and texture, whilst a specific style grey velvet armchair can add a statement to a bedroom.
6. Not cosy enough
Talking of textures, when a bedroom is devoid of different textures and shapes, it looks flat and almost clinical. Rectify this problem with cushions and blankets thrown across the bed or draped over the velvet bedroom chair. Add texture and warmth to the floor with rugs on either side of the bed (also great for adding a dash of colour!).
7. Cluttered bedside table
Not just a problem with the bedside table, we grant you, but when there isn’t adequate storage space, ‘things’ tend to gather on the bedside table. Opt for a bedside table with drawers and consider how other items of reclaimed wood furniture in the bedroom can be commandeered to offer the storage you need.
8. Electrical sockets deficit…
… and then they are never in the right place! Common in older properties, you need to think carefully about where you add more electrical points. Do this with a qualified electrician and not through messy and unsafe extensions and the like.