The 6 essential steps to take before decorating a bedroom

When a client comes to me for a bedroom design, the first thing I would find out is the reason why they’re coming to me,” says interior designer, Karina Fisun.

“I’d be looking to establish what is working for them in their bedroom, what isn’t and why they’ve decided to decorate now  she adds. “Have they seen a particular image or item that’s inspired the need for change, or is it just that it’s time for an update.”

Fisun adds: “Knowing why is the number one priority and starting point of any design.”

So what could be your reason for change? Maybe your bedroom storage is so poor that a change of layout is required? Perhaps you’re turning a teen’s room into a flexible guest-cum-hobby room. Or are you struggling to sleep and need a new look that encourages relaxation? Really think about the goal of the makeover.

“Starting with one element is a good way of getting a bedroom scheme going,” says interior designer Emilie Fournet. “It doesn’t really matter what it is – it could be a bed, a piece of art, a light, a specific fabric for the curtains or a colour.”

Why does one item help? “Having an element set in stone allows you to build around it and have a sense of cohesion for the whole room,” she says.

Struggling to pick a starting point? Fisun suggests looking around the rest of your home for inspiration.

“Once I’ve established why a client wants a new bedroom, I’d then look at their home and get a feel for their style,” she says. “I’d also ask how happy they are with the rest of their home.”

It’s an important question, says Fisun, as your interior design style should flow throughout the home. Therefore, if the bedroom is the first room to be redesigned then you also need to think about the rest of your home at the same time.

This may sound strange when a bedroom door is often closed, but according to Fisun, “creating a flow makes the house feel bigger.”

Even if you don’t know which bedroom furniture you want yet, knowing what space you have available is integral to your final decorating choices. Without knowing how much room you have for the essentials, it’s impossible to properly pick the items.

If you’ve already got furniture and simply want to replace it with pieces the same size, the job’s a little easier. If you’re starting from scratch, you can still get a general feel by using standardised sizes for beds, wardrobes and items such as bedside tables.

Layout is very important in terms of the room feeling right,” says Fisun. “Even though you may only be sleeping in a bedroom, you can influence how the room feels by the way you position your furniture.”

She recommends asking yourself exactly what you want to do in the room and to think about your needs.

• Is the bedroom just for sleeping or do you like to read or relax there? If so, you may need to allocate space for a chair or small sofa.
• Do you like to get undressed next to the bed? In which case how close do your wardrobes and laundry baskets need to be, or are you happy popping clothes on a stool or chair until the next day?
• How many wardrobes do you need and what do you hang in them?
• Is there room to create a separate dressing area?

Once you’ve established your starting point (even if it’s just a colour swatch), worked out how much furniture you can fit in and have a clear idea of the functional requirements of your bedroom, it’s a good idea to create a mood board.

It’s a tried and tested interior designers’ tool that will help you define your final designs. It’s also a fail-safe way of ensuring you’re happy with your choices before you part with your hard-earned cash.

We asked Fournet if a bedroom mood board is different to any other room.

“You can approach it in the same way as you would any mood board,” she assures us.

“Your furniture and lighting are important elements, then you should consider layering with fabrics for curtains, or a headboard, rugs, bedsheets, and bedspreads etc.

“The colours you choose should bring all these elements together and unify the scheme,” she says. “The mood board is a way of checking that all your elements work together.”

When it comes to taking the plunge, Fisun recommends investing in tester pots and wallpaper samples to try out on your wall , before hitting the shops.

“Once a client has chosen a colour,” she tell us, “I then take two shades either side of that, and test them in the space to see how they are affected by the light, how the colours act in the space and how they look at different times of the day.”

It’s also important to think about how you use the room and see if the colours work for that, says Fisun, pointing out that if you are using it for tasks such as reading and putting on makeup, lighter colours may be better – even if you feel darker colours are cosier.

Fournet also reminds us that as “a bedroom is your most personal space; the colour should reflect your personality”. But if she had to choose, blues, greens and pinks generally work well for bedrooms, and her personal favourite is Desert Rose by Paint & Paper Library. “It’s the perfect balance of pink and brown,” she says. “It changes beautifully throughout the day and depending on the light but always looks so inviting and relaxing.”

I think people forget sometimes quite how important lighting is in a bedroom,” says Fisun.

“You should always have several layers of lighting,” she tells us. “You can have functional lighting, for things like reading or putting on makeup, then you can have ambient lighting, which is your nightstand lights, or maybe a pendant.”

Fournet stresses functional lighting’s importance in the bedroom, telling us how you can “create little pockets of lights with wall and table lamps, so it softens the space and creates a cocooning effect”.

Both designers are united in their one essential item when it comes to bedroom lighting – dimmable lights, classing them as a “must-have”.

Feeling more confident about decorating your bedroom and creating a space where style and snoozing are perfect sleeping partners? Our designers share their final tips.

Fournet suggests the following:  “Simplifying is the key for smaller spaces. Go with one colour throughout, or two at the most,” she says. “Make sure they are close together on the scale rather than contrasting too much.

“From that specific colour, try to keep the same hue through the scheme and add layers of texture with soft furnishings, lighting and all the other decorative elements you want to include.”

Invest in good furniture, says Fisun.

According to Fisun, there are certain things she would always recommend investing in. This includes a good quality mattress and good quality architectural finishes. Why? “Because good finishes increase the value of the property, and a good quality mattress ensures that you have a good sleep,” she says.”

“The better the construction of the furniture piece, the better it travels,” she adds. “You can disassemble it and reassemble it, whereas with less expensive flat pack furniture, it’s just not possible,” says Fisun.

“It’s less sturdy and if you take it apart and you try to put it together again, it just won’t work.”

“You need to design for longevity,” adds Fisun, “with the idea that you never want to change it and then the space grows with you. You travel, you pick things up, you put them into your space and it evolves.