DESIGN IDEAS
These bedrooms are dressed to impress and designed to make visitors feel instantly at home
LOOKING UP
Painting the ceiling in a small bedroom can have a dramatic effect. In this guest bedroom, which has no real view and limited natural light, interior designer Nicola Harding wanted to do something impactful to compensate. Although a common fear is that painting the ceiling in a deeply saturated colour will close in the room, it can actually make the space feel larger by blurring the lines and edges. Then it’s a question of adding the decorative details. ‘The blue and green ceramic lamp, set against the crimson wallpaper and paint, adds the perfect contrasting pop of colour that also ties back to the antique bedside table,’ explains Nicola. The wallpaper is a Tile design by Galbraith & Paul. →
HOTEL CHIC
For larger guest rooms, take a cue from hotel design and include a small sitting area. It will give visitors somewhere to retreat to in comfort without feeling they are imposing on their hosts every minute of their stay. This design by Kitesgrove capitalises on the room’s generous proportions. ‘The joinery niche created for the sofa bed was an effective way of using the space, while providing a cosy library and seating area,’ explains head of design Clara Ewart. The walls are painted in Farrow & Ball’s Cromarty, a light green-grey that brings an atmospheric tone and softness to the room, while the joinery, in M&L’s Fence Green, adds a contrast and draws the eye. The sofa is from Kingcome and the curtain fabric is Wild Thing linen by Lewis & Wood.
CARVE A NICHE
Consideration should always be given to creating a bedside surface. However small your guest room may be, you will want to be able to place a book, glass of water or phone by the bed. Here, niches have been recessed within the adjacent wardrobes. They needn’t be huge: about the depth of a paperback will do. ‘I wanted this room to be a classic cocoon with a contemporary approach, which we achieved by using bright, modern colours and unusual fabrics alongside joinery,’ says Kate Aslangul, founder of Oakley Moore. ‘Space was tight, so I designed cupboards with built-in niches either side of the bed. I love working on small spaces; they take lots of thought then they’re so rewarding.’
CURTAIN CALL
Others have copied this solution for a cosy single bed in a guest room but this is a signature design by Veere Grenney Associates. Cashmere walls and smart box pelmets with curtains (something of a nod to David Hicks) create a tented bed below bookshelves. The idea is perfectly suited to a room that is used for work by day and occasionally hosts an overnight guest, or a dressing room that doubles as a bedroom. Colour
