Six Styling Tips For A Minimal Bedroom
Hello, Friday and hello weekend! Wow has this week been one of those ones, if you know what I mean. Like trying to paint the kids room with them in it. I kid you not (if you'll excuse the bad joke). In fact, there's been a whole lot of focus on the bedrooms at home lately. Recently I've been experimenting a little with our style of bedding and attempting to move away from my go-to whites and greys. I know. Whaaaat?! I don't like to style according to season because I tend to use and wear the same colour palette all year round, but this time I just wanted to try something a little different, still in muted tones but a little further away from my usual monochrome. So I let Rob pick. And the boy done good...at least I think so now. When I got the sheets out I had a major minor panic but once I got used to the oatmeal (which I'd pared with 'pigeon pink seersucker pillow cases and a black matelasse bedspread) it started growing on me. I took the soft pink throw pillows from the sofa downstairs and somehow they pulled the whole look together. Hello oatmeal! Just the right balance of feminine to masculine, don't you think? So, I thought I'd share with you some useful tips for styling a minimal bedroom, not so that it feels too sparse or even too perfect to live in, rather to enhance your down-time and help make your space a place you can relax and (hopefully) sleep in.
Clear Out The Clutter
If there's one thing that instantly gets me down, it's being surrounded by clutter. I don't mean for a second that I live in a squeaky clean white box with nothing in it (where's the joy in that?) merely that I choose very carefully the things that come into our home and they are there because they serve a purpose or they add something to the room. If it hasn't been used in at least six months, then it goes. So, have a good clear-out, go through your wardrobe and shoe collection and make some space. Is there room for you to store some items out of sight-under the bed or inside a cupboard for example?
Neutrals Please
Find a neutral colour of paint and refresh your walls. Ours were standard Magnolia when we moved in but I wanted and instant lift so went with a shade of white instead to make the most of the light we have during the day. It's worth noting, however, that white will only work in a room where there is plenty of light, without it, it can look really flat and cold. If you have a dark room, try instead a pale grey, beige or other soft colours such as rose pink or nude to give the room a restful feel. The same goes for your bedding choices. Pick out muted or monochrome shades and fabrics like linens and cotton for a more natural feel and layer them up with textured blankets, throws and pillows.
Functional Furniture
Choose your furniture with intention and use only what you know you'll need or have room for. I prefer pieces with clean lines, but minimal doesn't have to mean contemporary. Our room doesn't have space for a wardbrobe, but given that we're not huge fans of solid pieces of furniture anyway, we have a simple, black clothes rail instead which still gives the room a sense of space as you can see through and around it. The same with bedside tables-it doesn't have to be your typical idea of one (particularly if you're pushed for space) but you could utilise an old fruit crate or a set of steps which will allow you a surface on the top for the essentials and have space inside on underneath for some books or magazines. Think also about the sort of materials your furniture is made from-plywood or pale woods work really well as part of a minimal aesthetic, as do black and white metal and high gloss surfaces.
Statement Lighting
Don't ignore your lighting! Sometimes, the single light hanging from the ceiling just isn't enough. Swap out that tatty old shade and replace it with something in a translucent paper for a warmer glow or a large sculptural piece if you've tall ceiling to take advantage of. Alternatively, forgo the ceiling lights completely and use black cabled festoons loosely hung over the bed or draped down the corner of a wall. We use vintage style Edison bulbs with gorgeous Italian fabric cable which we wall mounted with IKEA brackets to give us extra bedside space. Now they're a feature in themselves.
Touches Of Green
I wouldn't be doing my job as an Urban Jungle Blogger if I didn't tell you to go nuts with the plants - they bring vibrancy and texture to a room with minimal effort and you can pick them up cheaply in most supermarkets or IKEA which stock some really exciting varieties. Buying a small wrap of foliage from your florist and using single stems in a small bud vase or bottle is a simple touch if potted plants aren't your thing-I use eucalyptus and fern all the time. For today's post though, I went all out on a bunch of deep burgundy peonies. Can't wait for them to unfurl.
Be Artful
Don't forget to bring pieces of art into the room. I like to use singular, bold black and white designs that stand out against the white-leaving some of the walls blank gives a feeling of having some space to breathe. As an alternative, pull together a gallery wall of the pieces you've collected, lean larger framed art work against the wall on the floor or use wall-mounted frame ledges for a linear look. I like to use metal clips to display groupings of magazine cuttings I fall in love with and also use them to help me decide where I'm eventually going to hang a framed piece, like this one by Dot & Fox Print Shop.
So there we are, six sure fire ways to style a minimal bedroom in a more meaningful way. Try saying that with toast in your mouth.