How to create the best (and cosiest) winter retreat

A bedroom is arguably the most important room in your home.
By The Newsroom
Published 17th Oct 2019, 10:36 BST
Undated Handout Photo of Soho Black Velvet Bed With Grass Gold Studs, from £995; Leopard Print Fur Throw, £99; Plushious Velvet Teal Bedspread, £360; Boutique 400 Tuxedo Bed Linen Set, Double, £99: Brass & Bronze Drum Pendant Light, £85, The French Bedroom Company. See PA Feature INTERIORS Bedroom. Picture credit should read: The French Bedroom Company/PA. WARNING: This picture must only be used to accompany PA Feature INTERIORS Bedroom. WARNING: This picture must only be used with the full product information as stated above.Undated Handout Photo of Soho Black Velvet Bed With Grass Gold Studs, from £995; Leopard Print Fur Throw, £99; Plushious Velvet Teal Bedspread, £360; Boutique 400 Tuxedo Bed Linen Set, Double, £99: Brass & Bronze Drum Pendant Light, £85, The French Bedroom Company. See PA Feature INTERIORS Bedroom. Picture credit should read: The French Bedroom Company/PA. WARNING: This picture must only be used to accompany PA Feature INTERIORS Bedroom. WARNING: This picture must only be used with the full product information as stated above.
Undated Handout Photo of Soho Black Velvet Bed With Grass Gold Studs, from £995; Leopard Print Fur Throw, £99; Plushious Velvet Teal Bedspread, £360; Boutique 400 Tuxedo Bed Linen Set, Double, £99: Brass & Bronze Drum Pendant Light, £85, The French Bedroom Company. See PA Feature INTERIORS Bedroom. Picture credit should read: The French Bedroom Company/PA. WARNING: This picture must only be used to accompany PA Feature INTERIORS Bedroom. WARNING: This picture must only be used with the full product information as stated above.

It’s a space just for you - and possibly your partner - where you can relax, shut off from the outside world and just be yourself. So, if yours is in need of an update, let our four experts help you with the ultimate seasonal transformation.

Keep it minimal, says Georgia Metcalfe, creative director of The French Bedroom Company

What’s your own bedroom style?

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Undated Handout Photo of Gold Sunburst Mirror, £135, Audenza. See PA Feature INTERIORS Bedroom. Picture credit should read: Audenza/PA. WARNING: This picture must only be used to accompany PA Feature INTERIORS Bedroom. WARNING: This picture must only be used with the full product information as stated above.Undated Handout Photo of Gold Sunburst Mirror, £135, Audenza. See PA Feature INTERIORS Bedroom. Picture credit should read: Audenza/PA. WARNING: This picture must only be used to accompany PA Feature INTERIORS Bedroom. WARNING: This picture must only be used with the full product information as stated above.
Undated Handout Photo of Gold Sunburst Mirror, £135, Audenza. See PA Feature INTERIORS Bedroom. Picture credit should read: Audenza/PA. WARNING: This picture must only be used to accompany PA Feature INTERIORS Bedroom. WARNING: This picture must only be used with the full product information as stated above.

“I like a minimalist style, as it helps to keep my mind clear and calm,” says Metcalfe. “Also, that makes it easy to add accessories to suit my mood, the seasons or the trends.”

“My black velvet bed is accessorised with a green velvet throw and cushion. Green’s been a huge trend for the last two years and I love the effect it has on my mood - energising in the morning and calming in the evening.

“I am tempted for next season by a navy blue velvet throw, as I love the chic combination of navy and black together.

“My ultimate luxury is having a freestanding bath in the room. There’s no single thing better than a hot bath at the end of the day, and it’s lovely to be able to bathe the children while I potter around chatting and tidying.”

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Metcalfe says: “I’m surrounded by beautiful, elegant and feminine pieces by day and I enjoy being more minimal and monochrome when I’m at home. Everything in perfect balance!”

Play up the personality, says designer and TV star, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen

What’s your own bedroom style?

“My bedroom has a lot of black, which anchors my scheme. Generally speaking, dark colours are better for bedrooms, because they create a more restful and cocooning atmosphere, rather than light, bright colour palettes,” explains designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, whose new range for Appletree Living includes a black and gold Dandy duvet set, from £75.

“Our walls are neutral and contrast with a black carpet and headboard. Beautiful champagne-coloured silk curtains dress the many windows,” he elaborates.

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“I’m very, very fond of our photographs, in fabulous heavy black frames, of our two daughters and our family. They add to a display of photos taken over the last 25 years of ‘celebrity-dom’!

“My favourite item is a lovely Georgian starburst mirror which I bought in a flea market and works really well.”

With a dressing room and a bathroom leading off the bedroom, he can see the roll-top bath from the bed. “It’s a lovely way of celebrating space, but also maximising the efficiency of how it works,” he enthuses.

How do you create the perfect bedroom?

“The big thing is adding personality, and the more personality the better,” he urges. “So, if you feel like being Cleopatra, be Cleopatra! It’s about really letting go and not denying yourself - just go for it!

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“You’re actually at your happiest when you inhabit a space that really reflects who you are, and a private, inner sanctum like a bedroom is the perfect place to express that. Flamboyant and stylish, Llewelyn-Bowen is no fan of minimalism or hiding possessions away. “If you’ve got things that mean a lot to you, surround yourself with them!”