Needs and wants

From habitat plus - bedrooms

Before you start getting carried away with what a bedroom should look like, consider some of the practicalities and what those who are using the bedroom might need.

Who is the bedroom for? A solo adult, a couple, children or guests?

If it's a spare bedroom does it need to do double duty as a home office or storage space?

How do you use your bedroom – just for sleeping, or for relaxing with a book or device watching a streaming service? How much set-down space and storage space do you need beside the bed – a large bedside table with a couple of drawers or can it all go in the wardrobe?

Will the room be a true retreat – somewhere to escape to at the end of the day after the hurly burly of daily life?

Of course, the main item in any bedroom will be the bed, so decide on the size first. For a child’s room a king single will allow the bed to be more comfortable for longer. And if space allows, there’s nothing more decadent (and less likely to lead to partner disturbance) than a king-sized bed. For guests, however, two twin beds or a double might be fine.

If the floor is timber or another type of hard surface, a good toe-curling rug will make stepping out of bed in the morning that much more comfortable. It could be a large rug that sits under the bed and extends out either side or a couple of rugs one each side.

What other furniture and fixtures are you keen to have in the room? Bedside tables, shelving, an ottoman at the end of the bed, a dressing or makeup table, chests of drawers, a chair, a dress mirror.

Some of those items may not be necessary if you have a walk-in wardrobe or ensuite.

Is the bedroom large enough to also have a sitting area with a comfy chair, side table and a standard lamp? Position the chair for a nice view out of the window.

How much storage do you need – space for offseason clothes or duvet inners? Are you a shoe addict?

When accessorising your bedroom, don’t go too overboard with lots of different colours or you’ll create a visually chaotic room… and never get to sleep. A good rule of thumb is to use an accent colour in three places to help it feel like it belongs in the space, e.g. this could be a photo frame, ornament and a pillowcase cover. If you can't find a frame or ornament in the right colour, paint them with a Resene testpot. If you read in bed, choose a good European pillow that's comfortable to sit back on.

Do you have an ensuite that needs to work decoratively with the main bedroom? Because bathroom fixtures and fittings are usually less diverse in colour and style, it may be best to choose these first, then reflect the style and colours in the Resene paint colours you use for your bedroom.

top tip  Before you start painting, treat any mould with Resene Moss & Mould Killer and then clean walls with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner.

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