Interior Design

Notes On Design with Mary Graham

In this month's Notes on Design we sat down with Mary to discuss bedrooms. Whether you're working on a complete renovation or tips on dressing a bed, Mary's advice applies to master suites, guest bedrooms and everything in-between.

Bedrooms

Best tips for dressing a bed?

We typically use relatively simple, but equally beautiful, linen and combine with quilts and cushions for added colour and pattern. During colder nights we of course add our Salvesen Graham Eiderdown as the perfect pattern topper, and in summer a lighter quilt. We typically choose a generous lumbar cushion to sit on top of the bed; we find having lots and lots of cushions can actually feel less relaxing and inviting.

What’s the best tester size/type to use in a bedroom?

We love a tester here at Salvesen Graham and often find ourselves using a half tester which gives a similar effect to a tester but with less space required, and can feel less overwhelming. Testers are great for a bedroom with high ceilings and a large bed because if you use a large bed without a tester it can create the illusion of a lower ceiling as your eye is drawn to the width of the bed. A full tester tends to be reserved for a grand more traditional feel, most likely in the principal bedroom, but you can also employ a sleek paired back version in town.

For the most versatility, or if space is very limited, a corona can be used. If made with enough gathered fabric the base can expand to cover the width of several different bed sizes, while a tester is made to fit a specific bed size. This makes a corona ideal for children’s beds or any room where you may want to change the bed size, e.g. guest bedroom to nursery.

Any tricks for adding aircon into a room?

This is definitely a request we’re seeing more frequently from clients and one that often requires a bit of creative thought. If you are at the beginning of a large renovation and can effectively start from scratch then we would recommend incorporating your air-conditioning within the joinery if you have space. If you’re adding aircon into a smaller room where this won’t be an option or it’s a retrospective addition you can still use joinery to encase the aircon which will hide any unsightly plastic cases.

Is an upholstered or wooden headboard best?

We’re fond of an upholstered headboard as it works beautifully to add warmth, pattern and texture into a room. It’s another element of our layered look and even if you’re using a plain fabric works to add softness which is of course very desirable in a bedroom. They can also make playing with proportions easier as you can make a bed appear wider or taller, and add interesting shapes, more easily than with wood. On a practical level we also find an upholstered headboard more comfortable than a wooden one.

An exception to the rule would be if you were using a fourposter bed with an integrated wooden headboard, or perhaps a holiday house in a sunny climate where a cane headboard would be more appropriate.

Should I use carpet or wood flooring with a rug?

In the UK we would almost always use carpet in a bedroom, or a natural flooring like sisal. We tend to use wooden floors in foreign projects, or for international clients in the UK who don’t share our national obsession with carpet! Either way, we would always layer on top with a rug. They help ground a space and break up the endless sea of carpet or wood in what is often a big space. One of the challenges of using a rug under a large bed is that most of the rug is obscured by the bed. That is why we designed our Greek Cane and Scallop Rugs, where the plain area sits under the bed and the border is visible around the edges. Rugs are such a great way to add an extra layer to a bedroom and tie in lots of colours so it’s always worth remembering to budget for a rug in addition to whichever flooring you choose.

Do you have a preferred bed type and valance type?

There isn’t a universal bed type or valance type that will work for every room or every use. The grandest types of beds (from four poster beds to elaborate testers with generously pleated valances) are usually reserved for large country homes or the principal bedroom as they take the most space and budget. Smaller spaces however often lead to more imaginative ways to create that cocooning effect such as with cabin beds or twin beds for children’s and guest bedrooms. In fact the smallest bedrooms in a house often end up being our favourites. Valances also depend on your own personal preference, typically a gathered valance is more relaxed and feminine while a pleated or flat valance gives a smarter, more tailored, look. If using a valance over a divan base (our preferred choice) then make sure that there is a pleat in the valance to ensure easy access to the divan drawers.