This week for the latest in our “On the with” series, we sat down with Molly, co-founder of Secret Linen Store – the experts in sleep! You spend a third of your life in bed, so it’s incredibly important to create a place in which you can truly relax and get a good nights sleep – and who better to talk you through how to create the perfect sanctuary than Molly? With years of experience in designing the perfect bed linens, cushions, pillows, throws and everything else you could think of to create your ultimate bedroom, Molly knows everything about how to create the dream boudoir. 

When decorating your bedroom, one of the first steps to take is to decide on your colour palette – getting this right can completely transform the room. As well as deciding the overall colour scheme for the space, the colour scheme can also inspire you to introduce colour in the form of patterned fabrics or accessories. Making a moodboard, either digitally or with real swatches and images will really help bring your ideas to life, and you’ll soon be able to see if the colours and textures work well together.  Be inspired by the three bedroom schemes I’ve put together to make your bedroom a haven this season!

For those of you who like a bold, dramatic look, creating a bedroom full of sumptuous and luxurious velvets, this scheme is perfect for you! Upholster your bedroom furniture in deep, luxurious velvets, and accessorize with sateen bedlinens for that soft and smooth feel. Don’t forget to introduce a textured fabric, such as a thick throw for winter months, and introduce a touch of colour or pattern with scatter cushions. 

Create the ultimate dark and moody bedroom with our Bella Bed, cushions in Sapphire and Navy Palm velvets, our Orbison table lamp , and finish off with a luxurious Pewter grey throw and super soft sateen pillows.

This fresh and cool colour scheme involves the use of linens and pastel colours – just because we’re going into winter, doesn’t mean that your indoor space has to reflect the outdoors! To create a light and fresh bedroom, try to keep it simple, using a light backdrop and adding in only a couple of pastel shades, so that you don’t overwhelm the room. In terms of furnishings, use natural textures and materials, such as rattan lightshades, and a bed with a wooden frame, as simplicity is key. 

Use our Emilia bed, Valentin storage bench and Wonder rattan light shade with blush pink bedlinen and a laundered blush pink throw for a fresh and cool bedroom

Sometimes, you just want to create that classic ‘cosy’ bedroom. For this scheme, think about combining dark walls, velvets and other dark colours to create a sanctuary to escape to. Lighting is crucial too – make sure your lighting isn’t too bright or bold as this can affect sleep. Use warm colours, lots of layers and scatter cushion heaven! Linen is a great choice for cosy bedrooms because not only does it feel incredibly soft and sumptuous, the light hits it in a way that it looks really inviting, even in a dark room. In terms of colours, think about deep greens and other dark colours, but why not also add a pop of colour with mustard shades in your accent chair or other accessories?

Upholster our Audrey bed in deep velvet, accessorise with colourful accents such as our Betty armchair, and add some stripes through the Stanley striped bed linen and Sonny striped throw for a cosy and comforting bedroom

Oh the choices! There are so many different types of fabric for your bedroom that it can often seem overwhelming, but don’t panic!  If you’re looking for the ultimate, super snuggly, bedding, particularly in colder months, a brushed cotton linen set is exactly what you’re looking for. We’re not kidding, it’s the best thing since sliced bread. The tiny, brushed fibres within the fabric trap more warm air and it’s the softest thing you’ve ever touched – bedtimes will never be the same again!

100% Linen is also a fabulous choice when looking for the dreamiest bedding imaginable. The natural fibres in linen will help regulate your body temperature throughout the night, due to it’s qualities as an incredibly breathable fabric, making it a great cosy choice. The relaxed look of linen also adds an element of calm to your room and requires minimum effort to care for – no ironing needed!

Don’t forget, fabrics don’t end at bed linen, pillows and throws – choosing the right fabrics for your furniture is also important. Why not introduce texture through your headboard or accent chair? Choose deep coloured velvets for a luxurious feel, or choose a lighter linen or cotton to brighten up the room. 

Having the perfect duvet is incredibly important in terms of getting a good night’s sleep. If you’re too hot or too cold, you’ll inevitably wake up through the night, feeling uncomfortable, which impacts your sleep quality.

Now that the cold nights are on their way, most people will require a higher tog duvet (unless you’re a naturally warm person!). For the dreamiest duvet imaginable, we would recommend a 100% Hungarian Goose Down duvet. Our Super Hero duvet is just the ticket for the lightest sleep experience you can find…just think of that ultimate comfort you experience in a fancy hotel, where you get the best night’s sleep and wake up feeling totally refreshed!

Of course, all of our duvets are fabulous – just remember that the filling of our duvet doesn’t affect the tog or warmth of it, the only thing that may change is the weight of the duvet. The most important thing is to make sure you have the right duvet for you. For some, the lighter the duvet, the better night’s sleep, meaning our Goose Down duvets are best, whilst for others, they love that feeling of being tucked into bed with a slightly heavier duvet.

The age-old question – how many cushions is too many? Some people say you can have too many cushions on your bed, but we have to disagree. You’re allowed to have as many as you’d like to create your dream bedroom. A few cushions and throws are the cherry on top of a beautiful bed, and those final touches can make all the difference. I have been known to have 9 on a bed at a photoshoot.. eek!

Layering throws creates the ultimate cosy feel, especially if you mix patterns and texture. I love to mix 100% Linen flat sheets with cosy knots and woven cotton throws to create an inviting bed that you can’t wait to get into at the end of the day. Right now, it’s all about stripes! Introduce patterns into the bedroom in the way of subtle pinstripes, or mix and match different striped bedding, throws and cushions.

Lighting is so important! We can’t even begin to stress the importance of good lighting in your bedroom – it really can make or break it! Try to avoid large central lights, and instead think about low lighting, bedside lamps and even candles if you can keep them safely away from flammable items. This will help create a relaxing ambience and makes your room feel all cosy at night before you go to sleep.

When it comes to lightbulbs, we suggest picking one with a warm glow, rather than bright white or yellow, to create that warmer, more subtle feel. Dimmer switches are my favourite bedroom accessory – being able to adjust the brightness can really impact the ambience.

Having a relaxing, cosy and inviting smell to your bedroom can be often overlooked, but scents really do impact your feelings and ability to relax. The first thing to consider is making sure your sheets are clean – having fresh bedlinen to get into at the end of a long day is a surefire way of ensuring you get a good night’s sleep! Make sure your bedlinen is washed a minimum of once a week – I’d have fresh sheets everyday if it was possible!

I love to burn candles at bedtime (safety first of course) and my favourite scents tend to be earthy and natural. At this time of year, pine is my favourite smell, so any candles with pine will be my first choice in winter. You’ve probably heard this before, but lavender is a great scent to help you sleep. Lavender candles and pillow sprays are a soothing sniff for you when drifting off is a high priority.

1 – No phones!
Try to avoid scrolling through your phone late at night, the bright screen can prevent you from relaxing, and thinking about a whole host of different things you’ve seen online can stop you from drifting off to sleep.

2. Avoid clutter!
Keep your bedroom free from clutter, and that will help you to relax. Use storage, for example a storage bench at the end of the bed, or an Ottoman style bed that allows you to store things beneath the bed.

3. Lighting is everything
Keep lights soft and warm, and remember to avoid large central lights and instead opt for lower lighting – candles are also a great form of ambient lighting.

4. Make the time for a bedtime routine that you enjoy, and the process will relax you before bed.

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