Creating a Calm Master Bedroom in a Busy Home

If we are working and have a family too, then “calm” isn’t a word most of us would use to describe our homes! Juggling responsibilities is often just part of a hectic and busy lifestyle and escaping from it can be difficult. The master bedroom should offer some brief respite from the hurly burly but too often, this room is overcrowded, with piled clothes either ready for washing or ironing and the kids running in and out at a hundred miles an hour. However, there are things we can do to the decor of this room to at least encourage a little more tranquillity and peace.

With a bit of determination and a little creativity, especially when it comes to the bedroom furniture, there are lots of ways in which you can make positive changes. If you can find the time, the best place to start is by having a thorough “sort out”. If that means ruthlessly throwing away some of the clutter, then so be it.

The walls often dominate a room, so they are a good place to begin your overhaul. Choose a colour – a warm grey tone will work well. At the time of writing, it’s a hugely popular colour, so it will be up to date. It’s also a tone that has a calming effect; it’s interesting without assaulting the senses.

Your flooring should be kept as simple as possible, so if you are fortunate enough to have a room with natural floorboards, these can be painted in soft white tones. This will make it feel clean and fresh as well as contemporary. If you have to go with carpet, keep the colours neutral. To add a little texture if you have gone down the floorboard route, you could try a sheepskin rug.

If you have decided to keep your existing bed, there are still ways you can give it a facelift. You could paint the frame in a deeper shade of grey than the walls or you could make a new headboard using wadding and MDF. Cover it with a fabric – again in that tone of grey. You could also make the headboard extra large which will help to give it an extra luxurious touch.

Bedding itself should be kept simple. White always works, especially if you accessorise cleverly. A stylish tartan blanket as a runner will pull the scheme together if the colours are chosen carefully.

The window areas can also play a part in promoting a peaceful atmosphere. Use some white voile and perhaps some striped curtains – again picking out the main theme colours.

Your furniture might also need an overhaul, especially if one of the main problems is cluttering. Teak coloured furniture will not only provide contrast to the grey walls but also set them off beautifully. Furniture is often big and bulky and takes up most of your space, so why not consider installing sliding wardrobe doors which are excellent for creating effective, streamlined storage. Having them made to measure means they will fit perfectly into any available space. No longer will you need to have all the laundry on display. Choose a wardrobe style that suits your new decor and if you want to create the feeling of a bit more light, then choose something with a mirrored finish.

Hopefully, when you pull all the elements together, the result will be a much nicer, calmer room to be in!

Attic Bedroom Design Ideas Including Sliding Wardrobes

Creating an attic bedroom is becoming more and more popular and not simply because an extra room is needed. Attic rooms are now being converted into master bedrooms with their own en suite facilities and features.

If you are lucky enough to have the available space to do just that, then here are a few ideas to enhance all of the attic’s best features.

It’s quite likely that most of the walls will have been plastered in order to bring out a more homely, warm feel. However, if you are able to leave one wall exposed with its “brick” textures, this is a really easy way of creating a feature wall as well as adding some character and charm. If you can use this particular wall to frame the headboard of your bed, then even better!

Your choice of colours will be important as many attics, by nature, can feel bare and barren. You could use a cream colour for the wall opposite the brick feature and you could perhaps mix it up with plum coloured side walls, blending the warmth with a modern edge.

It’s not always the case, but many attics possess those wonderful ceiling beams and if they have been left exposed, you can really make the most of them. Create a lovely contrast by painting the ceiling white or cream and leaving the beams exposed in their natural “wooden” state.

Although natural wooden floors are really popular in the attic, they do pose a few problems, namely a lack of warmth and the sound of shoes or heels for any rooms or neighbours on the floor below you. Carpets can solve both of these problems and choosing something neutral coloured will give it real lifespan even if you need to redecorate. If you do choose to keep the wooden flooring exposed, then at least soften it up with some thick rugs.

When introducing furniture, try a metal/brass bed frame which will again help with that contrast of beams and bricks. Dress it with a patchwork quilt to add pattern and the introduction of a few plum scatter cushions will lend a modern element to the overall appearance.

When it comes to the bedside cupboards, dressing tables and wardrobe, a natural wood finish with metal handles would certainly complement.

On the subject of wardrobes, it can not only be very difficult to actually get them into the attic room but you then have the additional problem of fitting them into the difficult angles and sloping ceilings. Using made to measure sliding wardrobe doors can certainly help to solve this problem. Not only do they fit into your available space but they can also be assembled on site, so no problems getting them up there.

To round everything off, try using curtains that are light in colour as many attic windows tend to be small and you want as much light coming through as possible. Accessorise with some stylish lamps, vases, mirrors and even some fresh flowers to help create a feeling of airiness. 

Top Tips for Building Your Own Wardrobes

If you are willing to take the job on, then building your own wardrobes could save you some money in the long term, especially if you are thinking about buying new wardrobes. It might seem like a daunting task but taken one step at a time, some basic DIY skills should see you through the job comfortably.

Let’s just take a step by step look at the basics as you consider the pros and cons of building your own wardrobe.

Planning – What sort of wardrobe are you hoping to end up with? Are you looking for something that just has lots of hanging rails or are you hoping to incorporate drawers and shelves too? It’s a good idea to get a pencil and paper and try to sketch out what you are hoping to achieve. Will you be storing lots of hats and shoes in the wardrobe? If so, it’s worth considering a shelf unit above the hanging rails, where all the relevant bits and pieces can be stored.

Measuring – You won’t really get very far without some accurate measurements and every aspect of your wardrobe, from the various interior components (shelves, rails etc.) , the doors and the overall structure itself needs to be carefully measured out and matched up with the measurements you have made in your bedroom.

Materials – Before you spend a fortune at your local DIY superstore, it might be worth looking around the home for materials, to see if you can recycle. If you are replacing your existing wardrobes, before you throw them into the skip, it’s worth checking to see if you can scavenge any of the materials from the carcass. There might be shelving, rails or other bits of wood you can use to get you started, as well as saving you a pretty penny. If you don’t have enough in the budget for sliding doors but still want to save on opening space, you could feasibly just put some curtains on the front!

Construction Ideas – Wardrobes are often large and heavy and even individual components can be awkward to hold in place at the same time as using tools. So, it’s always a good idea to have another person with you, even if it’s just to hold things or to pass you materials. Ensure all of your tools are in good working order and safe to use. Small knocks and bangs are sometimes inevitable during DIY jobs, but serious injuries are avoidable.

For much more information about building wardrobes as well as a great selection of wardrobe sliding doors, please visit our main website at Slide Wardrobes Direct.

Top Tips for Installing Sliding Wardrobe Doors

With a good set of instructions to hand, installing your own sliding wardrobe doors doesn't need to be as complicated as you might imagine.

Here are just a few tips and pointers to get you started:

Preparation – As with any DIY job, the better your planning and preparation, the smoother the job is likely to go. Measuring up will be a vital part of this, because millimetres really will make a difference, especially if it’s too wide or too narrow! Your measurements at home will need to be accurately relayed to whoever you are purchasing your sliding door kit from.

Before your kit arrives, you could prepare the site in advance by (if required) cutting sections out of the skirting and cornices which will allow the frame to fit. Some gentle skills with a Stanley knife and a small chisel and hammer will be needed as you tackle these areas.

It’s also a good idea to clear the decks and to allow plenty of room in which to work and manoeuvre.

Assistance – Ideally, installing your new sliding wardrobe doors is a job for two pairs of hands, so make sure you have enlisted the help of a co-worker before you attempt to hang any of the doors.

Instructions – No matter how tempting it might be to disregard the instructions and forge your own independent path to successful wardrobe installation, don’t! More time spent with instructions in hand now (provided they are coherent) is less time spent pulling hair later on.

Tools of the trade – We have already hinted at some of the tools that will come in handy for the job and it is well worth knowing how many tools and which kind you will need before beginning the assembly process. You don’t want to be half way through and realise you can’t continue because you haven’t got the appropriate tool to hand.

Contents Check – Before you begin, it’s worth knowing that all of the pieces that are supposed to be in the pack are in the pack! A missing screw can put the job on hold as quickly as an absent screwdriver. By checking the contents, you will also begin to build up a picture of what needs to go where.

Hanging doors – Once the frame is in place you are ready to hang the door/s. Tilt the door towards the wardrobe and slot it into the top track. Swing the bottom of the door into place and gently lower this into the bottom track. Rinse and repeat with other doors.

Adjustments – If something isn't quite right when the doors are in situ, you can make small adjustments to the height of the doors by moving the screws that are found on the top side of the bottom wheels.

Admiration – Clear up, sit back and admire your handiwork!

For more installation tips and to see a full range of made to measure wardrobes, please visit our main website at Slide Wardrobes Direct.

How to Design a Modern Looking Bedroom

Keeping up with the latest trends can be difficult and knowing what is “in” right now isn't always clear but there are ways in which you can stay in touch with what the marketplace tells us is modern and happening!

A little bit of research can go a long way to telling you what is hot and what is not. When you are out shopping, take a few minutes to check out the “home” departments in shops and it won’t take long to get a good idea of what is currently being marketed as modern. Some you will like, some, not so much!

You don’t necessarily need a large budget to revamp your bedroom, but obviously the bigger the budget, the further you can go with your project. If your budget is generous, then you might decide to get rid of all the old things and start from scratch, but with a smaller budget you may need to mix and match and be a bit more creative with existing things.

We can look at smaller budgets a bit later, so for now let’s assume you can start with a blank canvas.

Free standing or built in furniture? The size of your room may help to make this decision easier, with smaller rooms perhaps better suited to sliding door wardrobes that are built in etc. However, whichever way you go, try to choose simple lines and designs. Usually, less fussy is more effective, but you need to consider each piece of furniture on its own merits and also whether they work as an ensemble. If the blend isn't right, there is little chance of achieving your goal of a modern looking bedroom.

The decoration process – This is also crucial, and regardless of the furniture you have chosen, if the decoration isn't right then things could go very wrong here! Many modern types of wallpaper can make a big impact, so it’s important to choose one you like. If it’s particularly striking, using it on just one feature wall and using complementary colours on the others is a good idea.

Accessorize - If your budget is limited, then accessorizing is the quickest and most cost effective way to bring your bedroom bang up to date. A new duvet cover, curtains, some scatter cushions and new lampshades can deliver a complete transformation! Avoid choosing items that are an exact match and instead, use complementary colours, tones and patterns. You could finish the job off by choosing some simple yet classy pieces of art for the walls but try not to overdo this and end up with something that looks too busy and cluttered.

For much more information about how sliding wardrobes can help create your modern looking bedroom, please visit our main website at Slide Wardrobes Direct.

How to Customise Your Wardrobe

Has your existing wardrobe been driving you crazy? It’s not big enough! It’s not wide enough! I can’t get enough in it! Sound familiar? Well, regardless of the size of your budget, there are things you can do to both its interior and exterior to make it look better and work better!

If your budget has no boundary, your fist port of call should be to invest in some made to measure sliding door wardrobes. They are versatile and bedroom friendly and can make a massive difference to the whole bedroom. From a storage point of view, there’s so much you can do with them, with personalised drawers, shelving and rails adding a new dimension. The personal touch can be extended to the overall design, so you can choose something that works perfectly for your room.

Your budget may be limited but there are still things you can do to transform your existing wardrobes before giving up on them!

Wardrobe Exterior – If you are sick of how your wardrobes look, then whether you are dealing with free-standing units or something fitted, there are ways to address the problem.

If your wardrobes have a wooden beading on the outside, you can very carefully remove it using a screwdriver and a small hammer.

Sand the doors down to give you a working base.

If handles are in the way, you can usually unscrew these from the inside before sanding.

Painting the doors is straightforward, give them a couple of coats of primer to help the paint stick and then apply a couple of coats of your chosen paint. You can then do the same with varnish to protect the painted surface.

Now you are ready to become really creative! Instead of putting the old handles back on, why not spend a few pounds and put a completely new set back on? They can make a real difference to the overall appearance.

Wardrobe Interior – There are also ways in which you can improve the inside of your wardrobe, making it more stylish and user friendly in the process.

Empty the wardrobe completely – be ruthless and throw things out that you won’t ever wear again!

Work out what you need the most and reshuffle accordingly, more hanging space, more shelving or more drawers?

Drawers – Why not use a small free-standing chest of draws and actually place it inside the wardrobe? If you don’t have one, charity shops and second hand furniture shops are places you can pick one up cheaply.

Shelves – Using the same theory you used for drawers, place a small set of bookshelves inside the wardrobe.

Rails/Hanging Space – If you have created more hanging space from your clear out but don’t have any rails, you can easily pick them up from DIY stores (measure up carefully).

You can apply the same theory for shoe holders and clothes dividers to complete your wardrobe customisation.

For much more information about sliding wardrobe doors, please visit our main site at Slide Wardrobes Direct

Shaker fineline sliding wardrobe doors | Slide Wardrobes Direct

Shaker fineline sliding wardrobe doors | Slide Wardrobes Direct
Due to popular demand, we have just launched our fineline range of Shaker sliding wardrobe doors.
The door itself is a three panel door where the center panel (fineline) is 300mm high, which gives the door a very contemporary look. Perfect to showcase accents of colour, compliment textiles in the room or simply breaking up natural or block colour combinations.
20 safety glass colours to choose from and 4 contemporary woodgrain colours. Only available at Slide Wardrobes Direct
As always, our Made to Measure doors are manufactured in our factory in Newark and all systems come complete with matching track sets, wall and bottom framing and softcloses for every door. You order online, and we deliver to your door FREE!

Shaker Fineline sliding wardrobe doors Walnut frame/ black top & bottom panel and soft white Fineline center panel, Exclusive to Slide Wardrobes Direct

Top 5 Things to Consider When Redesigning your Bedroom

There are probably a lot more than 5 things to consider when redesigning your bedroom, but the 5 listed here are perhaps the most obvious ones.

Budget – This is a really good place to start because everyone will be working under the restraints of their own budget. The size of your budget will inevitably dictate the scale of your redesign. If it’s something you have been planning for a while, then you may have been putting some money aside each month, which will really help when you get started. If you have decided on a whim that you simply must redesign, then your budget may be smaller and the amount you can achieve likewise. It might be worth pricing up all the things you would like to do beforehand and set your targets accordingly.

Time and Preparation – This could be a redesign that has no deadline attached to it and therefore you can take your time and do a little bit whenever you want. However, it might be that your project is in preparation for a special event, in which case you have a definitive completion date to meet. If this is the case, then preparation is crucial! What equipment and materials will you need to get the job done quickly? Knowing exactly what you need, will make the process much smoother, so work out what tools, paints, wallpapers etc, you will need ahead of time. Making last minutes decisions about colours and accessories could lead to disaster, so manage your time carefully.

Design Plans – This should be part and parcel of the preparation phase but it’s an element that needs attention. Will your theme be modern, traditional, minimalist or something completely unique? This will dictate the furniture you use, the lighting, the colours and the accessories. The more prepared you are, the easier the job will seem when you start.

Recycling and Reusing – If you are on a tight budget or you just don’t like throwing old things away, with careful planning, you may well be able to recycle things you have used before into your new scheme. Sometimes a quick paint job and a furniture reshuffle is as good as a complete overhaul! Painting existing furniture is another way to save money and yet still make changes. If you only have a few pounds spare, it’s amazing how a handful of new accessories can transform an old bedroom.

Storage – It’s possible that your bedroom itself doesn’t actually need a major redesign; it might simply be a case of improving your storage solution. Perhaps you have an ancient, bulky, freestanding wardrobe in a corner. The wardrobe itself seems to take up half the room and the space inside it has long since been filled. It could be time to consider installing fitted wardrobes along one wall, with sliding doors to save even more space with all that extra storage room inside.

By Slide Wardrobes Direct

Manufacturer of made to measure 

Sliding Wardrobe Doors and Wardrobe storage