5 Of The Most Original Bedroom Designs

To be completely original is difficult these days, but there is still plenty of scope to draw out unique elements and flavours in design.

Favourite Destination – Start by finding a photograph of your favourite destination and get it enlarged. Apply it to the wall, above and behind the head of your bed, to create a mural. You can then theme the rest of the room around it by drawing out its colours. For example, if your picture is of the Greek Islands, you can paint the walls and floorboards white. Accessorise in “Greek” blue to create that classic blue and white combination and if needed, warm it up with reds and oranges.

Music – If you are a music lover or musician, there are lots of ways you could incorporate music into bedroom design. You could go for a modern, recording studio feel, with wooden floors and a few instruments strategically placed around the room and a microphone and stand in one corner. The walls could be filled with live music history, with prints of your favourite bands and performers. If that sounds too busy, you could tone it all back and just have a vintage gramophone in one corner and a large print of a musical note behind the bed.

Travel – Similar in theme to the “destination” design, but on a much grander scale! How about using map of the world mural wallpaper on one of the feature walls, where you can trace all the places you have been and those still on your “to do” list. Shades of light blue will work well for the rest of the room. Accessorise with globe lighting and other travel related items on some floating shelves, perhaps even things you have picked up on your own adventures. Finish off with some sandy coloured cushions and rugs and your world is ready to explore!

Fashion – A much more feminine feel here and you could go in many different directions. How about sacrificing a few of your favourite fashion items and hanging them on neutral coloured walls? You could even frame some classic fashion magazine issues and put them above the bed. Accessorise with knitted cushion covers and even a scarf over a lamp. Drape some colourful jewellery over mirrors and have some of your expensive pairs of shoes on display!

Pop Art Meets Family – Perhaps an unlikely combination, but one that could be completely unique! Paint all bedroom walls white for a modern, clean look. Dig out your favourite family snaps and get them made into large images in a pop art style (there are specialists that can do this really well). Arrange them over your headboard to create a colourful focal point. You can now have lots of fun accessorising with primary colours, with bright rugs on top of white floorboards. Glass fronted wardrobes will complete a contemporary and stylish theme.

If you are looking to incorporate made to measure wardrobes into your bedroom scheme, please visit our main website at Slide Wardrobes Direct for more information.

The Benefits of Sliding Wardrobes

To fully grasp the benefits of sliding wardrobes, we also have to realise the problems that can arise with some free-standing wardrobes. In comparison, free-standing units are somewhat clunky and cumbersome and unless you have spent the extra money to have them specially made to measure, they often never fit a specific area in your room and actually leave you with space that is wasted, not to mention all the dust that gathers on the top!

There are actually many benefits to sliding wardrobes but for the purpose of this post, we are going to break them down into 3 “S” words.

Storage – Perhaps the most obvious of the 3 “S” words we will look at. An effective storage solution is absolutely crucial in any bedroom and wardrobes often take the brunt of the action. The beauty of made to measure sliding door wardrobes is that they will work with your room perfectly and are able to store and pack away more of your clothes and other bedroom accessories than most free-standing units.

Space – The benefit of space is actually twofold. Firstly, you have all that extra space inside your wardrobe that enables you to store so much more than you could before. Secondly, by using all the available area inside the wardrobe, you have been able to create a lot of extra space on your bedroom floor, perhaps space that you never knew you had before! If all you've known is a free-standing wardrobe, then you will be all too familiar with the opening space required just to get access to your wardrobe contents on a daily basis. This problem is completely eradicated with sliding doors. This can be even more beneficial in smaller rooms or rooms that are peculiar shapes or contain boilers and airing cupboards. Not only can sliding wardrobes be made to measure to overcome these problems but in some cases they can also help to hide them!

Style – If you are passionate about interior design, then this might be your favourite of the “S” words. Floor to ceiling and wall to wall, sliding wardrobes can be a really stylish feature in your bedroom. There are so many ways in which you can tailor and personalise them so that they work perfectly with the rest of your décor  With wooden finishes, metallic finishes and ultra modern glass finishes, you can let the wardrobe take the design lead or choose something that blends beautifully with what you already have.

For lots more information about wardrobe sliding doors, 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 Make the Most of Wardrobe Space

If you are about to purchase new sliding wardrobes, then this task will certainly be easier. If you are trying make the most out of the space in an existing wardrobe, then it’s the perfect time to have a good clear out. All those things that don’t fit any more, you don’t like any more or have been eaten by something lurking in the depths of the wardrobe can all go as you start to create space!

So, are you ready? The wardrobes are empty? Good, we can start! If you have wardrobes with doors that open outwards then you can cleverly place a hook on each door and these hooks can be the new home for all of your belts. You can even get a tie holder to hang on one of the hooks and that’s your ties sorted as well. This makes accessories such as ties and belts, easily accessible in your new sensible storage solution.

Categorise your clothing

How you categorise is entirely up to you, but being organised will certainly help you make the most out of available wardrobe space. For example, sort tops, skirts, trousers and dresses in order of length and if done correctly you should still have plenty of space left at the “shorter” end. Alternatively, you could sort clothes into occasion categories. So, smart, dressy clothes can go at one end of the wardrobe and casuals at the other. Not only does this help to organise the space but it will also make things much quicker when you are looking for clothes in the morning, provided you know what day it is of course!

Jumpers and sweaters are by nature thick, heavy and clumsy to store, so during the summer why not put them into air tight storage bags and put them under your bed, which will free up much more space in the wardrobes for the appropriate items in the current season. For those damp, cold British summers, the jumpers are best folded neatly onto wardrobe shelving.

If you don’t have an alternative cupboard or storage place for your shoes, then shoe racks are absolutely essential and can be placed one on top of another at that “shorter” end of the wardrobe.

Handbags can be particularly tricky to store tidily and if care isn't taken, they can quickly lose their shape. Try placing them in baskets at the top of your wardrobe, they will be out the way and won’t have anything falling down on them and damaging them.

If your wardrobe is big enough (built in wardrobes often provide more storage space), you could put a small chest of drawers in one of the corners. This could be perfect for underwear, socks and other smaller items.

So, as you can see there are lots of ways to optimise your wardrobe space, so good luck!

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

5 Of the Most Creative Bedroom Storage Solutions

It doesn't seem to matter what size your bedroom is, space is always at a premium! Whether it’s a single, a double, a guest room or a room for the children, finding places to store things soon becomes an issue. So, we have put together some creative but simple ways in which you might be able to improve the storage situation in your bedroom. (Don’t panic; hanging clothes from curtain poles didn't make the list!)

Wardrobe Sliding Doors – Built in wardrobes can make such a massive difference to bedroom storage that we simply had to have it as our number one tip! Floor to ceiling hanging space can seem like a revelation if you have been used to cramming clothes into a free standing wardrobe. Shelves and drawers can also be contained within this space, which of course frees up other areas around the room. The addition of sliding doors ensures that you don’t need that vital opening space that so many other wardrobes require.

Built in Bed – This is especially useful for smaller bedrooms or “box rooms”. With a little careful planning, a single or double bed can be built on top of a storage space, which can either have drawers built in or for more permanent storage, a hardboard lid can be placed on top (doubling up as a base for the mattress)  and contents placed inside, effectively turning the bed into a giant storage box.

A Cupboard over the Bed – The space above your bed is often completely wasted, especially if you are in dire need of extra storage. Storage units or cupboards can be purpose built at the sides of the bed and continue over the top, effectively giving you bedside and overhead storage in one package.

Under the Bed – Most of us have probably stuffed things hastily under the bed, when we don’t know where else to put them and often they are simply left to gather dust. However, there are all kinds of storage solutions for under the bed, including drawers, small mobile storage units or even air filled bags. Nobody really gets to see under the bed, so it’s a great chance to utilise some valuable space.

Customising drawers and wardrobes – If you need to get more into your storage spaces without them overflowing, customising them can bring a little order and organisation. Simple drawer dividers can be a great way of fitting in more items and make them easier to find! In wardrobes too, things like specialised hanging shoe storage can make a massive difference and also help you to avoid rummaging around for odd shoes! Perhaps if you have some corner space left inside your wardrobe, you can put in a small chest of drawers that may have been taking up space on the bedroom floor.

To find out more about how made to measure wardrobes can help with your bedroom storage solution, please visit our main website at Slide Wardrobes Direct.

Wooden vs. Glass Wardrobes - Made to Measure

Choosing a wardrobe that is finished in either wood or glass is really only a matter of personal preference or perhaps what works better for your interior design. Both are extremely popular choices and you can have a modern and stylish appearance whichever way you go.

Traditionalists may prefer to opt for classic wooden wardrobes and those who prefer something with a more contemporary feel may choose wardrobes that are glass fronted. Let’s take a brief look at the benefits of both options.

Wooden Wardrobes – In general, a wooden finish will help to create a warmer feel in a room, especially if the grain is exposed or enhanced. If you have a loft bedroom with sloping ceilings and chunky beams, then wooden wardrobes will complement this look nicely.

Another advantage for a wooden finish is that it tends to be relatively easy to match it up with existing wooden furniture. For example, a walnut coloured bed frame and dresser will obviously blend really well with wardrobes with a walnut finish. So, if you are intending your room to have a natural feel, with lots of earthy tones, then wooden wardrobes will be absolutely perfect.

From a safety point of view, a child’s room might be more suited to wooden wardrobes rather than glass ones.

Glass Wardrobes – Glass furniture, by its very nature seems to exude that contemporary and stylish theme and it is often thought to have a calming effect, so it certainly helps to promote a feeling of peacefulness, which is ideally what you want in a bedroom.

If your room is small, then furniture with a glass finish can help to create the illusion of space and if you have a mirrored effect you also get the benefit of light being reflected around the room, again enhancing the notion of a larger space.

Frosted glass can also make the room feel mellow and relaxed as well as looking really stylish, perhaps with frosted panels on wardrobe doors creating an interesting feature that you could build the rest of your decor around.

Longevity is also a great benefit of glass wardrobe doors and if looked after properly, they are likely to outlast the rest of your bedroom furniture!

So, wooden vs. Glass, is there a winner? Not really, I think we would call it an entertaining, high quality draw and your choice should be based on the plans you have for each of the rooms in question.

For lots more information about made to measure wardrobes in various stylish finishes, please visit the website at Slide Wardrobes Direct.

How to Design a Minimalist Bedroom

It’s amazing how quickly things can become cluttered around the home and our bedrooms, in particular, seem to be a clutter magnet. Clothes, trinkets, precious items and other bits and pieces all seem to congregate and suffocate any ideas we had of an effective design scheme in the room. So in order to design a minimalist bedroom, de-cluttering is the first step.

Strip the room bare – As part of ridding the room of clutter, it is a good idea to start with a blank canvas, so begin by taking down anything adorning the walls, including shelving and any fussy window dressings. Take up the rugs and throws and cast an eye over your furniture. You will need to be ruthless and unsentimental here.

Perhaps, all you should be left with is your bed, bedside stands, a dressing table and if you don’t already have them fitted, this might be a good opportunity to install some wardrobes with sliding doors, which will give you far more space than any old free standing ones. If your room is particularly small, then opting for mirrored wardrobe doors well help to reflect light around the room and make it feel bigger.

Furniture – You don’t want too many items (especially after all that hard work de-cluttering) but essential pieces would be ideal in either clear plastic or glass. Again, this creates an illusion of space whilst remaining modern.

Walls – White is probably the best colour when the aim is “minimalist”. Illusions of space and light are the main benefits. If you have exposed floorboards, then these could be painted white as well to maximise the effect.

Windows – Curtains can be heavy and bulky, so blinds are a good option here, with perhaps a drape either side to soften it up a bit.

Lighting – Keep bedside lamps and ceiling lights as simple and stylish as possible. A chrome effect can look modern and simple.

Bedding – Again, white is a good base to work from, although you can help modernise the look with some primary coloured diagonal stripes. Pick these colours up again with your lampshades, blinds, rugs and a couple of cushions.

Seating – If you want to sit without adding bulky chairs, then bright coloured bean bags can help with the modern, minimalist theme and if you need extra space, you can store them in your wardrobes.

Artwork – Putting up lots of pictures will destroy the feel you have worked so hard to create but a well positioned piece of modern art, will add weight to the project.

To find out how sliding wardrobes can help you in your quest for a minimalist bedroom, please visit the website at Slide Wardrobes Direct.