HOW TO CREATE SUITE DREAMS IN YOUR BEDROOM
BROUGHT TO YOU BY THREE BIRDS STYLING SCHOOL
A bedroom isn’t just somewhere to sleep, we believe it should be your very own escape from the hustle and bustle of life and a place to enjoy some quiet relaxation.
If you’d like to style your bedroom to add some personality and luxury, check out our simple tips.
start with the bed
When you’re styling a bedroom, the bed is the best place to start because it’s the largest piece of furniture in the room and the thing that everything else is going to have to work around. But it’s not as simple as buying the first bed you see!
Size - Who doesn’t love a king bed? They’re luxurious and if you’ve got the room, a king-sized bed is definitely our recommendation. If you’re working with a smaller room, opt for a queen bed, and don’t rule out a double either, because that could make your room feel even bigger. It may not be a good idea if you and your partner need room to stretch out at night, but it is a clever trick you can use if you’re styling to sell.
Style - You’ll need to decide if you want an ensemble, a bedhead or a bed frame. The size of your room might help you make the decision! A four-poster bed is probably a push in most sized bedrooms but if you have the space, it can make a luxurious statement.
Position - When you’ve chosen the perfect bed for your room, don’t be tempted to push it into a corner. Centring it allows for better access and creates the illusion of more space, not to mention it makes making the bed much easier.
dress your bed
Once you’ve worked out which type of bed you’re going for, you’ll want to think about how you’re going to dress it. This is a MAJOR styling moment and the bed linens you choose will have a huge impact on how your master suite looks and feels. Gorgeous cosy quilts, fluffy pillows and interesting textiles are the items that will make your bedroom look multidimensional and feel cosier. Nothing looks sadder than a bed with a thin doona and two tired pillows.
Sheets - When it comes to colour, it probably won’t come as a surprise to hear that we think you can’t go wrong with WHITE bed sheets. But it’s true! You can’t. If your vision board calls for colour, by all means go for that but if in doubt, white is always right.
Valance - A valance is a decorative sheet designed to hang over the mattress and hide the bed base of an ensemble. Your nan might have had a frilly valance around her bed, but these days there are some simple, modern designs to suit every bedroom.
Doona - A ‘doona’ is what we Aussies call the big, warm, puffy thing on top of the bed that goes inside a pretty cover. But wherever you live and whatever you call it – doona, duvet or quilt – it’s a major part of your styling arsenal in this room. We love to upsize our doonas so that there’s plenty of overhang to cover the mattress.
Throws - Throw on a throw or blanket to bring another layer of texture and colour to a bed. A big, chunky knit gives off cute, cosy vibes in winter, but in summer you can opt for a lighter fabric like linen.
Pillows & cushions - Now that sheets and doonas are ticked off your styling list, it’s time for some pillow talk. Pillows and cushions are where you can bring in some more personality through pattern and print. Wondering how many pillows to use? When it comes to king, queen or double beds, our answer is anywhere between 6 and 10. One of the easiest pillow/cushion combos to go with is 4 standard pillows at the back and 3 decorative cushions in front.
ADD THE OTHER STUFF
Bedside tables - Bedside tables can be more challenging to buy than you might think purely because there are SO many options. Ideally, your bedside tables should be about the same height as the top of your mattress, although you can go a tad higher or lower if you find something you love. A lower bedside table can make the space feel a bit more relaxed and grounded than a taller one. In small bedrooms, you may be better off only having one bedside table.
Lights - When it comes to lighting the bedroom, there’s a lot to be said for going with wall sconces or pendants rather than lamps. Since both of these options are elevated, they won’t clutter up your bedside tables the way a reading lamp can.
Art - Bedrooms are a great place to hang art. Choose a piece that works well with the overall theme of the room and mood you want to create.
Mirrors - Mirrors can be a fairly inexpensive way to make a bedroom look bigger and brighter. If there’s a blank wall in your room and you aren’t sure what to do with it, hanging or leaning a large mirror there rather than a piece of art will create interest and help bounce light around the space.
Rugs - Rugs are yet another tool you can use to bring your vision board to life. Their style, colour and texture will help tell that story. Look for a rug big enough to extend out on both sides of the bed, and at the end of it.
Seating - If your bedroom is big enough, a bench seat at the end of the bed always looks great. And if you have a corner crying out for some love, a gorgeous occasional chair (and side table if there’s room) can bring all the luxe vibes.
Window coverings - How do you like to wake up? With the morning sun shining in or in a dark room after a long sleep in? There’s a lot more to window coverings than you may realise, and the coverings you choose can really amp up the feeling of quality and cosiness in your bedroom and make it feel like a sanctuary. If curtains are called for, remember to “hang ’em high” for those hotel vibes.
Ceiling fans - Ceiling fans are a staple in most Aussie homes and cannot be overlooked when it comes time to style your master suite. A pretty fan can be the cherry on top of your beautiful new bedroom. It’s no secret that we’re slightly obsessed with these leaf-shaped fans, but can you blame us? They create that tropical island feeling, and regardless of the style you’re going for, most people want their bedroom to feel relaxing.
Greenery - For even more ‘tranquil retreat’ calmness, add a dash of green to your recipe. A floor-standing palm, fig or olive tree is a great way to bring some height and visual interest to the room. Plants also have a way of making things feel more balanced. Even a vase filled with flowers can go a long way to bringing life and a touch of Zen to a room. If you’re having trouble catching those zzzzs, lavender and jasmine are said to reduce stress and promote sleep. But if you aren’t in need of aromatherapy, the greenery you choose doesn’t have to be real! We’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: we love faux plants. All you need to do is dust them every so often and they’re good to go.
SUITE DREAMS!
These tips are just a TINY snippet of what we teach in our online course, Three Birds Styling School. The 4-week course is jam-packed with over 30 exclusive video lessons, our Three Birds templates, PDF workbooks and checklists. You will get a clear, step-by-step guide on how to transform your home through the power of styling – from creating a vision to choosing your furniture, artwork and homewares… all created to help you style your home, your way.
The waitlist is now open for our final intake of the year. Join now to be the FIRST TO KNOW when enrolments open and to receive our BEST DISCOUNT CODE. Don’t miss out!
