5 Steps to Creating the Ultimate Cosy Bedroom. Hello Snuggles!

Creating a cosy bedroom is possibly the best thing about the onslaught of winter. Well, carb-loading like there’s no tomorrow is another plus (I eat like mad in winter and I won’t apologise for it). But when it comes to interiors, it’s all about those cosy bedroom vibes.

If you’re struggling to make your bedroom look like the spaces in the magazines, and feel like your own private three-month hybination chamber, fear not! I’m going to talk you through how to achieve the the cosy bedroom of your dreams, and give you some tips on where to buy key pieces as we go along.

So grab a hot choccy and let’s do this! A red wine is also permitted as long as it’s after 12pm. That’s my personal rule.

5 Steps to Create a Cosy Bedroom

1. Start from the Ground Up

Cosiness starts with flooring, and a rug is an essential item. Your flooring is either floorboards (adore), carpet (just as good) or tiles (no judgement). Regardless of which one yours is, it’s important to layer a rug on top of your floor. The more layers that are in a space, the cosier it’ll feel.

Floor boards and tiles bode well for rugs that have binding or serging around the edge; it gives the rug an obvious border, and you can use something like this to keep it attached to the floor (because tripping over in the bedroom is not fun).

Carpet, because it’s thicker, calls for other rug varieties with less distinct binding/serging. Try a shag or a cow hide rug in this instance. Visually it won’t look so chunky and clunky as you go from carpet to rug, and it’s less likely you’ll trip. I say this from experience because I had a chunky IKEA rug in my living room years ago (this one) with a serging around the edge and tripped on it all the time.

Armadillo & Co have just released these rugs recently which I’m loving.

2. Tactile Furniture Pieces

When I say tactile furniture, I mean pieces of furniture that you want to go up and touch. Having pieces like this in your room bring with them an obvious sense of texture and warmth. And as I said above, more texture = cosy bedroom snuggles. These types of furniture aren’t winter-specific, either, so you can make them work when the weather is warmer too.

A bed, bedside tables, your tallboy, or any other piece you have in your room would help create a sense of cosiness if there was an obvious wood grain in the material, or it was weathered or rustic in nature. Warm blond woods are also a big thumbs up. These pieces from local brand Felix Furniture are pretty divine. An upholstered bedhead is also a fabulous way to bring instant cushiness and texture to a space.

If you want to learn how to upholster your own bedhead, check this out.

If your bed is metal or a crisp gloss white, for example, you’ll need to balance out their inherent cold qualities with gorgeous layers of winter bedding, which I’ll expand on below.

3. Bedding – and lots of it!

I think of bedding in winter like I think of cheese; more is more and less is a bore. When it coms to creating that winter cocoon from which you never want to escape, you have to go all out. That means a mattress protector, fitted sheet, top sheet, doona, throws, and pillows galore. I personally don’t think Euros are essential (here’s why) but it’s totally up to your individual preferences.

When it comes to how a winter bed should look, this is how I prefer to do it; it’s not for everyone but I think structured bedding can be a bit snoozey. The best part is having a play with how you put all of the bedding together, and I don’t believe there are any hard-and-fast rules to live by here. Just ensure there are a variety of tones and textures and that there is a way your eye can travel across the bed to look at a variety of items on it (I call it a visual story).

If you need to find some unique winter bedding, this post has you covered.

4. Finishing Touches with Texture

It’s amazing how much the smaller pieces in a room can make such a difference. It’s true when it comes to a cosy bedroom especially. Now that you have your rug down, some killer furniture pieces, and bedding you can roll around in for months, you need to consider the finishing touches you’re going to display around the room.

Belly baskets, like these ones, are amazing for bringing some rattan delight into a space. I like to style them at the end of a bed with throws in them, but you could keep one near your bedside with books in it, too. When it comes to art on walls, think outside the box here. It doesn’t have to be canvas art or some framed prints or photos. Why not try some fabric art to bring in extra cosiness, or these wall hangings that you can display plants in?

Brass is a hot trend right now, so you could bring some of that into the space if you want to evoke a sense of luxe and sophistication. I put a post together recently on the best brass decor on the market, so click here if you’re eager to see it. It’s a really good way to help the cosy bedroom vibe go a bit high end.

5. Warm Lighting

Mood lighting is most crucial in a bedroom, so have a good think about the types you have in your room and select some lamps for the space that can operate a different heights. A lamp on each bedside table (or pendants above them) is a great idea, paired with a floor lamp in an opposite corner.

I’m a sucker for mood lighting and rarely ever turn on an overhead light. But if you like a more well-lit room, opt for bulbs/globes that are warm, not cold. Cold lighting will cast quite a white, stark sheen over your room and is best left for the kitchen or laundry. Cold globes are great for making benchtops and splashbacks look sparkly and clean, but you don’t need them in the boudoir. Even your lamps should have warm globes in them.

While we’re on the topic of mood and light, candles are – as I’m sure you know – my ultimate weakness. Here are my faves. You can never have too many!

A quick note about Colour

I’ve read and seen a lot of advice in my time about styling bedrooms, and people often tend to suggest that there’s no place for colour in this zone. The idea here is that it’s a space that should be serene and calm. I get it, I do, but I don’t think you have to forgo colour in order to have a cosy bedroom that feels like a relaxing sanctuary.

It’s more about the amount of colour, and particularly what tone of colour you use. This post explains how to use colour without it looking crazy, and I reckon it’ll help clear some things up.

With any room, you should create a focal point; one moment that is the hero. Bring bold colour into the space through that moment. If the art above the bed is loud, keep everything else relatively calm. If you want a bright rug – go for it! Just ensure the art on the wall and the bedding is not competing with it visually. It’s all about choosing your moments when it comes to colour. Just don’t choose too many of them.

How do you create a cosy bedroom at home? Don’t leave me hangin’ – I’d love to hear some of your ideas below in the comments section!

Images in this post come courtesy of Bloom & Co. Shop the look here.