I'm making a few changes to our bedroom in the coming weeks, and thought I'd share my current inspirations. The overall goal for this space has always been to create a relaxing haven, a place to escape from the business of life, and to feel calm and restful. In order to achieve this, I like to keep the room as pared back as possible, with a focus on natural materials. Our linen bedhead and rotation of linen bedding in soft neutral colours are favourite elements, as is the Menu Androgyne side table on my side of the bed. I love how the marble injects a warm, textural touch.
Ideally I would love to have matching bedside tables, but this may have to be a longer-term goal. For now, the two changes I want to make are a new paint colour and some new bedside lights. Since building and painting all the walls white, I've been gradually introducing some warmer neutrals throughout our home and I love the results. While I'm currently choosing a shortlist of colours in the Dulux Colours of NZ collection (specifically neutrals and greys), I'm still loving the look of rendered walls. So often seen in Belgian interiors, I may experiment with some of the Dulux Design Effects to see if I can achieve something a little on the textural side for this space.
We will be painting both the bedroom and walk in wardrobe, so I'll need to consider the colour of our adjoining ensuite, to ensure there is a sense of cohesion. I carried out the ensuite renovation in 2018, and painted it in Dulux Haast Double, a soft neutral that ties in beautifully with the stone floor tiles. The beautiful bedroom of Danish architect Danielle Siggerud (pictured above) is providing plenty of inspiration. Pared back and elegant, it demonstrates how you can mix different wall finishes and colours within the same whites and neutrals colour palette. The Serge Mouille Antony wall light is one of my all-time favourites.
When it comes to lighting, I'd love to stick with wall lamps, as the room is fairly compact. It would be good to use the wall space and free up the beside furniture and flooring, however I'm not opposed to table or floor lamps, as along as they provide task lighting for reading, and are unobtrusive. In terms of colour, I'm leaning towards black, as I think it will provide a nice contrast.
Gairnshiel Lodge - a unique hideaway in the Scottish Highlands renovated by a Belgian family
A style that I am becoming more and more drawn to is minimalist task lighting. All of the examples here demonstrate a beautiful architectural purity, and are a signature feature of Belgian architecture. They go hand in hand with textural walls, and a quiet, serene aesthetic.
Project Alcalá by OOAA Arquitectura / Photography by Rafa Dieguez Fotografia
I have spent a lot of time researching this style of lighting, so to finish, I've rounded up 12 favourites, including wall, table and floor lamps.
Clockwise from Left