By Megan Murray
'The bedroom is one of the most important rooms in the home,' says Soho Home's Interior Designer, Josefine Calmels. 'Decorating a bedroom should reflect how you want the space to look, but also how you want it to feel - and this continues to evolve throughout the year.'
Your bedroom environment can be easily updated to complement the seasons with layered soft furnishings and ambient lighting.
For example, the addition of an accent chair can introduce a nook for reading, while home fragrance in a warming scent creates atmosphere on a gloomy day. With some help from our Soho Home experts, these simple updates can help to make your bedroom feel cosy.
Choose a new candle scent
Scented candles create atmosphere in a space all year round, but they are particularly useful while waiting for spring to kick in.
Soho Home's Home Fragrance Manager, Alice McGhee notes: 'The soft flicker of a flame on a cold evening is lovely - it immediately makes a room feel more intimate.
'While electric or reed diffusers are great for a consistent distribution of fragrance, candles are the perfect tool for summoning a feeling of warmth. And they're an instant and cost-effective way to make a bedroom feel cosy.'
McGhee says that bedroom home fragrances should be relatively light to avoid the scent becoming overwhelming.
'Tonka & Florum is ideal. It has base notes of tonka bean, which provides aromatic depth, while middle and top notes of mimosa and hyacinth maintain a powdery, floral quality.
'If you're looking for something richer, Fireside is grounded by cedarwood and moss, giving it a smoky, spicy edge.'
Add an accent chair
'Even with our smaller bedrooms in the Houses, we always try and include a seating space in the layout. A chair looks great positioned underneath a window as a place to sit and watch the world go by,' says Candy Murray, Soho Home's Interior Style Manager.
'If you have plenty of space, two chairs at the end of the bed also work really nicely, or even a small, low sofa.'
Turn this space into a reading corner and style with a tall, slim coffee table to place a cup of tea and a book, with a floor lamp positioned just behind. Add a soft throw to drape over the arm and a plump cushion for maximum comfort.
Layer up soft furnishings
Soft furnishings are one of the most powerful tools for seasonally updating your home, as they are easy to bring in and out.
Cooler temperatures call for a change in material and texture; swap linens and cotton throws for furry and chunky knit blankets. You can also alter the colour palette of the room with the addition of deeper, richer colours such as plum, rust or navy.
The bed is a key opportunity for using soft furnishings to transform a room. Lay a throw across the end and change your decorative cushions to reflect a moodier colourway.
In the Houses, we make each bed with a uniform formation, which follows three medium, square pillows along the back against the headboard. Then, we have two large, firm pillows layered in the middle, and two medium, long pillows at the front. Finally, two decorative cushions, preferably with a patterned fabric, trim or some detail are added to create depth.
Invest in loungewear
The feeling of pulling on a new pair of pyjamas and wrapping up in a soft robe is so indulgent.
We favour pyjamas in pure silk, and for this season we've been inspired by the opening of Soho House Rome to create a new rust-hued, geometric print. The Berega pyjamas feature mother of pearl buttons, an oversized shape for comfort, and a drawstring waist.
In our Houses, each bedroom comes complete with a fluffy House robe. Bring the comfort of the House home and choose your own colourway. Options include grey, navy and cream, with monogramming available for an extra touch. Made from recycled polyester with a textured finish, House robes are great for lounging around after a bath.
Place a rug under the bed
'When decorating a bedroom in the Houses, our design team always places a rug underneath the bed, about halfway down at the point of stepping out,' says Lead Designer Severine Lammoglia.
'When you get out in the morning, you shouldn't be met with cold, hard flooring. You want something soft underneath your bare feet for a sense of comfort. It instantly brings warmth to the room,' she continues.
A deep-pile, Moroccan-inspired rug such as the Flora or Ines styles are good choices as they have that 'sinkable' factor. Opt for a 170 x 240 cm sized rug and this should sit well underneath a double, queen or king-size bed.
Double up on lamps
'In our bedrooms, we use three different levels of lighting,' says Lammoglia. 'Every bed is flanked by two matching side tables, each with a lamp on. This helps to make the bed a focus, while providing light for reading.'
'A floor lamp is also a nice touch, preferably across from the bed in a corner of the room. This works well positioned behind a chair or next to a dresser. Then, wall lamps bridge the gap between the lower levels of lighting and the ceiling. We place them next to a vanity unit at head height to create a dedicated space for getting ready.
'Finally, finish off with a ceiling light. Pendants work nicely for a bedroom as they're stylish but not too showy.'