The master bedroom nowadays acts as a sanctuary to escape the craziness that life throws at us and with space in homes on the decline, for some it acts as their second living. So let’s jam pack it full of goodness and ensure it is ticking all the boxes for you and future buyers.
You do not want to get to the end of your build or renovation and realise you can’t fit that king size bed that you already ordered. So have these types of measurements front of mind when designing the space and speak with your builder or designer about it.
I have saved and favourited an image from Better Bed so I have the measurements with me at all times when I quickly need a reminder.
Ensure your bedroom design can accommodate the bed you want. Picture: Hannah Blackmore
Electrical
Take the time to plan where your electrical points will go, particularly those which will be by your bed. Consider what height is practical for you too.
Personally, I would prefer to have my bedside power points on display and just above the bedside table so I can avoid that awkward and uncomfortable search for it hidden behind furniture when all I want to do is go to sleep.
Window coverings
This is one of the most important things in a master bedroom from a practical point of view because of course, we all need a good night’s rest but when it comes to the design and feel of the room they add a real sense of calm and style. I engaged with Wynstan in the early stages of our build to select our window coverings for both our house and the investment.
Our house was a new build and modern design, so having block out blinds and sheer curtains best suited this style and I opted for their Southport Merino fabric and Blockout Roller Blinds in Chester Adobe.
The choice for window coverings though is endless so I highly recommend speaking with a professional to find out what options there are on the market which will best suit your home and style. Planning for this early is particularly helpful for your builder so the right provisions are put in place and it’s not an afterthought.
Sheer curtains bring a luxe feel to the bedroom. Picture: Alan Richardson
Carpet or timber flooring
With clients it is often a 50/50 split between their preference for carpet or floor boards in the bedroom and both definitely have their benefits. For Luke and I, we opted for carpet in the master bedrooms to give them a sense of cosiness while reducing sound that timber flooring sometimes have. Sound retention was always important for us when building a duplex.
From a cost perspective, there are so many great nylon options on the market now which resembles wool without the expensive price tag. My favourite carpet at the moment, which I unfortunately discovered after our build, is the Derwent Valley range from Choices Flooring which is a loop pile style and super low maintenance.
the ensuite design flows seamlessly from the bedroom. Picture: Hannah Blackmore
Wardrobe
Take the time to really think about what you’ll be housing in your wardrobe so it’s customised to your needs. What is and isn’t working for you in your current home. For me, I am a hanger so I need lots of hanging space. You may be a folder. Asking yourself these questions will ensure that this wardrobe is perfect for you.
When we designed our wardrobes, we opted for the open look. Often the doors on wardrobes become the most expensive part of the robe so by eliminating the need for these you can cut costs drastically. I am not the tidiest person and you won’t catch me colour coding my wardrobe, so we still made sure we could conceal the space by getting our chippies to include a cavity slider when framing up.
If you’re working with a budget or renovating for a profit check out places like IKEA for wardrobes and have your carpenters build them in to give that customised feel. I promise you it will more than halve your cost.