No kids allowed! How to design a child-free, adult bedroom

In association with Sainsbury’s

The minute you bring kids into a home, the space is transformed. While there are many things to love about the changes they bring, it’s nice to create a space for you and your partner that is completely child-free. This can be an oasis and a sanctuary which can wonderfully complement a lively and loving family home.

Here, we consider several things you’ll need to think about as you work to design your new adult friendly space.

Make use of space

It can be difficult to relax in a cluttered space so one of your top priorities when creating your relaxing space should be to get the most from it. You don’t necessarily need to have a large bedroom – just to use the space wisely.

The key to a good use of space often lies in storage. If too many items are on display then a space can appear cluttered regardless of the room’s size. Storage should be efficient and attractive.

Choosing and Placing Furniture

 Storage is not simply a matter of utility. The furniture you choose to house your belongings is sure to have a considerable impact on the room’s overall feel and aesthetic. You’ll therefore need to make important decisions about the size and style of each piece of furniture.

When choosing the style, it can be a good idea to look for a starting point. If your bedroom has any defining stylistic features, these are worth your attention. This might be the original decorative features of the property such as skirting boards and picture rails or a more recent addition such as a modern window fitting.

The bedroom is typically a space which doesn’t house a wide range of furniture, thus making the pieces of furniture that you do choose even more important. Make the most of the chance to choose a mature style and browse childrens furniture to get your kids rooms kitted out at the same time.

Where possible, try to keep the furniture evenly spaced in order to avoid the result of clutter. It can also be beneficial to leave clear and defined passageways through the room, while blocking out as little light as possible.

Colour schemes

Just as throughout the rest of your home, the colour scheme in your bedroom is of utmost importance. The bedroom is actually somewhat unique in this respect due to the specific times of day which you spend in there. The colour scheme that you choose will need to look at its best in the morning light, as well as at night time.

The colours that you choose should be suited to the mood you’re trying to create. Running with the theme of being child-free and relaxing, try to avoid anything too striking on the walls and carpet. An inoffensive purple, red or blue can be a great starting point but dark colours also work well if matched with more neutral, muted tones.

If you’re looking for something a little bolder, try to express this in the accessories, rather than on the walls. While blue can feel clean and purple can be relaxing, red tones are perfect for creating a romantic feel in the bedroom and all can be introduced through accessories.

You’ll want something that both you and your partner love and according to a survey by Dulux, the most popular colour is blue with red and green coming in second place. Orange, brown and purple are also at the top of the list (although our like of orange is said to wane as we age) while yellow comes in at the bottom with just 5% of those asked preferring this shade.

Remember there is more to choosing a colour scheme than going with something you like and UKTV has a great guide that can help you.

 

Artwork

The bedroom is the perfect place for you to house some adult artwork. Artwork is the ideal opportunity to put a personal finishing touch to the design of a room. Whether you opt for some line drawings or a small set of sculptures, be sure to make the most of the opportunity to personalise your room in this respect.

It’s also important that the artwork you choose fits in with the style of the room. Everything from the colours used to the frame you choose can make a difference so give this careful consideration and don’t rush in.

Remember that the rules of Feng Shui are important here and there are plenty of guides on how to choose and arrange artwork in a way which follows these principles. You can find more ideas about this here.