Ideas for a cosy winter bedroom

As the wind gusts outside and fingers of frost creep up the windows, many of us crave a sanctuary from the world. The Danish call the art of creating a nice, warm atmosphere hygge – and the bedroom is the ideal place for a cosy retreat.

Texture

New bedding in either crisp cotton or laid-back linen create an instant air of luxury. Fold throws - in sensuous, soft velvets, sultry faux fur and warm, chunky woollen knits – over the end of the bed, ready to snuggle into on chilly nights.

Add cushions in complementary fabrics – Next has a huge range in check, velour, crushed velvet and silk in various shapes and sizes that will update a bedroom for very little outlay.

Dress up your floor with a foot-warming sheepskin or deep-pile woolly rug.

When spring comes, pack warmer items away under beds in pretty boxes.

Read our tips for making your home cosier to beat the cold

Colour

Bring a luxe hotel feel to your bedroom with this season’s new wallpapers and fabrics shot with metallics in copper, bronze, silver and gold. Shimmery finishes shoot light around the room, picking up early winter sun and warming dark corners.

To get the best night’s sleep, a bedroom should be calm and without too much stimulus, so choose neutrals that blend and tone into a soothing palette. It may sound boring but major on texture here and you’ll create a zone of Alpine tranquillity.

Can’t live without splashes of colour? Tartan’s middle name is cosy! All those warm shades, woven into a cuddly woolly blanket or cushion, will instantly brighten up your room, and it’s bang on trend for this autumn’s new looks.

Read our design tips for using wallpaper

Lighting

Create mood with different types of lighting layered one over another. Start with an overhead pendant shade that doesn’t dazzle, and add a dimmer switch.

Bedside lamps must be bright enough to read by but not shine into your partner’s eyes. Spotlights clamped to the bedhead can be targetted directly onto books – Ikea has a selection starting at £6 for the Kvart. Decorative fairy lights strung above the headboard or over a bookshelf or dressing table mirror add atmosphere.

Create romance by bringing in scented candles in spicy fragrances, like St Eval’s Sensuality, which blends nutmeg, citrus and ginger, £9 - but make sure you blow them out before going to sleep.

Find out how to make a dark room lighter

Beds

Fairytale four-posters are the ultimate in winter comfort but they don’t have to be traditional. Look out for stripped-back linear, metal framework for a contemporary look.

Neptune’s Wardley is a pared-back wooden, Shaker-style design which has a padded headboard and can be hung with drapes to keep out the draughts and create the ultimate hideaway. From £1,520.

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