Simple ways to spruce up your bedroom this summer, with Houseology [AD]

This is a paid partnership written in collaboration with Houseology (disclosure: the items featured were borrowed for the shoot) 

I’m not one for trends but I do believe that a few, quick seasonal changes every now and then can help uplift a space and give it a new feel. So to celebrate online interior design store Houseology releasing its latest Houseology Collection, I wanted to focus on one room in particular and share a few easy, simple ways to spruce up your bedroom this summer.

When starting to think about decorating or styling, I always like to think about the senses (maybe ignoring taste though?! unless it’s a kitchen…) – a room has got to look good and delight the eye, be tactile and soft to touch, feel welcoming and smell wonderful. And in summer that means that a bedroom needs to feel fresh, light and airy (especially if, like the last couple of weeks, there’s a heat wave and you’re struggling to sleep in 30 degree heat!). Here I’ve styled two pieces from the Houseology Collection in a calm, natural-inspired setting with warm greys and hints of green.

Touch
The first thing I like to think about when dressing a bedroom is texture, starting of course with the focal point of the room – the bed. While in winter it’s great to pile on the cosy, wool blankets, in summer I like to strip it all back, with plain white linen and a light, waffle cotton throw. Building up light layers means you can easily strip them back depending on the temperature. Linen is great for hot nights as it’s a natural fibre, it’s breathable and moisture-absorbing.

Keep it simple and finish the clean look off with a pure linen cushion in a similar, neutral shade – in the heat you don’t want to be fighting to get to the bed through a mountain of velvet cushions and fussy things. You can always store seasonal items such as decorative cushions in a pull-out drawer under the bed, swapping them to give a fresh perspective. Even better if the cushions are always the same size – say a standard 50 x 50cm – as then you can use the same filler pieces.

Then onto the furniture. Not always something you change seasonally, but every so often a room needs a little upgrade. The Delano 1 drawer side table is a lovely addition to any bedroom because it has a matt lacquer finish to it – the European oak wood has a soft, natural look and is tactile to touch. The wood isn’t shiny or polished, running your hands along its surface you can feel the texture of the grain and knots.

The chevron pattern on the front gives the design a subtle hint of pattern, while a drawer means you can hide away everything you don’t want to see and help create an uncluttered space to sleep in. I love that the top offers a fairly large surface, you can fit a lamp, books, magazines, and still have space for a glass or cup of coffee. (My worst habit is taking glasses of water up to bed, forgetting to take them down in the morning and accumulating an array of vessels – drives my other half mad!).

Sight
A.k.a the finishing touches to make it look good. I’m always changing things up and moving things around, it’s why can never commit to putting one piece of art up in a particular place. Probably why I have a million hole in the walls. I love this shelf above the bed because it means I’m not tied to one display or picture. I can lean pictures and postcards, style little objects and store lotions and potions up there.

I’m all for having plants in the bedroom too – they can help purify the air and bring a vibrant boost of green. Here I’ve got a low maintenance Pilea on the shelf above the bed and a leaf that I snipped from my sprawling Monstera in the living room to give a fresh, summery feel. Other plants that are good for the bedroom and promoting better sleep: lavender for its relaxing scent, and aloe vera and spider plants for their ability to clean the air and release oxygen at night.

Smell
Which brings me onto scent, which I think is especially important in the bedroom. Burning a candle before bed can help create a relaxing, zen space, while a spritz of a lavender spray on your pillow can help you drift off.

My top picks from the Houseology Collection
Curated by Houseology’s own team of interior designers, The Houseology Collection offers a range of designer furniture, luxury lighting and understated homeware beyond these two designs seen here – nearly 800 pieces in fact. I love their ethos for ‘everyday affordable luxury for every room in the home’ – these are relaxed designs using quality materials.

Below I’ve picked out 9 of my favourites, from handcrafted oak sideboards and Nordic-inspired cabinets, to space-saving wardrobes and industrial-style metal tables. Obviously these aren’t purely for the bedroom, but if you fancy it, why not have a cocktail cabinet in the bedroom… 😉

And good news, all these items have been reduced in the past few days…

Other ways you can spruce up your bedroom this summer without breaking the bank:
– Move things around. I love doing this occasionally, if there’s space, as it can give a completely fresh feel to a room and allows you to style up things in a new way without going out and buying anything. Put the bed against a different wall, reposition a rug, rearrange some shelves.
– Have a summer clear out – Spring cleans aren’t just for Spring. Declutter your wardrobe or sort out the reading pile by the bed, it will make you feel instantly calmer. That’s a reminder for me to do just that…
– In summer accessorise with colours on the cooler spectrum – blues and greys – and in winter with earthy hues of ochre, rust and autumnal shades.
– You could dye any tired looking linen sheets for a new style
– Air out rugs
– Upcycle an old piece of furniture – I keep meaning to paint the wooden dressing table in my bedroom white to go with the rest of the furniture
– Swap heavy curtains for lightweight alternatives to give a breezy feel and bring in natural light. Pair them with black-out curtains to prevent you waking up at crazy o’clock.
– Use mirrors to bounce light around and make a space feel bigger
– Keep a leftover tin of paint to hand so you can touch up any marks on the wall once a year – it’s amazing the difference it makes
– Do that DIY job you keep putting off, in summer you’re more likely to find the time and have the motivation

Elsewhere in the room I chose this leaner mirror, which has a relaxed appearance as it leans against the wall. For ages I didn’t have a full-length mirror in the house so this is much-needed! Francis the sausage dog took a bit of a shine to it too – he always manages to sneak into the shots somehow…

So there we have a calm bedroom with natural textures and tones. I hope this post has helped give you some ideas for sprucing up your bedroom this summer and giving it a new look, I’d love to know if you have any tips of your own?

All images: Cate St Hill

Items featured: 
Delano 1 drawer side table, £203.15
Curve Leaner mirror, £101.15