How to create a soft, sumptuous bedroom that doesn’t feel too fussy or too juvenile? We consulted Twig Hutchinson—London-based art director, stylist, and founder of online journal Minford, who recently redid the bedroom and ensuite in her early Victorian London home—for her advice.
Photography by Sarah Maingot, courtesy of Twig Hutchinson.
Start by painting the room a warm but versatile shade.
1. Paint a neutral canvas.
One place not to go bare in the bedroom: the windows.
2. Dress the windows.
3. Rethink white linens.
Dress the bed like you would yourself: with intention.
To create warmth, add layers: old and new finds (Hutchinson paired hand-crafted brass taps by Studio Ore—unfinished, so they’ll patina—with a crisp white sink, for example) and art.
4. Add layers (and layers).
Hutchinson has a small ensuite with a “shower and loo” off of the bedroom, but opted to add the sink and vanity to the bedroom itself, where there was more space.
5. Bring back the vanity.
6. Don’t forget an element of black.
Using black may seem counterintuitive when trying to strike a romantic note, but Hutchinson says it’s essential, for balance.
To top it off: “Nothing is more luxurious that a pair of silk pajamas,” Hutchinson advises.
7. Don’t forget pajamas.