BOUTIQUE STYLE ON A BUDGET

For me, it's really important to go to bed in a room that is calm, collected and feels like a treat every night. Sometimes I just feel like I'm playing at being an adult, but my bedroom is definitely a more grown-up extension of my style that still surprises me, as our kitchen and living room are quite playful. Here are a couple of tips I've collected over the past few years that promise boutique hotel style on a limited budget.

1. Hang curtains high and wide
Our flat is in a crumbling Victorian mansion block, but we're lucky to have large windows in our bedroom. You can trick the look, though, by hanging curtains up to the ceiling and extending the width out to both sides. See the difference it can make? Even if your windows are set higher in the wall, letting the curtains trail to the floor will frame your space and create the illusion of a bigger window. IKEA make inexpensive curtains in super long lengths that you can hem yourself.

2. Splurge on statement lighting
A big pendant light like our IKEA MASKROS lampshade is really eye-catching and often the first thing people comment on. Our light is strangely placed over by the window, rather than the centre of the room, which dictates the placement of the bed underneath it. I also like how these sconces in Katie's bedroom create a cosy mood that is equally effective.

3. Make the bed!
Maybe this is an obvious one, but making your bed in the morning is the best way to make it in inviting place to crawl into when you get home. The key to making your bed quickly is to make your bed easy to make - a fluffy duvet instead of sheets and blankets means you can just flip it from the corners and it will land perfectly. I like a few different patterns of bedding, but always fairly neutral.

4. Keep it clutter-free
Our room is by no means uncluttered (you should see what was behind me when I took this picture!), but we make an effort to keep the area around the bed neat and tidy. Make use of under-bed storage and keep a woven basket on hand (H&M Home do awesome ones) - I throw odds and ends into it throughout the week and then try and sort it out every weekend.

5. Know what works for your space
We chose a simple, low bed for a Scandi loft feel that highlights the high ceilings. Surprisingly, my room at my parents' house is really small, but a big, high bed makes it look cosy and luxurious instead of swamping the proportions.

*My photos make our walls look a bit scary - I wish I could capture the real colour as beautifully as Jo did for her bloggers at their desk series.