The bedroom is no longer just a room for retiring to at night to go to sleep; it can now be an escape haven. Our hectic, contemporary lives are such that we are time-poor, forever running around, attending to the needs of others and acting as taxi drivers on weekends, ferrying kids from one sport to the other. There is no ‘me’ time or downtime, and sometimes you just need somewhere to retreat to and experience the small luxuries in life when all is quiet in the house … or not so quiet. So rather than term these adult spaces as master bedrooms, a more appropriate name should be the ‘main bedroom suite’, because just like hotel suites, you want these spaces to transport you to another world; a world that reflects the individual personality of the occupants.
So what are these core ingredients and how have they evolved?
Zorzi
1. Built-in furniture and joinery
Believe it or not, there is not much difference between this bedroom suite by building firm Zorzi and a traditional one. The core ingredients are all there though: The main bed with bedside table and lamps, the side table and upholstered seat, and under desk storage. However, what makes it completely different is that all of the furniture is built in and custom made to suit the individual space. It won’t allow for the room’s layout to be altered, but everything has its place. Here, we also see the introduction of a wall-hung TV for late-night viewing – a little luxury, much like that of a hotel room.
Tip: My only suggestion, from personal experience, is that the TV be positioned directly opposite the bed so you don’t have to twist your neck to view the screen. Alternatively, you could mount it on a swivel arm.
Wondering how to hide the TV?
Zorzi
2. A room with a view
There are times when a master bedroom layout is dictated by one key attribute, and in the case of this master bedroom (within the same house as above), that key attribute is a panoramic view of the water beyond, which spans two entire walls. With limited wall space, the inclusion of furniture beyond the bed itself is not possible. However, the designers have been creative in incorporating a pop-up TV at the end of the bed that stores away when not in use and can act as both a seat and storage unit without inhibiting the view.
Tip: A combination of low freestanding and built-in joinery works best in this layout, allowing you to enjoy the view and move furniture around.
Find an interior designer to design your bedroom
RAAarchitects
3. A private bath
The introduction of a private bath or ensuite as opposed to sharing one with the rest of the house is now a common appendix to all master bedrooms. They are for the private use of the room’s occupants only, and can be lavish or simple, large or small. They can also be hidden or transparent within the room, as seen in this design by Rudolfsson Alliker Associates Architects. The bedroom reflects the individual personality of the homeowners and provides an idyllic, stress-free environment away from the chaos beyond the bedroom door.
Tip: When deciding on the location of your ensuite, consider carefully the proximity of the ensuite entry in relation to the bed, as the obvious smells and steams that are omitted can be unpleasant.
Rodrigues Bodycoat Architects
4. Wardrobe
A key component in the design of any master bedroom layout is the inclusion of a cupboard for your clothing. Once freestanding pieces of furniture that could be moved anywhere within the room, they now form part of the built-in joinery. Generally located against one wall, they incorporate storage space usually reserved for the dresser and other pieces of furniture, and allow for vertical hanging and even a compartment for the TV unit. Almost anything can be stored and purpose designed. It fundamentally eliminates an array of furniture pieces and de-clutters a room, as seen in this bedroom suite by Rodrigues Bodycoat Architects.
Tip: If your room is lacking space, built-in joinery is an excellent way to create organised storage. However, make sure you allow enough distance between the bed and the cupboards for adequate door swing and draw opening as this can be frustrating when rummaging through your possessions that are trapped between the two spaces.
Take a look at this wardrobe guide for bedrooms
Vibe Design Group
5. Work space
If you’re a night owl like me and work at ungodly hours when the whole house is asleep, sometimes comfort can be gained by working in an area annexed to your master bedroom and not far removed on the other side of your home.
Vibe Design Group have designed the optimum design solution where the space is concealed behind a wall yet seems to still be a part of the room. Lights can be dimmed in the main bedroom suite while you are busy at work and not disturbing anyone else. This also frees up the other side of the wall for a wall-hung TV, additional built-in joinery or freestanding furniture.
Tip: In an open-plan layout where no doors separate you from the bedroom suite, make sure you consult a lighting expert to best light up your individual work space without disturbing others in the room.
Get inspired by more bedroom designs
Liz Prater Design Home
6. A private courtyard
A master bedroom doesn’t have to be introverted; it can also provide a private outdoor space secluded from the rest of the home. The designers of this home have incorporated large windows that allow natural light to enter the room without compromising privacy. Masonry rendered walls high enough to keep prying eyes at bay are the perfect backdrop to a simple landscape garden. The room seems to extend to the outside walls blurring the boundaries between inside and outside.
Tip: Keep your boundary walls or fences high and experiment painting them the same colour as the room. This will give the impression that the room is actually extended to the outside. This is further enhanced by installing floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall windows as opposed to a single window in the middle of the room because you are basically removing the impression of an entire wall that would otherwise separate the inside from the outside.
Janette Mallory Interior Design Inc.
7. A room within a room
Four-poster beds have been in existence for centuries and traditionally housed curtains that could be drawn to contain warmth and privacy. There are now many contemporary examples, like the one within this master bedroom, with its high-raked ceiling. The bed provides a more intimate scale to a room that otherwise could make the occupants feel small in such a vast space. Its transparency allows you to both appreciate the shape of the room while at the same time feel contained within an imaginary space. These types of beds work best against one wall where you can walk around the three sides.
Tip: To add opulence, introduce sheer curtains to the bed structure to allow you to both see through the transparent material as well as give you the feeling of ‘glamping’.
Check out these 9 dramatic four-poster bed designs
Urban Angles
8. Minimalist look
So how have master bedrooms or, as I coined earlier, ‘main bedroom suites’ evolved? They all seem to have key ingredients in their layouts often on show: The bed and bedside table with lamps, dresser, closet and side table with upholstered chair. We have seen them evolve to include additional luxuries such as a TV unit, built-in joinery, private ensuite, adjacent outdoor courtyard and auxiliary spaces such as a private home office.
However, can your master bedroom layout work without these key ingredients? Well, the answer is yes. The designers of this minimalist bedroom have created a tranquil space where everything is hidden behind panelled joinery walls. The key component of the room is the bed, centralised on a simple white wall. There is no decoration other than a singular piece of wall art and two strategically placed coloured cushions on the bed. It’s a space to rest and reflects the individual personality of its occupants and their vision for an escape haven.
Tip: This would never work at my house – my kids would destroy this tranquil room in a heartbeat. The solution? Install a lock at the door and don’t let them in. You can even go one step further and design a secret panelled door just like the joinery cupboards, confusing people to its location and allowing you to have your very own James Bond room.
Read more:
How to Get a Luxurious Bedroom That is Fuss Free
Tell us:
What luxe addition have you added to your modern bedroom suite? Upload a photo and share your thoughts in the Comments below.
