The Rental Edit

Kristy's Bedroom
Rental tips for design lovers

Welcome back to my town house this week where we are sharing some more tips and hacks to transform the way you live in a rental property or a compact home.
But before we begin, I need to say THANK YOU!! We have been so humbled and overwhelmed by the gorgeous comments and feedback received after sharing my living and dining areas with you last week. We have been inundated with ideas, feedback and suggestions for future topics which have been so helpful and it makes me truly excited to share more areas with you...

Now to this week's instalment - my bedroom! This room is my own little pastel paradise and sanctuary. It's feminine, soft and a total haven for me to spend time in. I often find myself lounging in here over the living room as it's light, bright and cosy, and always the warmest room of the house. Yet, while it may look lovely in these pics, it did come with a few challenges along the way, so let's dive in and I'll share how we have overcome them...

Big love, Kristy x

This week, we are covering...
1. Maximising the footprint of a small bedroom
2. Softening your room to create tranquil vibes

CHALLENGE
Maximising the footprint of a small bedroom
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My bedroom is compact, and I have a king size bed, meaning there's really only room for the bed and two bedsides. My last bedroom was the opposite - measuring a whopping 6x6 metres and my furniture was dwarfed within it, but moving into this new one has meant I've had to say goodbye to extra pieces such as bench seats and occasional chairs. I knew as soon as I stepped foot in this space that I needed to get creative for it to feel less like a shoe box and more like a luxe boudoir...

Our top tips to maximising space:

One of the easiest ways to create the illusion of more space is through FLOOR MIRRORS. I have a huge oversized arch floor mirror which I never intended on transporting to this home, but boy I'm so glad I have. It has completely opened up this room, making it feel much larger than it actually is. It also reflects light so beautifully being positioned opposite the window, and acts as a wonderful dressing mirror. Just don't ask our removalists Oscar and Cooper how they feel about it. Carrying this 50kg baby up several flights of narrow stairs was an absolute mission. But in all seriousness, floor mirrors are great because they truly are multi-purpose - just make sure you select a frame colour that suits the colour palette of your room, and a shape that works with your style. Some of our favourite go-to floor mirrors include the classics - the Middle of Nowhere Bjorn Arch Floor mirror, and the Middle of Nowhere Flynn Curve Leaner mirror and the on-trend sculptural Middle of Nowhere Artemis Floor mirror.

Shop Mirrors

Another important thing to consider is the COLOUR PALETTE - yes, believe it or not, but colour can have an impact on how large or small a room and feel. Whilst it's no surprise to you that we are big fans of pastel tones, when it came to selecting the decorative components of this room, it was very much a deliberate decision to use them. I was advised by our norsuHOME styling gurus to opt for these tones in order to open up the space and create the feminine look I was hoping for. We've used the Vanni Art, Sunsets in Verona artwork as the main focal point, then selected decorative pieces (cushions, throws and accessories) in tones that all connect back to the art to tell a beautiful cohesive story. We've kept all the other elements neutral to avoid overloading the space with too much contrasting colour. It's one of my most favourite elements of the the room, and has an instant calming effect the moment you walk in - exactly how you want your bedroom to feel!

And finally, FURNITURE POSITIONING is one more crucial element in maximising your space. In this room, I've deliberately positioned the bed closer to the window rather than centering it along the wall. This allows more floor space as you walk into the room, and genuinely creates the feeling that it's a larger room - winning!

CHALLENGE
Softening a modern space to create tranquil vibes
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The charcoal tones in the carpet and roller blinds are great from a rental/practicality POV, but they certainly lack the softness I was looking for when designing my bedroom with tranquil vibes. The home is a modern build with lots of angular lines and square edging - and whilst I love this clean and modern aesthetic, it can often feel clinical and laking in personality. There was no denying I needed to soften this space to make it feel more homely and inviting!

Our top tips for adding softness:

The existing roller blinds are brilliant for blocking light, but during the day while the blind was retracted, the heavy black steel window frames look stark and uninviting, and the light was harsh and glary. The view of the privacy screens on the outdoor balcony didn't help either!! By far, the biggest game changer in here was ADDING THE LINEN SHEER CURTAINS. I cannot begin to tell you how much of a difference installing these inexpensive linen sheers has made to the feel of this room - the transformation was instant! If you're like me, and have often longed for that beautiful billowy sheer curtain look, but assumed it would be way too much of an expense (especially for a rental), keep reading, because even I was surprised by the cost of this hack! We purchased 2 x packs of ready to hang linen curtains at H&M for approx $100 each (side note - they were purchased a little while ago and don't appear to be available right now online - there are many other suppliers to be found with a quick google search though, these Ikea ones are a close match). I then sourced the rail and fixings at Bunnings for...wait for it...under $15! We've used a 3 metre length rail with spring fit bracket on the end to fit the wall securely without even having to use a drill. And the best part? They're all completely transportable for reusing in another home should you ever move. I wish I had known about this sooner, I would have put them in every rental I've lived in! A few tips to consider before investing:
1) By the longest length curtain that you can find to allow the linen to pool at the floor and create that luxe look.
2) If you have the length, run the curtains as close to the ceiling as possible to create the illusion of height. My ones are 250cm in length, and don't quite meet the ceiling, but I still absolutely love the look they deliver.
3) Opt for a light colour tone. We went with white to keep the space as light, open and bright as possible.
4) Fabric choice is important. Linen is going to come at a higher cost, but you honestly can't beat the look.

Another simple way to bring in a little extra softness is through TEXTURE. Think warm woollen throws, sheepskins, chunky knits and delicious cushions in velvet & boucle - perfect for the cooler winter months too! The textural elements that we've used in my room are all toned in white which is a great way to incorporate softness and serious cosiness, without overwhelming the space with colour.

Incorporating CURVED objects such as the Bjorn Oversized Floor Mirror has been the perfect way to counterbalance all the angular lines too. I've strategically selected styling objects such as the Margot lamp, and Marmoset Found teardrop vases for this purpose. These may sound like small things, but trust me - they really do make a difference.

We did speak about this last week, but you're likely to hear it again and again throughout this series... ADDING PLANTS not only adds life, they also assist in softening your space. And in this case, the larger plant also fills that awkward nook in the bedroom that is too small for an occasional chair, but to big to not style! I've also placed another plant on the balcony, to bring a little interest and colour to this otherwise underwhelming outlook.

I hope you've found this helpful and there's something you can apply at home no matter what your living circumstances are! Join us next week as we continue our journey throughout this little rental of mine. If you have any topics of interest you'd like covered, or feedback on how you've implemented these hacks at home, please drop us an email here, or reach out on Instagram..we'd love to hear from you. Have a great week everyone. xx