Your bedroom: your winter hideaway

Your living room reflects the public face of your personality whereas your bedroom reflects your more intimate side. It's what you see when you open your eyes every morning and when you drift off to sleep at night. An area reserved for your loved ones, your bedroom is an extension of your personality, so shouldn't your very own VIP area receive the same attention as the rest of your home? A quick guide to the art of bedding.

The fine art of bedding

Like all rooms in the home, bedrooms should change with the seasons. In summer it's easy (isn't everything easier?), all you ask of your bed is that it is fresh and cool - and the sun does the rest! But in winter when the nights are long and the temperature drops, we want our bedrooms to be inviting and cosy. More than ever, we want our bedrooms to be a haven of well-being, familiarity and safety.

And to stave off the winter blues think about lighting: there's nothing better than good lighting to cheer you up. The ideal solution? A suspended ceiling light or dimmable standard lamp whose light is filtered through a lampshade made of natural materials such as paper or fabric. On your bedside table, opt for soft lighting. Avoid recycling your old (but attractive) office lamp: you're not in bed to work just to read a couple of pages before you nod off. As long as you're sure you'll remember to blow them out, why not place scented candles around your bedroom: fragrances also enhance your decor.

In terms of colour, let your instinct be your guide but remember a harmonious decor will guarantee a good night's sleep and a pleasant awakening. But each to their own, some yearn for a calm space in an immaculate bed where they can pen the latest chapter of their memoir while others simply want to snuggle up in warm cosy colours and cheerful patterns.

To avoid the frozen wasteland effect, mix different shades of white, grey and beige or add a hint of colour or a discreet pattern and have fun playing around with different materials and textures. This will create interest and warmth without spoiling the zen effect.

White is a colour!

Quilted bedspreads with bright colours and mixed materials will enhance a plain duvet cover and will add all the warmth you'll need this winter.

ilk Quilt, padded silk bedspread Habitat

Aredius, padded polyester bedspread Habitat

Cotton? But what type of cotton?

A sheet's just a sheet, right? Like the colour white, there are many types of cotton. The quality of a sheet depends on the quality of the selected fibre more than the thread count. Egyptian cotton, thanks to its famously long fibres, provides incredibly fines weaves and is particularly hard-wearing; over time it becomes softer and more flexible.

It is used in the very finest fabrics such as percale (a tight weave used to create very fine fabrics) or satine.

Softness please

To make your bed even cosier, add this season's incredibly snuggly fabrics: a jacquard blanket to imagine yourself in the mountains or a fur bed throw à la Dr. Zhivago. And for the finishing touches? Just add a few cushions here and there and your bed is ready for winter. And you're ready to snuggle up and face those long winter nights.

Tundra bedspread Habitat