“It's a tranquil space for sleep. Monastic, no colour, but strong, not too polite," Rose Uniacke says of her exceedingly serene London bedroom. It's not particularly groundbreaking for us to suggest that a bedroom should be a calm space – it is, after all, a place to retreat, unwind and sleep. According to research by the National Sleep Foundation, people with cluttered bedrooms were more likely to report sleep issues, and the mental stress from clutter and chaos can lead to difficulties in falling asleep and staying asleep.
Making your bed feel soothing and zen, then, is essential. But pare things back too much and you might end up with a cold scheme, rather than a calm one. Too bare and a room quickly becomes punishing, too richly decorated and it can feel frenzied and distracting. This is why Rose's particular brand of what we're calling the ‘luxe-monastic’ bed is so distinctly attractive. Tying together luxurious but unembellished materials, calming tones, tactile textures, her schemes are the delicate mix of sumptuous and spare.
“I love the balance that luxe-monastic achieves,” says interior designer Rachael Gowdridge. “The simplicity and serenity found in a monastic environment, combined with rich materials and refined craftsmanshipe. It’s the interplay of all these elements that strikes a balance between modern minimalism and timeless elegance.” Interior designer Alex Dauley's recent project in south London has a thoroughly calming feel. The lime-washed bedroom in particular has the kind of stripped-back luxury she describes as “minimalist yet high end."
“Clients are increasingly looking to create havens of calm and tranquility in their homes, to counterbalance their usually hectic and busy lives," Alex explains. We might not all have a desire to commit our lives to poverty, chastity, and obedience like a medieval monk, but the hankering for a simpler life is something most people can sympathise with. “I believe that bedrooms work best when they are not overly designed, when we practice restraint and pare them back to the essentials,” agrees interior designer Evelina Mamedovaite. According to the principles of the renowned minimalist or ‘essentialist’ architect John Pawson, the most important part of a comfortable, beautiful space is proportion and light, not clutter and mess.
Rose restructured her current bedroom according to how the natural light flooded in, but if it's not always possible to achieve this, carefully selected and placed lamps will go a long way. “When it comes to lighting I often use simple alabaster plafonniers to diffuse the light, or something more unexpected and austere like a vintage lantern," explains Evelina, who enjoys how they contrast with the “soft, abundant textiles” in the room. She also advises (as many designers do) that dimmers are key to “curating an atmosphere."
In a 2015 journal titled ‘Filtered Light’, John Pawson says that “light has the potential to make one see and understand something differently: there is perhaps no other single factor that has a more profound impact on how one feels in a place.” He goes on to recall the natural light filtered through panels of Shoji paper or fine timber screens in Japan, where “the effect of the subdued light suffusing spaces is both to calm the spirit and sharpen the senses.” As such, considering sheer curtains around the bed (as Buchanan Studio and house by Pandora Taylor have done in their serene bedroom schemes) or over a window treatment could enhance the subdued nature of your sleep zone.
Pawson is also a big proponent of high quality, luxurious materials. His recent collaboration with the super-chic textiles brand Tekla has a focus on just the kind of tactile, natural materials that make up the luxe monastic look. Rose Uniacke similarly believes in the importance of fabric, and her range of textiles for bed linen are ‘made from the finest organic silks and cottons, in small mills using best practice throughout the supply line' as well as materials made from recycled plastics. Indeed the ‘less is more’ principle is innately linked to sustainability, with a preference for well made, long-lasting and sensual materials that will never go out of style.
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To start assembling the luxe-monastic look, Alex recommends opting for “pared back statement pieces, in natural materials, mixing objects and furniture displaying age and patina alongside crisper, luxe fabrics and materials." Rachael recommends beginning with a “refined base palette” and layering in “soft textures and warm timber to add depth.” Alex suggests starting with a simple colour palette to “allow room to breathe." Whilst natural, neutral tones are the most obvious option when creating a room that feels airy and clean, the deep rouge tones in the bedroom of this Hackney coach house by Evelina shows that any colour can lend itself to a peaceful bedroom: “I tend to go one of two ways – light and textured or dark and moody, and I find both equally soothing.”
In terms of furniture, Rachael recommends “investing in a few high-quality furniture pieces that celebrate timeless craftsmanship, rather than opting for trend-led designs.” Despite the temptation to plaster our bedrooms with scattered reflections of our identity, clutter is to be avoided and “accessorising should to a minimum” in our pseudo-monastery setup, says Alex.
“Even though the bedroom is arguably the most personal and intimate space in the house I like to keep it quite neutral, void of too many personal mementos and decorative objects scattered around, instead focusing on the tactility of the textiles and the sculptural quality of the essential furniture pieces.” Perhaps it's a hangup from adolescence, when bedrooms were often the only opportunity for self expression, but just as we had to retire the BlueTak and band posters, it's time to adopt the Marie Kondo approach and cut back on belongings. Or at least resolve to release our ‘stuff’ into other rooms and keep the bedroom as just that, the room for your bed.
Speaking of which, the bed itself is of course a vital consideration. Blending the flat, neat surfaces of ancient ecclesiastical dormitories with luxurious materials is key to creating the perfect vibe. “Bed textiles are often what makes a successful bedroom,” says Evelina, “I love the simplicity of a bed cover – no cushions, no throws, just the drape of the fabric. Laying it, arranging the folds and then taking it down is its own type of meditation.” Beyond the materials, there's a technique to achieving the specific ‘monastic bed’ look, where a top sheet is pulled over the entire mattress and pillows, creating a rolling layer of linen like a sheet of snow on uneven ground.
