5 cosy ways a candle maker does her home bedroom refresh

It happened a couple of weeks ago. I like to scroll Pinterest for ideas and, roughly mid July, searches for a home bedroom refresh shot up. Why? I thought. Well, maybe it's that bright summer light and heatwaves show up our bedrooms for what they are. In winter, we can tumble into bed in the dark with a good book. In summer, it's easier to think - what if we could have something more?

Of course, then cue all the beautiful, unattainable interiors inspiration. And I do love it, but this isn't what you'll find here. Writing as a candle maker running my small business, Authentic House, all around creating a sustainable home, I like good design but I want to make it eco-friendly too, as well as within my self-employed budget! Rather than an overhaul, for me, refreshing your bedroom is all about observing and making clever tweaks over time that make a big difference. So, here are 5 cosy ways a candle maker does her home bedroom refresh.

 1. Start with the big surfaces, aka your bedding

 This is a tip I've pulled from Ingrid Fetell Lee, a designer who always inspires me (and writer of the wonderful book Joyful). If you're doing a home bedroom refresh, the biggest change you'll see is by starting with the big surfaces.

Chances are, if your bedroom needs a spruce up, think about your bedding. Back when I began Authentic House, Daniel and I kept my bedding from my first double bed. It was super comfy inside, but going off colour and no amount of washing, sunlight or oxygen bleach was going to spruce it up!

There's a lot said around living sustainably and keeping what you have. Yes, I'd say, but there is a moment when you need to let go.

For our new bedding, I did a lot of research and came up with linen as the best option. It gives that beautiful, natural-textured vibe and is also eco-friendly in that flax grows without pesticides and less water than cotton. Here's a great article by Cariki on why linen is so sustainable.

We saved up for two big sets from Secret Linen Store (wait for their sales) and they make a HUGE difference.

You don't of course need to buy new sheets. If yours are still looking fresh, let's move on to colours and that other big space - your walls...

 2. Choosing colours for your bedroom

They say the beige trend is over, and we're now all gravitating towards brighter colours and, in my case, neon cat prints by Naomi Wilkinson. That said, for your bedroom, it's worth keeping the colours natural and low. This is a tip I pulled from Sue Fan and Danielle Quigley, the designers behind the book Do Inhabit: Style your space for a creative and considered life. Colours have a big impact on how we feel and, in the bedroom, we want to rest and let go.

That's why painting our bedroom a very light stone grey was one of the best choices I made. Chances are, in your bedroom, you probably have a lot of furniture too so choosing a neutral colour is easiest to complement what you have without needing a big overhaul.

3. Refreshing the paint on your bedroom walls

In spring, Daniel and I refreshed the paint in our bedroom especially around the window seals. The paint was flaking since I'd last done it and, as we live in rainy Cardiff, we hadn't kept up with the mould spores around the wardrobe and sealant.

It took a few days, but I've learnt it helps to be methodical when refreshing your paint. First we scraped off the flaking paint, filled gaps and then applied a layer of damp seal, then anti condensation paint, then colour with a little anti-mould additive. This was a tip I picked up from a painter I see on dog walks.

Little touches like refreshing paint or choosing the right colour are something it's easy to put off. I definitely did! You can't underestimate though how lovely it is in a bedroom in a restful colour that's well taken care of and no flaky bits hidden behind plant pots.... 

4. Choose small furniture for small bedrooms

If you've ever seen foldable beds in New York apartments, you'll know a lot can be done with very little space! It's not quite like that here in Cardiff, but choosing smaller furniture can save a lot more space than you think.

First, think about your wardrobe if you have one.

Back to our home bedroom refresh... One of the worst things about painting our walls was moving the giant white wardrobe that came with our home. We could barely move it and, when squeezed behind it to paint, I realised just how much space was there. This big piece of furniture you never really question was taking up the entire wall alcove.

So we decided to give it away. If you're donating furniture, the British Heart Foundation are great in the UK as they can pick up furniture for you. The one drawback is they don't take dismantled furniture, so we ended up using Olio which is an app dedicated to sharing with your neighbours. There was no way we could get the wardrobe out without pulling it apart, but luckily two doctors dropped by to take it home!

In its place, we ended up buying a small, open wardrobe really quickly as you can easily underestimate the havoc that comes from a giant pile of clothes and hangers. For the rest of the alcove, I'm being more careful about what we choose.

We're experimenting with a rug woven by my grandmother and a frog print from Ebony Katherine Richardson in her restful, night-time colours (you can read my interview with her here). I'd like to get a mirror, but I'll probably wait a while and then look somewhere like Facebook marketplace or our local Roath Penny Lane Vintage which has some great furniture finds. 

 5. Design your bedroom for how you want to spend your time there

When we're in our bedroom, we've often just woken up or are tired towards the end of the day. As I've experimented more with having a morning routine, I've learnt how doing things that are good for my wellbeing in the present need a bit of pre-planning, especially when I'm sleepy!

Over time, this has turned into having a rest corner in our bedroom. I share with Daniel, but this corner is by my side of the bed with things for me. There's a meditation cushion, journal and pen for my morning routine. For the evening, I have a big stack of books I haven't read yet.

As a side note on books, I recently rediscovered going to my local library. Rather than browsing the aisles, I usually make a reading list from friends' recommendations and podcasts and order it in one go. This makes for a pile of books I can feel excited about and that helps me spend more time off screens and instead reading. Reading Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport was a really inspiring book for this too.

Lastly, when you're being intentional about how you want to feel, scent and light has a place too. Good low lights for reading make your bedroom a place where you'll want to spend evenings, or meditate on dark winter mornings. I was listening to a conversation with Professor Michael Norton this week. Speaking to Dr Rangan Chatterjee, he mentions how many human rituals use fire, from birthday cakes to Beltane.

It's not a coincidence the flicker of candlelight is something that helps us relax. I'll usually light one in autumn in the evenings and choose a scent for how I want to feel. Lavender, geranium and rose are some of the most restful scents.

A final note on refreshing your bedroom

And there you have 5 cosy ways a candle maker (me!) does her home bedroom refresh. As I've said, refreshing your bedroom is an interplay of colour, layout and intention. It's a process that'll change with you. Bit by bit, you'll find your bedroom feels better as you get to know it, the light and how you best want to rest there.

What changes have you made to refresh your bedroom? I'd love to know.

For ideas on creating a sustainable home and life in our Cardiff small business, you can subscribe to my weekly Ideas Book newsletter here.