Finnish Design Shop’s interior architect, Maija Rasila, talks about her favorite products and styles in Design Stories' Favorites of the Month column. In March, she upgrades her bedroom décor for spring.
“I MUST CONFESS: if I had to choose one room in my home that I find a little embarrassing, it would definitely be the bedroom. Decorating the room that is the last one upstairs, has been the last on my list of priorities, as I spend so little time there. Due to the location, it is also hidden out of sight in day-to-day life.
At present, the room’s interior consists mainly of leftover furniture, and there are even piles of odds and ends by the walls. My plan for this spring is to paint the delicate peach walls with a color that pleases me more, and to refine the décor and the storage solutions to make the room more comfortable to stay in. My wish list includes freshness, softness and a light look – minor upgrades are an easy way to decorate the bedroom to suit the spring season.”
Updated with rattan
I like the bedroom to have a detachable storage cabinet or drawer unit in addition to the built-in closets. It brings variety to massive fixed cabinets and offers practical additional storage space. A lower countertop is also a nice setting for small compositions that give the room a finished look. Such small details play a major role in achieving a cozy end result.
Small details play a major role in achieving a cozy end result.
Lundia's product range has recently been supplemented with a rattan collection, a breath of fresh air and a new look for these Finnish classics. The products in the rattan collection are especially suitable for use in the bedroom. The set includes high and low cabinets as well as long countertops, available in a few different colors. I just added a high storage cabinet with rattan doors to my home, and I couldn’t be more pleased with my choice.
• Lundia Classic cabinet with rattan doors >
• All storage furniture >
Charming lavender
One of the trendiest shades of this spring is definitely delicate lavender. This color keeps popping up in clothing and interiors alike. For me personally, pastels are not the first choice, but I would definitely be willing to try some of this shade in home textiles.
This delicate spring color would liven up especially the bedding and the whole bedroom in a wonderful way. Bedding by Tekla in lavender is very trendy right now, and paired with cream-colored items, they add even more freshness to the pastel shade. I may have to try these!
• Tekla duvet cover >
• All bed linen >
The beauty of a cube
As my bedroom is high and spacious with a sloping ceiling, it needs, most of all, interior elements with clean lines. Overly slender and light objects would drown in the space and make the end result restless. The Plinth marble tables by Menu have become the it-objects of recent years, and I like their clarity and timeless square shape – and, of course, the stunning marble in different shades. This would be a nice architectural choice for a bedside table that would visually calm down the spacious room.
The picture also repeats the beautiful caramel-like wall tone, which is a potential choice for the walls of my own bedroom as well. The vibrant surface texture adds an interesting look to the soft tone.
• Menu Plinth table >
• All side tables >
Foot therapy
A rug is a comfort factor in the bedroom: it makes the room cozy and pleasant. I prefer slightly more plush rugs in the bedroom, as it is wonderful to let your toes dive in them in the morning and evening. The woollen Peas rugs by Hay are among my long-standing favorites, which I have personally found to be excellent. A rug from the series has lasted flawless in my home for more than ten years.
Since then, the series has been updated with soft new tones and a more vibrant Random surface texture that brings nice variation to the look of the rug. This design is worth remembering, as it is well suited to a wide variety of spaces and moods. In addition to large rugs, there is also a smaller size, perfect for placing next to the bed.
• Hay Peas rug >
• All rugs >
An interesting lighting find
Lighting is one of the cornerstones of the bedroom interior, as in addition to good general lighting, both an efficient reading light and a softer atmospheric luminaire are needed. One of my latest charming finds in lighting fixtures is the Funiculi collection by Marset. It is fresh and anonymous by design, and a nice, affordable design choice.
Lighting is one of the cornerstones of the bedroom interior
The series includes floor and table lamps with a wide range of adjustment options. This makes the lamps ideal for both reading and creating a soft atmosphere. Although this lamp is relatively new to me, it actually is not: the shape of the Funiculi series is based on Lluís Porqueras’ design classic from 1979.
• Marset Funiculi table lamp >
• All lighting >
A place for everything
I keep some cosmetics and beauty things in the bedroom, and it’s nice to find beautiful storage and display solutions for them. The cosmetics cases by Nuori from Denmark are ideal for storage of all kinds of small items and the design is so skillful that the cases are lovely to look at and keep in view. The products, made of high-quality vegan leather, are an eco-friendly and long-lasting choice.
• Nuori travel case set >
• All toiletry and makeup bags >
Trendy and necessary
In my opinion, one of the most practical pieces of furniture in the bedroom is the bench: you always need a place to put down the bed linen and worn clothes not ready for washing just yet. In a large bedroom, a bench at the end of the bed ties the furniture together, while in a smaller space, there may be space for a bench or a lighter seat by the wall next to the bed.
The Betty bench by &Tradition is a great combination of classic webbing and trendy shades and shapes. The red in particular is a highly topical and interesting choice right now. I also like the dining chairs in the same series – their design language is equally simple and timeless.
• &Tradition Betty bench >
• All benches >
A TV for the bedroom?
A TV set in the bedroom is something that really divides opinions. Personally, I have been strongly against it, as I’ve wanted to keep the room calm for rest and sleep. However, living in a two-story home, I’ve had to give way to the TV set, as it makes life comfortable in certain situations: in the evenings, it is great to go upstairs early and watch an episode or two of my favorite show in bed.
Samsung’s beautiful lifestyle TVs, which are nowhere near the traditional ideas of a TV set, have also had a big impact on my change of view. In my bedroom, the Serif TV, designed by the Bouroullec brothers, is easy to move to the right place, and there is no need to compromise on aesthetics. On the contrary, the set blends in beautifully with the décor as one more decoration element.
In this column, interior architect Maija Rasila picks the most inspiring products, objects and issues of the month from novel and classic items. Modern Scandinavian style can be spiced up with plenty of details, surprising colors and personal touches.
Text: Maija Rasila Images: Manufacturers