Cityscape talks to Lisa Sinke, the mastermind behind Wink design, about setting up the perfect bedroom.

It’s just a bedroom, right? Nobody else ever sees it, so it doesn’t really matter what you do with it, right? Wrong.

We spend a third of our lives in bed, so making that room look and feel great is essential to living well, says interior designer Lisa Sinke. “And really, do we live our lives for others, or ourselves?”

The centrepiece of a well-designed bedroom is the bedhead. Back when slat beds were the norm, bedheads and bed ends were everywhere. “I always remember looking forward to being a grownup so I could get my own,” Lisa says. “I got a beautiful oak bed and I was so proud of it.”

But now, with the prevalence of enormous mattresses and boxed ensemble bed bases, bedheads have gone the way of the moa. “There’s something really missing in our bedrooms. There’s a lot of focus on linen and cushions, but actually to anchor your bedroom scheme and your bed, you really do need to have a bedhead. And it gives you something to sit against. It just doesn’t feel proper sitting against the wall.”

Wink’s custom bedheads have a lot of choice in shape, and unlimited colour and fabric options. A lot of people struggle with the choice. “Go with your heart,” Lisa says. “At the end of the day, if you try and compromise, or you try and overthink it, then you can be a bit disappointed. It’s your bedhead, it’s your bedroom, so it’s all about you.”

Don’t forget about a valance to dress up the bed a bit. You can stick with classic white or neutrals, but don’t be afraid to go for something more out-there or custom to fit your scheme. “It’s a bit like putting mascara on,” Lisa says. “You need your mascara, and you need your valance.”

There’s more to bedroom furniture than just a bed, nightstand and tall boy. “It’s always quite nice to have a chair or a footstool, for if you can’t be bothered hanging everything up in the wardrobe at the end of the night.” Also, think about getting attractive dog beds in the room, if relevant.

When it comes to lighting, you might want two kinds of light, Lisa says. “You want to be able to jump in bed and read your book well, but also have lovely soft ambient lighting if you’re not going to be reading.”

And don’t forget about sustainability. Choosing planet-friendly materials in your bedroom is good for the environment, but also good for your health. “Before I started Wink, I realised that bedheads are full of quite toxic materials such as foam that actually never degrades. And also quite often they’re made with cheap timber and toxic glues,” Lisa says. “Foam off-gases and so does cheap timber, and you’re sleeping right next to that. We grow wool in New Zealand and wool absolutely works as a bedhead stuffing.”

Lisa’s quick bedroom tips

Picking swatches Think about what you like to wear and what type of cushions you like. They’re all good clues as to what type of textile you like. Then focus on whether you prefer patterns or geometrics or plains. It’s really a process of elimination.

Patterns and plains There’s a big trend at the moment towards complementary patterns. There are some fabulous designers who mix patterns so well. It’s by no means set in stone that just because you have a very patterned bedspread you should have a very plain bedhead, or vice versa.

Materials Remember you can even supply your own fabrics for custom furniture and curtains. We once made a bedhead with woollen fabric that came from our client’s own farm!

Curves Sure, it’s hard to go past a good solid rectangular bedhead, but curves just add a nice, soft, calming, human-friendly element to a bedroom. I just love them.

This season’s colours Picking fave colours and patterns is a bit like picking your favourite child. However a couple of standouts right now are Nine Musess wonderful patterns and colours, and Oat Studio’s stunning architectural prints.

winkdesign.co.nz