How to harness golden hour in your bedroom

From earthy shades to nostalgic texture, channel the magic of a gently setting sun in your sleep space.

Few things compare to sitting outdoors, glass in hand, as the afternoon draws in.

Whether you are overlooking the countryside as galahs make their way across a sky of powdery orange; on a balcony above bustling streets as rays of scorched amber peer between buildings or looking out to crashing waves and a sky awash in sorbet shades as a warm ball of light tucks itself into the horizon — no matter where you find yourself at sunset, there is something about Golden Hour in Australia. 

And it’s why this magical, Midas-touch moment of Mother Nature has influenced our latest design.

Reflecting our rich heritage and commitment to Australian craftsmanship, our curved bed head called the Luna bed head is a homage to where it all began for Heatherly: in Australian nature.

“We never want the sun to set on our celebration of home,” says Heatherly Founder Georgie Leckey.

“When designing our Luna bed head, we wanted to find a way that we could mirror nature in a very nostalgic, distinctive way, and it’s hard to top the innate beauty of the show our Australian sky puts on for us at sunset.”

“We wanted to make the feeling of hopping into bed just as magical as golden hour.”

To celebrate our new Golden Hour-inspired design  — we are sharing some of our favourite ways to bring the serenity of dusk into a nurturing bedroom.

 

EMBRACE THE TONES OF TWILIGHT HOUR

From dusky tones of rose pink and muted coral to rustic hues of saffron and amber, embracing sunset is all about creating a warm and inviting environment.

Whether you live in the country or you’re a city dweller, it’s easy to bring the outdoors in by mirroring nature’s palette in your furniture, cushions, rugs and artwork. With shades of golden-brown on the rise in interiors, we also looked to sand, ochre and burnt gold for our inspiration for our Luna bed head, which is wrapped in a sumptuous shade of oh-so-strokable camel velvet. The rich shade ensures that our first curved, deep-button design sets the scene for a bedroom sanctuary and offers a super soft landing at day’s end.

Luna curved deep buttoning velvet

GIVE A NOD TO NOSTALGIA 

We might be on the other side of the winter solstice, but as summertime sentimentalists here at Heatherly, honouring golden hour ensures the nostalgia of long, lazy days spent in nature are always within reach.

The palette and texture of Luna — combined with our Errol footstool, which features a retro houndstooth print, tan piping and chubby wooden legs — also evokes a nostalgic vibe, infusing interiors with the light-hearted simplicity of a 1970s summer. Conjuring images of childhood summer vacations, the golden hour trend is also a reminder to take refuge in the memory of sun-kissed, simpler times. Even a lampshade with a shell-like scalloped edging can create a subtle coastal undercurrent by the bed.

curved ottoman footstool timber leg piped edge upholstered in herringbone fabric. Custom made australian designed ottoman

TURN UP THE TACTILITY

As well as adding dimension with an upholstered ottoman at the end of the bed, you can also layer up your look with soft furnishings and natural fibre to usher in the gentle rhythm of golden hour.

We started with dreamy cream linen and burnt ginger bolster cushion styled against our burnished Luna bed head — almost like the sun is setting across the bedroom wall.

Textured accents such as a flat-woven rug or textural artwork by your bed create a tactile feature and help build a bedroom a haven where you can rest and recharge.

Even a contrast bed valance in a natural linen fibre can help bring an unpolished touch to the space. 

luna curved velvet bedhead deep buttoning vintage style

CAST A GENTLE GLOW

To achieve a homely, warm golden glow, swap out any white globes in your light fittings and lamps and replace them with warm-white globes. Dimmers can also help to create ambience and mimic the setting sun.

 

BUY AUSTRALIAN MADE 

You can’t possibly honour the Australian landscape without also supporting local skills, craftsmanship and industry.  Every Heatherly piece is handcrafted and made to order in our Melbourne workshops by our team of talented craftsmen who have spent years honing their skills. With meticulous attention to detail, our designs also bring a lasting personal touch to any bedroom space or style. 

curved ottoman footstool timber leg piped edge herringbone

 

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How to style a chair in the bedroom

In recent years, the bedroom has played a more important role in the overall functionality and flow of our homes. They have become a personal oasis, an ultimate restorative space to relax and unwind from busy days.

And while comforting colour palettes and soft texture help create a tranquil atmosphere, the rise of accent chairs is redefining the purpose and style of the modern bedroom. A bedroom chair not only gives you another place to play with colour, pattern, and texture, but it can also support daily self-care rituals and routines. From establishing a vanity space, desk hub or lounge area to providing a reading nook to wind down with a book before bed and the perfect place to enjoy a restorative cup of tea in the morning light, the versatility of the bedroom chair has evolved far beyond somewhere to lay out tomorrow’s clothes.

And while our beds remain the focal point of the room, an accent can help bring out the best in bedroom style. From minimal designs to more layered and lived-in spaces, the bedroom chair, at its best, acts as a style anchor, defining and pulling the space together.  

Here are some of our favourite tips for styling an accent chair in your bedroom space.


Where do I place a chair in the bedroom?
While some areas of the bedroom naturally lend themselves to a beautiful place to sit — such as next to a dresser, by a vanity or desk or by the window — placing a chair opposite or a few feet away from the bed can help to define the space and boundaries of the bedroom.   

The further your chair is away from your bed, the easier it will be to separate it from the associations of sleep attached to the bed, so it feels like another space to utilise in the home.

 

Heatherly Design bedroom chair styling how to

Kent velvet chair, Louis plaid bed head and Von houndstooth footstool

 

How to style a bedroom chair in a small bedroom?
Don’t be discouraged from incorporating a chair into your bedroom just because your space is on the smaller side.  Sometimes a chair can create the illusion of more room, making perfect use of what would otherwise be dead space.

Styling the area around a chair with books, plants, and a reading lamp makes a chair look like it belongs in a nook and doesn’t close off the space the way a cabinet, chest of drawers or other bulky furniture pieces might. 

A floor lamp angled over a chair also helps to lift the eye and make it a focal point that’s warm and inviting, while placing a mirror above or beside the chair will also open the space.

Accent chair patterned linen upholstered bedroom

Fenwick chair paired with Bailey bedhead and valance


How to style a bedroom chair in a large bedroom?
When it comes to interiors, a large bedroom, much like high ceilings, can be a nice problem to have. Sometimes loftier, grander spaces can be overwhelming as they demand a little more attention—and furniture—to feel homely, warm, and inviting.

An accent chair is a great tool for closing visual gaps. 

You can create a curated lounge space with an accent chair, side table and even an ottoman. Or, if your space allows it, why limit yourself to just one accent chair? Turn your bedroom into another spot to chat and chill with a set of chairs and a small table.

 

Kent velvet chair and von houndstooth footstool

Kent velvet Chair and Von houndstooth footstool

How to choose the right colour and texture for a bedroom chair?
When choosing an accent chair, we recommend looking at your existing bedroom decor — from your bed head to your lampshades— and selecting a design that compliments the tone and texture of the room. 

From plush velvets in rich jewel tones to luxuriously tactile boucle in buff neutrals, the right accent chair should not only act as a grounding element that instantly ties an entire room together, but it should also help to create a pleasing eye-path around the room. Opting for a custom made design means you can choose from an array of premium fabrics, colours and prints to guarantee a bespoke creation that suits your space and taste. 

For a dynamic and discerning bedroom, it’s hard to resist the current boucle trend. Adored by A-listers around the globe, boucle reflects growing consumer demand for bedroom chairs that are as aesthetically striking as they are cosy. Inspired by a ‘hug’, our new Amanti design makes a statement in any space with the rounded romantic form cocooning you in comfort while reading or relaxing. 

Curved accent chair in boucle

Amanti Chair in belair snow boucle our latest boucle accent chair.

If it’s old-world charm and elegance that you are after, velvet always offers a particularly opulent look. Our Kent chair gives a contemporary nod to a classic style and adapts easily to any setting. With refined curves and scooped arm detail adding an extra layer of sophistication, it makes a beautiful bedroom chair. 

The Fenwick custom upholstered chair allows you to further personalise your chair with coloured stitching detail, while the contoured back of the Crosby Chair makes it an incredibly comfortable addition to any space. Complete the look with a custom cushion, drape a throw rug over the back or even add a side table to create a cosy reading nook. 

If you are unsure whether to choose boucle, felt, or linen — or which colour will best complement your existing bedroom furniture — you can also order a fabric sample today. 

 

 

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Lean into a new era of luxury with premium faux leather

For more than 14 years, Heatherly Design have been crafting beds to suit every space, taste and lifestyle. But across the globe, a shift in style is emerging as our relationship with our homes and the way we live continues to evolve, as well as our attitudes towards the environment.

More than ever, the pieces we choose to invest in, reflect our way of living. From plush velvet to the tactility of boucle and textured linen, each upholstery fabric has its own unique offering, which is why Heatherly wanted to expand their own contribution for the thoughtfully stylish. 

With that, meet Maxwell, a premium faux leather design for the future.

brown faux leather tan vegan leather bed Heatherly Design

Still anchored by the Heatherly commitment to craftsmanship and enduring quality, Maxwell combines leather-look luxury with rich colours and modern lines to make an impact in any space it’s placed. 

Taking its cue from the minimalist sophistication of world-class hotels, the ready-to-ship design exudes a jet set charisma and charm, while bringing modern design to the forefront.

Available in two versatile, vegan-friendly shades of stone and tan, an additional overlayed cushioned panelling piece — finished with a contrast white saddle stitch detail —highlights the subtly curved silhouette.

For Heatherly Founder, Georgie Leckey, the latest design ushers in a new era for faux and encourages clients to welcome a rich material that will bring depth to the bedroom.

“Expanding on the overwhelming popularity of our Ready-Made Collection, which includes the linen wrapped Rupert bed and our Bonnie bed in boucle, a leather-concept was the missing texture,” she says.

“Longevity was paramount with this design, and it was hard to ignore the performance highlights of premium faux leather.”

With permanent stain protection and abrasion resistance, Heatherly’s luxury faux leather is also easy to clean and waterproof.

“The surface durability means Maxwell can withstand wear and tear which increases the lifespan of the material, so you can rest easy knowing your bed head will maintain its lustre for years to come,” Leckey says.

With an increased focus on sustainability and responsibility, faux leather is also a viable – and desirable – animal-free alternative for interiors. 

“Quality is at the heart of every Heatherly design, and we have spent months refining this design to create an exclusive, faux leather piece that was just as stylish and covetable as its leather counterparts.”

“Our commitment to innovation has led us to develop what we believe is the best faux leather bed design on the market and we can’t wait for you to experience it.”

 

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