If you want to avoid clothes draped over chairs and piles of spare linen and pillows cramping your style, you need to think ahead. As with kitchen planning, it's worth listing what you need to store and working out how much hanging and drawer space is required. Don't forget shoes, bags and luggage, plus books, magazines, photograph albums and even CDs if you want your bedroom to be a bolt hole where you can escape to read or listen to music. If you are starting from scratch, you can opt for fitted furniture or freestanding designs, or a combination of the two. If there are already cupboards in place, a new paint finish and updated interior fittings will help improve the look.
Additional items
A bed-end chest or a multi-drawer cabinet, for example - can also provide crucial extra storage. Think laterally - you don't have to restrict yourself to furniture specifically designed for bedrooms. If space is at a premium in your main living areas, the bedroom may be able to accommodate discreet bookshelves, or even a small desk area. This approach particularly suits guest bedrooms, which can double up as a study or home office.
Fully Fitted and Walk-in Wardrobes
Most bedrooms will benefit from fitted furniture - a good designer will be able to solve the problems of awkward angles, uneven alcoves and out-of-proportion walls to present a sleek, uniform appearance. Even if the fitted section is restricted to one wall, it will still provide generous hanging and shelf space. L-shaped bedrooms lend themselves to being split into sleeping and wardrobe areas: depending on the layout, you can either have a door leading to a walk-in wardrobe with open shelves and rails beyond, or just a separate space with a traditional wardrobe.
Whatever your layout, don't stint on the interior fittings - try to include pull-down rails (look for those that work on a hydraulic system) to maximise hanging space, drawers for small items, rails for trousers and racks for shoes. Sliding or bi-folding doors intrude less upon floor space, and the combination of glass panels and interior lighting can create interesting effects.
If you like the look of fitted wardrobes but don't have the budget required, there are several large freestanding versions that look like fitted designs (try Bo Concept or Ikea), which offer as much interior space but are less costly and can be taken with you if you move house.
Underbed Storage
Never underestimate the value of the space beneath your bed. Even if your room has ample cupboards, shoes and bags seem to gravitate to that forgotten area, so it makes sense to use it properly. Standard bedsteads can be teamed with sturdy under-bed baskets, or even large drawers on castors. Habitat have Kalana under-bed drawers in a beautiful oak or wenge finish. They are intended for use with the matching bed, but would also look good with similar or contrasting materials. There's always a place for a classic divan base with drawers, but choose one with a plain fabric cover so you don't need to use a valance sheet and can reach the drawers easily. The latest idea is the lift-up bed, where the entire slatted base is raised, usually via a hydraulic system, to reveal a storage area the size of the bed. It's more disruptive than drawers, but an excellent place to stow out-of-season quilts and blankets.
Guest rooms can be put to greater use if the beds incorporate storage ideas - consider high-level beds with integral drawers or even a single bed with another mattress stored underneath: this is a good way to extend a single bedroom occasionally to make a double.
Individual Items
There's currently a trend for low, horizontal chests of drawers, good news if you want to store bulky items such as blankets or big jumpers. Low, wide drawers could even be used for shoes and handbags. But if floor space is limited, consider tall, narrow chests with lots of drawers - perfect for smaller items such as T-shirts and lingerie. Freestanding wardrobes are less popular then they used to be, but they are still a good choice, especially in a period home with alcoves either side of a chimney breast. Here, a wardrobe positioned in each alcove with the bed opposite and a sturdy set of bedside drawers will cover most storage needs.
