Bedrooms

Timber beds have a lovely aesthetic that is currently enjoying great popularity. In particular, bed frames that make the most of the wood's natural textures and colours and are complemented by the clean lines of contemporary design, such as box frames, are taking bedrooms by storm.

There is a very soft, feminine quality to the French provincial bedroom style, which lends itself perfectly to our more intimate spaces. And with a range of reproduction pieces now on the market, creating a French bedroom has never been easier.

Coming up with room designs for kids can be a difficult affair, particularly once they get older and have very definite tastes. But by throwing a few sensible ideas into the mix, there are ways to get something you can both live with.

Canopy beds can conjure up images as diverse as Arthurian knights and Victorian Gothic to Sleeping Beauty, whisking us back to simpler times when bedrooms were regarded as a retreat from the outside world.

The very Zen, minimalist stylings of the platform bed are becoming increasingly fashionable for modern bedrooms. They are particularly popular where space is limited, as their open sight lines make bedrooms appear more spacious.

When it comes to updating your bedroom design, recent trends are moving away from the minimalist look that has been so popular in recent times. Today's modern bedroom designs embrace colour, pattern and texture, but you don't have to go overboard.

There are lots of things you can do to make a great kids' bedroom for your little ones. Children's bedrooms have so much potential for fun, and although you could spend a fortune, you really don't have to, with a few simple decorating ideas.

When thinking bedroom furniture, it's mostly double, queen and king beds that spring to mind. But for children, teenagers and some older people, the single size bed is a much more comfortable and practical option. And, just like the single's larger counterparts, you can get some great co-ordinated single bedroom furniture to suit.

Although many of us think of a futon as a folding sofa bed, according to Adrian Cormick at Fantasy Futon the word 'futon' only refers to the mattress. It's the futon base that will determine if you're getting a futon bed or a futon sofa, one that will double as both a great place to sleep and a convenient place to sit.

Futons have moved beyond their 'student on a budget' image to provide bedding options that are still great value for money, but also suitable for all ages and tastes.