Small homes and studios

Sleeping zone Materials and Finishes for Small homes and studios

Select materials by where they will be installed, how they are cleaned and what can be repaired when one part wears.

Explore the ideas
Bedroom with a plum upholstered headboard, round mirror and corner wardrobe
Bedroom inspiration: a dressing corner beside the sleeping zone.

Compare the options

Set the brief
Mark high-touch, wet and impact-prone surfaces separately before picking finishes.
Compare
Ask suppliers for care instructions, repair options and a full sample with exposed edges and joints.
Before buying
Price installation, replaceable pieces and long-term maintenance alongside the initial material cost.
Worked example

A bedroom floor is scratched by chair movement at a desk beside the bed.

Compare repairable floor finishes and a correctly sized chair mat sample, checking edges do not create a trip point.

How to test it

Put the sample beside its adjoining materials and test the agreed cleaning method on a spare piece.

Apply it to this space
Layout
Place the bed in the least-through area and use a low or open divider if separation is needed.
Detail
Use wall-mounted reading lights and under-bed drawers for seasonal items.
Trade-off
A full-height partition adds privacy but cuts light and air movement.
  • Check daylight reaches the rear zone
  • Test bed access and drawer clearance
Floor-to-ceiling wardrobe with cane-finish doors beside a fabric-headboard bed
Bedroom inspiration: textured wardrobe fronts and soft bedside materials.

The Elixir portfolio

Details worth a closer look

Photographs for design inspiration
Bedroom with a sage upholstered bed, arched niches and a dark green wardrobe
Bedroom inspiration: a calm bed wall paired with full-height storage.
Bedroom with a red upholstered headboard wall, pendant lights and grey wardrobe
Bedroom inspiration: a strong headboard wall with bedside lighting.

Related design guides

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