Get cozy this winter and bring beauty to your bedroom and ensuite with expert advice from designer Tiffany Leigh.

Lavishing some love on a primary bedroom before the first flurries fly makes sense, and these pro tips from designer Tiffany Leigh will help you realize your suite dreams. “We were tasked with creating a warm, cozy retreat,” says Tiffany, whose renovation of this bedroom and its ensuite included changing the location of doorways and breaking down walls to get a layout that maximized space and made room for the soaker tub on her clients’ wish list. Dated elements were banished, with mirrored closet doors and hand-me-down furniture replaced by custom millwork for optimal organization and furnishings that bridge tradition with today.

Even if you aren’t doing a full renovation and are just adding decorative elements, Tiffany’s tips for bringing layers of loveliness will help you create a retreat that’s an antidote for chilly temps and long winter nights.

How to elevate your bedroom and ensuite 

1. If you are renovating, think outside the box when it comes to space planning. Tiffany made a new entry door from the hall, knocked out bulky closet walls in favour of wall-to-wall built-ins, and nixed a small hall that had led from the bedroom to the bathroom to maximize space. Those measures helped to make room for a small soaker tub.

2. Consider custom millwork. “By removing the walled-in closets and a freestanding dresser, we were able to take back precious square footage without compromising storage,” says Tiffany, referring to the spacious millwork closets and drawers that help her clients stay organized.

3. Establish a theme and carry it through the bedroom and ensuite. “We leaned into a moody aesthetic with greens, creams and browns, and a traditional yet fresh approach to patterns with a subtle floral wallpaper and, in the ensuite, a checkerboard floor,” says Tiffany.

4. Use contrast for dynamic design. “I love the juxtaposition of masculine and feminine elements in this space,” says Tiffany. “The strong, muddy brown headboard sits against the soft green floral wallpaper, and striped pillows play well against smaller, ditsy prints.”

5. Paper bedroom walls with pattern. “Adding wallpaper amps up the cozy factor,” says Tiffany. It’s an easy add-on, even if you don’t renovate.

6. Don’t hesitate to double up on bedside lighting. “A table lamp paired with a wall-mounted sconce is one of our favourite combos in the bedroom,” says Tiffany. “It’s a layered approach that makes for the perfect reading light options.”

7. Finishing touches are important. “We matched our trim work to a cream found in the wallpaper and carried it into the millwork for a warmer look,” says Tiffany.

8. Even if you aren’t renovating, you can easily add coziness to the bedroom. “We love a layered bed,” says Tiffany. A quilt tucked around the mattress, a fluffy linen duvet, a moss-coloured muslin cotton throw (from Tiffany’s collaboration with Tuck Bedding) and a plethora of pillows “create a cloudlike experience,” says the designer.

9. Don’t skimp on window dressings. “Custom blackout draperies are a must in any bedroom for their fullness and ability to keep the room dark for sleeping,” says Tiffany.

10. Wood adds visual warmth, so Tiffany used it in both rooms. In the ensuite, a wood vanity and shower stool bring softness to a room that’s full of hard surfaces.

In the bathroom, unlacquered brass fixtures were selected for their beauty, which will only become more lovely as they patina with use and age. 

11. Change a negative into a positive. “We weren’t originally planning a vanity tower in this space, but when we uncovered a plumbing stack within the old closet right where our new vanity was going, we created this solution. Now it’s a perfect spot for perfumes, mouthwash and toothpaste,” says Tiffany.

12. A wall-mounted tub filler allowed Tiffany to tuck the tub as close to the wall as possible in the small space. Plus, she says, “It’s like jewellery in the room.”

13. Swap swing doors, which require square footage for clearance, for pocket doors.

14. Have fun with lighting in the bathroom. Says Tiffany, “Over the tub, a chandelier that looks like it’s floated up from a bubble bath adds a playful and whimsical element.”

15. It’s good to play hooky! “I love to place wall hooks close to the tub and shower, so a fresh towel is always in reach,” says the designer.

16. When styling, stick to the theme you’ve established. Inexpensive vintage books “add so much charm and history,” says Tiffany; they are a small detail that reinforces the slightly nostalgic feel of the space.

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