It is often the smallest spaces that speak the loudest. A bedside table may seem purely practical but styled thoughtfully it becomes complimentary to our daily rituals. Katharine Pooley explores how to elevate this intimate corner of the bedroom. From lighting that softens the room to the tactile details that ground your evening routine, consider this your guide to styling with purpose - refined, functional and beautifully lived-in.
Lighting sets the foundation for a well-styled bedside table. A lamp should do more than provide illumination, it acts as an anchor that helps to frame the space. Consider both scale and material when making your selection: a lamp that is too large will overwhelm a small table and look too busy, but too small and it loses presence.
A bedside table is a practical surface so it must be able to accommodate everyday essentials while still remaining calm. A small, elegant tray or box can hold loose items like reading glasses, medicine, lip balm or jewellery, reducing clutter and creating a sense of calm. This is particularly useful in guest rooms where an uncluttered surface feels welcoming and considered.
The qualities of a bedside should speak to the room’s palette. Think aged brass next to raw ceramic, linen-bound books against a marble tabletop. Materials should contrast gently - creating tension without chaos. A balance of matte and reflective finishes adds depth and draws the eye without overwhelming the view.
A framed photograph, a handwritten note, a scent that reminds you of somewhere beautiful, these small markers turn the ordinary into something quietly sacred. Whether it’s a sea-polished stone from a long-forgotten holiday or the lingering trace of a favourite candle, personal touches build an atmosphere of comfort. The bedside isn’t entirely designed for display like other spaces, it’s a private landscape and a still life composed for one. It should hold the things that calm you and move you, gently guiding you into rest.
Careful proportions or balanced or deliberately off-centre, a bedside table can be either depending on the mood you want to create. A symmetrical setup either side, perhaps a matching pair of lamps and other aligned objects, feels formal and grounding. Asymmetry, on the other hand, invites a more relaxed, lived-in character: a candle offset by a low stack of books, a solitary object with presence. Trust your eye to create rhythm and flow.
About Katharine Pooley London
Recently named ‘British Interior Designer of the Decade’, ‘International Designer of the Year in Asia’ and ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ Katharine Pooley has in a short space of time become one of Europe's leading designers. Her portfolio encompasses a multitude of interior styles and architectural genres and her design ethos is one of luxurious eclecticism. No two projects are ever alike, but they are universally beautiful and timeless.
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Playful yet practical children's bedrooms, designed to adapt with their owners changing needs.
Lewis Knox were delighted to be asked by a family who they previously designed nurseries for to create grown up rooms for their children’s developing personalities and needs. Their request was that the children could grow with the room designs. Flexible bespoke design is something Lewis Knox always work into their designs especially kids rooms which need to work extra hard as they develop in age and requirements.
Their daughter’s desire for lots of colour and pattern kept our team happy and she was thrilled with the outcome. Our bespoke headboard and scatter cushions sit pride of place with our chosen accessories and furniture, all picked with our client in mind. Her parents are thankful for this space as it provides lots of storage to keep the room tidy and organised as well as a built in desk.
For their little boy’s bedroom, a fun as well as practical display/storage solution was required. We designed an imaginative integrated bed with a mix of hidden cupboard storage and open shelving. We designed a den to double up as an alcove for a desk when he grows up and needs space to do homework. We allocated space elsewhere in the room for the bed to be moved when needed with sockets and lighting accommodated for later years. Graffiti inspired wallpaper and a burst of colour in the bespoke pendants, upholstery and furnishings have given him the “best bedroom ever!”
The colourful patterned Missoni wallcovering adds a great focal point in this bedroom. The bespoke headboard acts as a backdrop for a layering of scatter cushions designed by the team.
Children’s rooms need to be designed carefully and with three main considerations. Storage. Personality. Longevity.
Bespoke joinery creates a cosy bed alcove and storage for our young client’s toy collection. Recessed reading niches allow him to store his essentials like storybooks and a glass of water.
When we design children’s bedrooms we always work to at least a 5-7 year life span. However electrics, storage and lighting are designed to last much longer with just the decor and loose furnishings to be adapted to suit their next stage. It’s this planning and detailing our design studio excels in, creating homes for our clients to effortlessly live their lives in and in future years as their families and lives evolve.
"These clients were a dream, allowing us to create colorful havens for their children. Practicality was still a main priority. We worked hard to create bespoke joinery which will last." - Simon, Interior Architect.
About Lewis Knox
A dynamic interior design studio providing bespoke architectural and interior design services. More than 30 years experience in the luxury residential sector.
To celebrate London Craft Week, Vispring, the world's most sought-after luxury bed and mattress maker, is delighted to host a panel talk with guests including, broadcaster and smallholder, Kate Humble, on Tuesday 13th May 2025 from 6pm – 7pm.
The discussion will explore the evolving landscape of traditional British craft skills in the design industry today, notably focusing on the use of natural materials, including British wool. In 2025, the notion, “buy once, buy well” is making a comeback, with a gradual return in appreciation for longevity in design and the value of buying to last. The panel will discuss this, along with the importance of provenance of materials, local sourcing and sustainability for producers, manufacturers and consumers.
A leading luxury British bed manufacturer, Vispring introduced the pocket sprung mattress in London in 1901. Based in Plymouth, Devon since 1970, Vispring is the benchmark for bespoke, handcrafted beds, made using only the finest natural materials, including British wool, Real Shetland wool, cashmere, horsehair and silk. Epitomising a distinctly British form of elegance, Vispring combines technical prowess with lasting respect for traditional methods of workmanship and remains the international standard for comfort and sophistication.
Discussing the event, Clare Schifano, Global Marketing Director at Vispring says: “We are thrilled to be hosting a panel talk with Kate Humble at our Regent Street, St. James’s showroom during London Craft Week 2025. Traditional British manufacturing techniques, natural materials, brand authenticity and craftsmanship are central to our ethos. Vispring has a rich heritage rooted in British craft skills, quality, and innovation. As pioneers of the pocket sprung bed, we’re proud to be setting the standard for luxury mattresses around the world to this day. Every Vispring bed is meticulously crafted by hand, in our Devon factory, with exceptional attention to detail.”
Hosted at its flagship Regent Street showroom, 22 Regent Street Saint James's, London SW1Y 4PH, Vispring is thrilled to welcome visitors to its flagship showroom. Following the talk, Kate Humble will host a signing of her new book, Home Made.
About Vispring Ltd
Vispring is one of the world’s leading luxury bed brands, manufacturing in the UK since 1901. Based in Plymouth since 1970, Vispring sells to 59 countries globally and is the benchmark for handmade, bespoke, high-quality beds made using only the finest natural materials. With values of excellence and craftsmanship at its core, Vispring epitomises a distinctly British form of elegance. Their beds combine technical prowess with a bespoke approach worthy of the finest tailoring and are the international standard for comfort and sophistication. Vispring has graced the first-class cabins of legendary ocean liners – including Titanic – the suites of the world’s most luxurious hotels, including The Dorchester; and on board a Princess Yacht or Gulfstream Jet.
Vispring, the world’s premium luxury bed and mattress maker with over a century of heritage in handcrafted sleep solutions, is delighted to unveil its new 2025 collections at the prestigious Salone del Mobile, from 8th – 13th April. Celebrating the brand’s unwavering dedication to uncompromised quality and British craftsmanship, the new launches from Vispring are a testament to its continued use of the world’s finest natural materials.
In April 2025, Vispring will launch a collection of Wool fabrics, encompassing a range of 25 textiles, along with the exquisite Diamond Majesty Topper, a masterpiece of luxury craftsmanship filled with nine meticulously layered natural fibres, and the Luxury Wool Duvet range, crafted with 100% authentic British wool.
Celebrating an unwavering commitment to the world's finest natural materials, Vispring proudly unveils its new Wool Collection of fabrics. This global launch presents 25 new textiles that showcase premium wools in a sophisticated spectrum of natural and warm hues. From the silken touch of immaculate Satin to the irresistible texture of plush Wool Bouclé, this curated collection offers discerning clients a range from refined plain finishes to subtle patterns, distinguished Tweeds, and timeless Herringbone designs.
A masterpiece of luxury craftsmanship, Vispring presents its exquisite new Diamond Majesty Topper, drawing design cues from its renowned Diamond Majesty mattress. With nine meticulously layered natural fibres including Shetland wool, hand-teased Royal Alpaca, cashmere, and Austrian Moosburger® Horse Tail, all enclosed in Belgian damask with Merino wool border, the Diamond Majesty Topper epitomises a distinctively British form of elegance and showcases the brand’s unwavering dedication to traditional craftsmanship and premium design credentials.
While lavish comfort layers provide a precise and impressive 15cm loft, the signature three-chamber box-quilted design delivers outstanding comfort. Encased with a Belgian damask cover, its sculpted design lines are accentuated by a Merino Wool border and matching mattress handle straps.
Filled with 100% authentic British wool, the new exceptionally breathable Luxury Wool Duvet Range from Vispring is a celebration of time-honoured craftsmanship techniques and materials. With a revolutionary quilt-free design that prevents clumping while providing perfect temperature regulation year-round, the Luxury Wool Duvet Range is available in both light and medium weights. Handcrafted in the UK, the premium range showcase the brand's unwavering commitment to personalised luxury, innovative sleep technology, and sustainable practices through ethically sourced materials. The range is available as a Single, Double, King, Euro King, Super King and Emperor size.
Discussing the launches, Clare Schifano, Global Marketing Director at Vispring, comments, “Vispring boasts a rich heritage rooted in British craftsmanship, quality, and innovation. Although our heritage spans over a century, Vispring remains at the forefront of innovation, setting an international benchmark for comfort, sophistication and traditional methods of workmanship. Our new launches are a testament to our heritage and brand ethos at Vispring, notably our love for celebrating the world’s finest natural materials. Wool, specifically British and Real Shetland Wool, has been central to the Vispring range for more than a hundred years. In 2025, our new launches will continue to honour natural materials and the art of fine British craftsmanship."
This property, dating back to 1902, is a stunning example of the Arts and Crafts movement. Rossi Studio approached the project by stripping the existing room, knocking down walls, and starting the entire renovation from the bare bones. Our goal was to create a modern, luxurious master bedroom with two en-suites and two walk-in closets, while preserving the charm of this historic home.
To achieve this, we worked extensively on the layout, altering key architectural features of the property. The house originally had two staircases: a main family/social one and a secondary service staircase leading to the kitchen. By removing the service staircase, we not only opened up space for a larger kitchen downstairs but also gained valuable space upstairs to design a spacious new master suite.
Collaborating closely with our architectural team, we presented the client with several layout options, each with a clear indication of associated costs. The property, being old, had no insulation in its double brick walls, which made heating the home difficult and inefficient. To improve energy efficiency, we added 100mm insulation to all external walls and 50mm insulation to the internal walls.
One of the key challenges of the new layout was incorporating four doors into the master bedroom for the two en-suites and two walk-in closets, without compromising the room's aesthetics. To resolve this, we designed bespoke wall panelling, turning the doors into a discreet and elegant feature.
In terms of interior design, we used a palette of neutral tones, natural wood finishes, and a variety of textures with accents of green to create a tranquil and inviting space. The lighting plan was carefully considered, incorporating ceiling spotlights, LED lighting to highlight the curtains and headboard, and a mix of pendant and bedside table lamps to enhance the room’s cozy and relaxing ambiance.
By thoughtfully addressing both the architectural challenges and aesthetic desires of the client, we successfully transformed this 1902 Arts and Crafts property into a modern, energy-efficient, and luxurious master suite. The final result is a harmonious blend of functionality and beauty, providing the clients with a comfortable, stylish retreat that fits seamlessly into the heritage of their home.
About Rossi Studio
At Rossi Studio, we transform houses into personalised, modern homes that exude elegance and timeless luxury. Our comprehensive services ensure a seamless journey from concept to completion, delivering spaces that truly reflect your identity.
Vispring’s Devonshire mattress offers unparalleled comfort, thanks to its hand-nested calico pocket spring design, available in Soft, Medium, Firm, or Extra Firm tension.
Crafted from natural materials, including British fleece wool and hand-teased Devonshire fleece wool, it is enveloped in the finest quality ticking and hand-tufted with felt washers.
The Devonshire mattress pairs perfectly with the Wool De Luxe Divan, which features a solid timber frame and hand-nested pocket springs, for a luxurious sleep experience.
The Lennox headboard combines Vispring’s traditional craftsmanship with a contemporary aesthetic. It is elegant and soft, reflecting Vispring’s commitment to both beauty and comfort.
During this project by NB Interiors, the master bedroom went under a transformation from smaller details such as moving the bed location over slightly to make way for wall lights and centralising this more on the wall, to a more dramatic change that had a bigger impact; the opening up of the entrance to the dressing room/wardrobe.
Prior to the updates this was a door from the bedroom into the wardrobe, to open up the area this door was fully removed and the entrance was opened up to make a wider doorway. This meant the room felt less door heavy, reducing from three to two in total in the bedroom, and brought this space more into the bedroom, it made the whole room feel bigger, allowing in more light.
With the original built in wardrobe’s removed the layout was reconfigured and new bespoke wardrobes were built in but this time also including a dressing table and window seat with shoe storage. By removing a radiator from under the window and adding in underfloor heating instead allowed storage to wrap around the room and made it possible to have a dressing table, with the bench seat under the window doubled up as shoe storage.
The colour scheme was restful, light and airy. Clean lines and minimalist style with furniture, wardrobe handles, bespoke wardrobes, bespoke headboard all created a contemporary but timeless master bedroom.
Textured wallpaper was used on the main wall and also repeated this on the wardrobe doors, a soft loop wool carpet was added, texture fabric with piping for the headboard was repeated for the bench seat cushion, plus the curtains and roman blinds were made of three different but complementary fabrics – this was to create a design feature and add more detail to the room, but also keeping the straight, minimal lines.
Attention detail features throughout the room, notably the textured finials on the curtain pole, the green floating shelves linking the sage green into the bedroom and creating a cohesive flow. The final result of this bedroom renovation meant it felt more spacious, open, lighter and tranquil.
About NB Interiors UK
I have a passion for colour and texture, I enjoy helping clients be brave and take the leap into injecting personality into their homes. Whilst keeping spaces cosy, welcoming and feeling like their home. I aim to create spaces that can be truly lived in, comfortable and that will stand the test of time.
Vispring’s Gate headboard utilises comfortable soft upholstery with striking modern wooden detail. The headboard is paired with the luxurious Opulence mattress, filled with an exclusive blend of natural fillings including layered Shetland wool and cotton, Austrian hand-opened long strand Moosburger® horse tail, cashmere, alpaca bamboo and mulberry silk. The Opulence mattress also features three-layer hand-nested calico pocket spring construction, a technique that Vispring pioneered and offers weightless comfort.
Vispring’s Hera headboard has been designed to complement a range of luxury mattresses and divan bases. The timeless, deeply upholstered headboard with vertical piping features beautifully stitched panelling and inserts for a bold statement to suit both classic and modern bedrooms. Combining Vispring’s traditional craftsmanship with a soft, contemporary aesthetic, the Hera headboard is hand finished with the softest materials and built to last, ensuring that every bed is an investment into many years of perfect sleep.
Vispring’s Magnificence mattress offers unparalleled luxury with the use of the finest natural fillings, including Shetland wool, Austrian Moosburger® horsetail, cashmere, and mohair. The comfort of the bed is enhanced by fine ticking, hand-tied woollen tufts, and the robust Viceroy divan featuring dual layers of pocket springs for exceptional support.
Vispring has been honoured with a King’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade. Vispring is one of 252 organisations nationally to be recognised with a prestigious King’s Award for Enterprise. Announced on Monday 6 May, Vispring has been recognised for its excellence for Outstanding Short-Term Growth in overseas sales over three years. A total of 257 Awards are made with five companies being recognised with two Awards.
Employing 200 people, Vispring was founded in 1901 and is the ultimate destination for bespoke, luxury beds and mattresses. Valuing excellence and craftsmanship it brings together the finest in British design, while using the best materials to create an exceptional sleep experience. Always a pioneering brand, Vispring’s founder was the first to introduce the individual pocket spring to mattresses. Today, Vispring combines technical expertise with the finest natural ingredients, ensuring its status as one of the most trusted bed makers in the UK and around the world.
Martin Gill, Managing Director at Vispring says “We are delighted our dedication to helping the world sleep better has been recognised by this prestigious award. For over 120 years, Vispring has handcrafted the finest beds with the most luxurious and sustainable materials, to ensure the perfect night’s sleep. We are committed to unparalleled craftsmanship and providing an exceptional sleep experience for our customers around the world as we continue to expand.”
The King’s Awards for Enterprise, previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, were renamed last year to reflect His Majesty The King’s desire to continue the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II’s by recognising outstanding UK businesses. The Award programme, now in its 58th year, is the most prestigious business award in the country, with successful businesses able to use the esteemed King’s Awards Emblem for the next five years.
Applications for King’s Awards for Enterprise 2025 open on His Majesty The King’s Coronation, 6th May 2024 For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/kings- awards-for-enterprise.
Vispring, the luxury British bed maker has unveiled Charlotte, a new limited-edition bed that epitomises the brand's dedication to design, uncompromising quality and sustainability. Fusing classic and modern design aesthetics, the Charlotte bed includes a handcrafted all-natural mattress and cushioned headboard, paired with a contemporary design bedframe, with either a slatted or divan base. Offering a harmonious blend of comfort and style, the Charlotte bedframe and mattress can be purchased together or separately.
Crafted by hand at Vispring’s factory in Plymouth, UK, the Charlotte mattress is filled with a sumptuous mix of locally sourced Exmoor Horn wool and TENCEL™ - a sustainable fibre, produced from tree pulp. Exmoor Horn wool comes from the Exmoor Horn sheep, one of Britain’s oldest native sheep breeds that graze the upland areas of Devon and West Somerset, close to where Vispring beds are made. A diet of rough heather moorland means it produces a soft, springy fleece, perfect for creating Vispring’s signature cloud-like comfort. The Charlotte mattress also features hand-nested calico pocket springs and is available in four tensions: soft, medium, firm and extra-firm.
For the ultimate Vispring luxury, the Charlotte bed offers a range of exquisite fabrics from the Timeless and Natural Collections, allowing customers to create truly bespoke bed designs for a personalised sleeping experience. Further customisation includes choosing from three metal leg finishes suitable for a range of bedroom interior schemes.
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