Create a master bedroom inspired by The Block

A bedroom is one of the hardest working rooms in the home. It’s the place where we rest and recharge. It’s one of the rare places where true peace and quiet still exists. And most importantly, it’s the place where we sleep.

The Australian Sleep Health Foundation recommends adults need seven to nine hours of sleep a night “to feel properly refreshed and function at their best the next day”. There are many factors that contribute to a good – or bad – night’s sleep and the design of your bedroom is one of them.

Even simple changes to your environment can help to promote positive sleep habits and overall sleep hygiene. Take inspiration from the master bedrooms reveals on The Block 2023 and turn your bedroom into a sleep sanctuary with these five simple tips. 

1. Create a soothing colour scheme

The best colour scheme for a bedroom is one that has a calming effect, and this will mean different things for different people depending on their colour preferences. Kyle and Leslie in House 1 created a calm and peaceful master bedroom by layering soft neutral tones in different textures, while Eliza and Liberty in House 5 injected a pop of blue – known for its soothing properties – with a bright rug. We love the warm rust tones of the Forty Winks Avenue Upholstered Bedhead & Samos Base that Leah and Ash from House 2 chose for their master suite – it’s available in wide range of upholstery fabrics so you can select a colour that soothes you.

2. Invest in the right mattress

Of course, a quality mattress is the centrepiece of your sleep sanctuary. All contestants on The Block selected the Forty Winks Silent Partner Bellagio Mattress for their master bedrooms – it has two independent sleeping zones that minimise motion transfer and partner disturbance. But because we all have different body types and sleep needs, your best sleep is hidden behind our bedMATCH® system in store! It’s our patented diagnostic system designed to help you find a mattress that’s best suited to you. And, if your ideal mattress is different from your partner’s, you can opt for a mattress in the MySide range and customise the two halves to ensure you both get a good night’s rest.

3. Declutter to de-stress

A cluttered or untidy room can lead to cognitive overload and in some cases trigger stress and anxiety that can affect your quality of sleep. To keep chaos at bay in the bedroom, invest in a few key pieces of furniture that offer clever storage solutions and help you keep things out of sight and organised with ease. Eliza and Liberty chose the Forty Winks Tori Upholstered Bedhead & Crete 4-Drawer Base – a bed frame with built-in storage that is equal parts stylish and functional.

4. Layer your lighting

Light plays an important role in regulating our body’s circadian rhythm, which is how we intuitively know to rest when it’s dark and be alert when it’s light. According to the Sleep Foundation, excessive exposure to bright artificial lighting at the wrong time of the day can throw out this internal clock, which is why it’s important to design your bedroom with layers of lighting that serve different purposes throughout the day and night. For the evening, take inspiration from the winning room – Steph and Gian’s master bedroom in House 4. They chose wall sconces that diffuse soft, warm light throughout the room and an oversized floor lamp over the lounge area for reading. During the day, it’s best to maximise natural light in the bedroom, which Kristy and Brett in House 3 achieved by integrating skylights.

5. Breakout beyond the bed

A bedroom should be more than just a place to get some shut-eye. It’s also a space to help ease the transition between being awake and asleep. This transition could include reading, journaling, meditation or simply decluttering your mind at the end of a busy day, so try to create a dedicated space for these activities. Short on space? Try adding a bench seat at the foot of your bed or armchair to create a reading nook as seen in Kristy and Brett’s room. For bedrooms with big bay windows, create a custom window seat as demonstrated by Leah and Ash. Or if you do have the floor space, create a breakout lounge area as seen in Steph and Gian’s master bedroom.