My Room: A Restful Master Bedroom in a Busy Family Home
Winner of the Houzz and ES London Home Design Awards bedroom category, Emilie Mauran shows us around her beautiful space
Amanda Pollard
2 September 2018
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors and architecture.
Senior Editor at Houzz UK and Ireland. Journalist and editor specialising in interiors... More
When architect Emilie Mauran designed a master bedroom and ensuite for herself and her husband, her aim was to create a calm, relaxing haven within their bustling family home. With some careful planning, she created a space that they both love – and also managed to impress our judges enough to come first place in the bedroom category of our Houzz and ES London Home Design Awards.
Room at a Glance
Who lives here Emilie Mauran, her husband, François, and their children, Arthur, 10, Alice, eight, Lucie, six, and Juliette, two
Location Fulham, west London
Property An Edwardian terraced house
Size Six bedrooms, three bathrooms
Designer Emilie Mauran, director of EMR Home Design
Photos by Juliet Murphy
Space planning is key for a large family, and that was certainly the case for architect Emilie Mauran and her husband, François. They worked out the bedroom allocation for their four children early on, spreading them out with a bedroom each – but a couple of years later they decided they deserved to have a larger space for themselves. The two youngest girls were happy to share a bedroom in the loft, which meant they could knock down a wall to build a big master bedroom complete with en suite.
Who lives here Emilie Mauran, her husband, François, and their children, Arthur, 10, Alice, eight, Lucie, six, and Juliette, two
Location Fulham, west London
Property An Edwardian terraced house
Size Six bedrooms, three bathrooms
Designer Emilie Mauran, director of EMR Home Design
Photos by Juliet Murphy
Space planning is key for a large family, and that was certainly the case for architect Emilie Mauran and her husband, François. They worked out the bedroom allocation for their four children early on, spreading them out with a bedroom each – but a couple of years later they decided they deserved to have a larger space for themselves. The two youngest girls were happy to share a bedroom in the loft, which meant they could knock down a wall to build a big master bedroom complete with en suite.
“I wanted to create a relaxing bedroom, with the feel of a hotel,” explains Emilie. With that in mind, she chose a soft pink for the walls, which tones beautifully with a grey carpet and creates a calm, soothing feel.
Walls and joinery painted in Peignoir, Farrow & Ball. Bedding, The White Company.
Looking for bedroom wall lights? Browse our collection in the Houzz Shop
Walls and joinery painted in Peignoir, Farrow & Ball. Bedding, The White Company.
Looking for bedroom wall lights? Browse our collection in the Houzz Shop
The bedroom features two separate zones. “As well as the sleeping space, there’s a chaise longue and a dressing table for reading and getting ready in the morning,” says Emilie.
Chaise longue, Camerich. Dressing table, Made.com. Carpet, Chelsea Flooring.
Chaise longue, Camerich. Dressing table, Made.com. Carpet, Chelsea Flooring.
“Lighting in a bedroom is really important,” says Emilie. “I don’t like to look at downlights from my bed, so I chose these pretty cage pendants, and combined them with indirect lighting from the wall and bedside lamps.”
Keen to find an alternative to a standard headboard, Emilie designed the shelf behind the bed herself. “It’s the perfect place for decorative items and helps to widen the bed,” she says.
Emilie also designed two 45cm-deep cupboards to fit either side of the bed, and neatly hidden behind each cupboard door is a range of handy shelves and drawers.
La Voliére pendant light; wall lights and bedside lamps, all Holloways of Ludlow.
Planning a joinery project? Search for carpenters and joiners in your area
Keen to find an alternative to a standard headboard, Emilie designed the shelf behind the bed herself. “It’s the perfect place for decorative items and helps to widen the bed,” she says.
Emilie also designed two 45cm-deep cupboards to fit either side of the bed, and neatly hidden behind each cupboard door is a range of handy shelves and drawers.
La Voliére pendant light; wall lights and bedside lamps, all Holloways of Ludlow.
Planning a joinery project? Search for carpenters and joiners in your area
A simple en suite with grey wall and floor tiles ties seamlessly in with the bedroom. “As the en suite is open on to the room, I don’t have a WC, just a double sink and a shower,” says Emilie.
“I always try to make sure the bed doesn’t face joinery,” adds Emilie. So she planned the space to locate these 60cm-deep cupboards along the side wall between the entrance door and the bathroom. “The handles were made by my brother in India,” says Emilie, and to give the space a cohesive feel, she changed the handles on the chest of drawers to match the bespoke cupboards.
Bathroom tiles, European Heritage. Bespoke handles, Wood ’n’ Design.
“I always try to make sure the bed doesn’t face joinery,” adds Emilie. So she planned the space to locate these 60cm-deep cupboards along the side wall between the entrance door and the bathroom. “The handles were made by my brother in India,” says Emilie, and to give the space a cohesive feel, she changed the handles on the chest of drawers to match the bespoke cupboards.
Bathroom tiles, European Heritage. Bespoke handles, Wood ’n’ Design.
One of Emilie’s top tips for designing a bedroom is to leave enough leg room around the bed – she recommends an area of at least 80cm for easy movement.
See another bedroom sanctuary in our London Design Festival pop-up, the DreamHouzz, then shop the look
See another bedroom sanctuary in our London Design Festival pop-up, the DreamHouzz, then shop the look
As an architect, Emilie is used to designing rooms for other people, so creating her own bedroom was very different. “I had so many ideas,” she says. “It’s much easier to make choices for clients than for yourself.”
Despite her difficulties, the end result is a tranquil sanctuary. “I just love the feeling of space and the relaxing atmosphere,” she says.
Tell us…
What do you like about this restful bedroom and en suite? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
Despite her difficulties, the end result is a tranquil sanctuary. “I just love the feeling of space and the relaxing atmosphere,” she says.
Tell us…
What do you like about this restful bedroom and en suite? Share your thoughts in the Comments section.
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Is it time to change the awful, naff " en suite " to adjoining bathroom .. ?
We also use a similar color palette for our projects, warm colors make welcoming homes.