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As you may well know, we here at nelsonandlong design commercial interiors. To be even more precise, we specialise in the student sector. We have experience within the residential sector too, but our career journeys have taken us down this path and we love it!

When Jess (aka long) started in the “student game” 10 years ago it was predominantly, as Jess would say, “nasty beech”, not very design-led and very practical. When I started 4 years ago there was no beech in sight (luckily!), but still the spaces were nowhere near as design-led as they are today. There was definite traction starting to build and higher spec’d spaces being brought to market. Amenity spaces we are seeing at the moment are even giving hotels a run for their money!

The way that we are living and interacting is changing on a daily basis. We love immersing ourselves in all sorts of surroundings, listening and analysing people and places so we can incorporate these needs and wants into all our designs. (Disclaimer – we watch our peers purely for educational reasons, we are not strange!) This informative knowledge is what brings us here today. We want to share and talk to you about how we incorporate and translate residential ideas into commercial ones (specifically bedroom design), so if this interests you, keep reading!

Do you want to know our secrets to a successful bedroom/studio design?

Well, we will break it down for you below. Each one of these elements combined helps us makes a strong design and concept.

Residential Research

Residential research I hear you say? Umm! First and foremost we personally love residential design and even though its not what we specialise per se, it’s the first type of design we were introduced to at a young age , as I’m sure many of you will agree, and there is always a sense of comfort in referring back to what you know. We have heaps of literature, hundreds of magazine cuttings and thousands of pins between us, ready to start piecing a scheme together. Also, residential design is very easy to relate to for our clients, especially when presenting at the concept stage. When you think of your home, what qualities do you want it to possess? How do you want to feel in the space? Residential design represents cosiness, unity and family, and these are all traits that we want our schemes to embody. Oh! and yeah! a sprinkle of the wow factor too!

Many of the students that come to our schemes may never have lived anywhere else except from home, it can be such a scary but exciting time for them. So, if we can add some of those “homely qualities” these should ease the student's transaction. Our aim is to always design somewhere that excites them and tips the scales away from the scary side.

Lighting

Lighting is probably one of the most important things to consider to create the right atmosphere. Back in the day, the central, half moon globe or even a buzzing fluorescent was popular! Fortunately things have moved on and now PBSA (purpose built student accommodation) student rooms usually have LED down lights. The lumens (a measure of the total amount of visible light) have to be right. We’ve actually been on site before with a lumen detector making sure it all checks out – trust me it was as glamorous as it sounds! Things you need to consider when choosing lighting is the aspect of each room you are designing, how much natural light is coming in and who and how will the light you will install be used. The lighting we specify in a games room and study will vary significantly. We enjoy designing bespoke feature lighting for these spaces if the budget allows - which really adds to the ambience.

Alongside this blog, on our grid, we are currently sharing and discussing PBSA student rooms, so go check it out for some inspiration. The reason why spots are used in a PBSA is cost, longevity and maintenance. Imagine Eric the electrician trying to install 600 spider lights for effect in a scheme, it’s just not going to happen and if you were like me back in my student days you would have been swinging on them! I really don’t think Eric would be impressed, do you? If your property is a HMO and you can keep on top of maintenance - go get those spider lights because the overall look and feel of the room will make it worth it. Anyway, back to spots.. they are in fact great and they do their job perfectly by providing the perfect backdrop for any additional ambient light in a PBSA. Many students (like I did) will opt to bring their own desk lamp or if you’re super fancy a floor lamp that will compliment the spots perfectly. Like I mentioned, in the social spaces, we get to be more creative and design and carefully curate the perfect lighting from our trusted suppliers because we know the importance and impact it can and will have in these open spaces.

Pared Back Design

You want the space you designed to have personality, but not so much that there is no room for the student to add their own stamp. Student wellbeing is foremost and being able to personalise a living space can benefit this greatly. Pared back doesn’t mean that you can’t be brave and go dark either, it just means navigating your design towards ‘less is more‘. We mostly like to keep it light and airy because the bedroom and studio spaces aren’t, as a rule, huge. But, when we do go for a darker colour we will balance it out with a lighter wood floor and light accents. It’s really a case by case decision, but if you’re certain the room can take it - do it!

We look back at the fundamentals of residential bedroom design and build on them. What do you use your bedroom for? Sleeping? Watching TV? Students use their rooms for much more than this, such as a place to study and entertain, even though they have amenity spaces. I remember being at university and having everyone bar the hall manager in my room before we went on a night out! So, all these uses need to be considered when designing and that’s why pared back is the way we go. Pared back allows you to get more storage and furniture in without making the space feel overcrowded.

You will need, at a minimum, a bed, bedside, desk, pedestal, chair, wardrobe, mirror & pinboard, so really put some thought into the pieces that you pick out. Our spaces are flexible, accommodating and the design integrity never changes. To achieve a pared back design choose soft wall colours, then add light, but textured oak accents and layer grey linen effect fabrics to add some depth to the scheme. We know some really great suppliers, so give us a shout if you need any help.

Combination of Materiality

The union of just the right materials really excites us and no more than in a student bedroom. Believe it or not, I would say it’s harder to choose less materials than more. The reason being is that when you are combining lots of samples for, let’s say, a social space they can all fight over each other and work really well in succession throughout the schemes – a little treat for the eyes. When you have 5 finishes for a bedroom they need to be well considered as they sort of stand alone. There are no frills such as a wallpaper to distract you, just these 5 simples finishes that the student will literally eat and drink in for the next year.

We love choosing bedroom finishes and aim to design rooms which are instrumental to helping the students wellbeing. We look for laminates to replicate natural materials, chair fabrics that feel and look good, wall colours that increase productivity and clear the mind and flooring that feel luxurious and on trend. Another thing you could do to mix up your design is to use different colours and finishes of laminate board as the cost of the board is the same, but the design outcome will be unique.

Warm Finishes and Applications

If you don’t get the finishes right your space may not work so it's worth putting in the effort and doing some extensive research, even if that means hiring someone to get the fundamentals right. Picking the right finishes will soften the space and in turn make the space much more inviting for the students. Often, we go with warm, light finishes that are neutral and work well in any space. Headboards and wall protectors we design and provide for the PBSA market are often upholstered to add that homely touch and some extra comfort. This also allows for the bed to double up as a day bed for the students to study on. I think designers on the whole have had years of conforming to the “standard” student room with a built in bed, desk, pedestal, mirror and pinboard, which is leading more of us now to push the boundaries and change the “norm”. We’ve seen fellow designers using chipboard on the walls, running cork from the ceiling to the floor, colourblocking like crazy. It’s great to see some amazing product development and we too are working on some innovative and cool ideas!

We are excited to see what the future holds for the ever evolving PBSA market. There are so many articles and debates about trends, the student of the future and what their needs will be. Every perspective is so refreshing and educational, don’t you agree?

Hope you’ve enjoyed the blog as much as we’ve loved writing it. Also, you know where we are if you need any help with anything.

Over and out x

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