A snoring room is essentially a second master bedroom for one-half of the couple to retreat to when their partner’s nocturnal trumpeting gets too much. Photo / 123rf
A snoring room is essentially a second master bedroom for one-half of the couple to retreat to when their partner’s nocturnal trumpeting gets too much. Photo / 123rf
In a fascinating court case between a multi-millionaire and the former owner of her £32 million ($69.86m) London townhouse, one incredible detail stands out.
It’s not that the former owner is accused of selling the Notting Hill property infested with moths, which apparently caused £50,000 ($109,160) worth of damage to the new owner’s clothes.
Nor is it that it might cost nearly £10 million ($21.83m) to rip out and redo the wool insulation, thought to be the source of those pesky insects.
No, the most intriguing detail to have been revealed, from a design point of view, is that this vast property includes a “snoring room” - essentially a second master bedroom for one-half of a couple to retreat to when a partner’s nocturnal trumpeting gets too much.
Another example of the privilege bestowed on those in the top 1%? Or the secret to wedded bliss and a happy life? On second glance, it may well be the latter.
“I’ve just decorated a two-bedroom flat where both rooms were to be used as main bedrooms,” says interior designer Pia Pelkonen, founder of the west London-based studio Pia Design.
“And actually, I don’t think the concept of getting up in the night to move rooms is that new – I often do it too – but what was fascinating is that the couple were so open about it. She snored, so they told me they needed separate rooms, and we set about creating a second main room in what would probably otherwise have been a guest room/office.”
Dhilnawaaz Khan Trotman, founder of DK Interior Design, thinks snoring rooms are the source of much joy.
“Though they’re not always just for snoring,” she says.
“I have a toddler and when she is ill she is in bed with me, so I retreat to the other bedroom so my husband can still sleep well. I’ve had to make sure both spaces are really comfortable, and the second bedroom isn’t an afterthought like so many often are. I think it’s leading us to a healthier, longer marriage.”
The key to a successful snoring room is to design it in a way that you don’t feel like you’re being relegated when you end up in it; to infuse it with luxury even if it has a smaller footprint than your main bedroom.
“I’m working on a project with 30 rooms – it’s huge”, says the Surrey-based designer Molly Hill.
“And while the main bedroom has a dressing area and is being decorated very sumptuously, I’m noticing that I have to go mostly to the husband to consult on the annexe, which leads me to believe it might actually be his chief domain.
“Its floor space is smaller, but the size of the bed isn’t, and so it’s been about making design choices that mean the partner in the snoring room isn’t in a single bed.”
She suggests floating bedside tables, wall lights, and a headboard that extends the width of the room.
“It’s a visual trick that makes small bedrooms seem more lavish, more like a hotel, and bigger, especially if you colour drench the wall and use a similar colour in the fabric of the headboard.”
Hill suggests Baker Lifestyle for ideal bedroom fabrics.
“Its ikat prints [a type of dyed fabric] are beautiful and rich but not too jazzy, providing a bit of detail without being overwhelming.”
The key to a snoring room is to design it in a way that the snorer doesn't feel like they’re being relegated when they end up in it. Photo / 123rf
Pelkonen thinks that the decor in a snoring room should be aligned with that in the main bedroom.
“You want them to seem cohesive, so they’re almost one space, just separated by walls.”
In the flat she designed, she ensured the beds weren’t positioned against adjoining walls, “to allow for better sound-proofing”, and kept the same warm neutral limewash paint on the walls in both – Birch by Bauwerk.
“We just made a few tweaks to infuse their own personalities in their own spaces,” she says.
“She had a bit more bouclé, and his light fittings were slightly more architectural.
This approach gave them room to make choices that worked specifically for them.”
Andrew Jonathan Griffiths, founder of the London-based studio A New Day, is a dab hand at curating well-thought-out bedrooms in smaller spaces.
“Guest rooms can sometimes feel like a bit of an afterthought, but if you’re creating a snoring room you want to avoid that sense at all costs,” he says.
“I would pinpoint three things you need to focus on. Firstly, colour. Plums or greens are ideal for cosy and cocooning spaces, and are relatively non-divisive and universal, useful for when the room has to turn back into a guest room when you have people to stay.
“Or if you prefer neutrals then look to Slaked Lime Mid or Roman Plaster, both by Little Greene, which have such warmth to them. Never white, the classic guest room choice, which is just too stark.”
His second trick involves lighting.
“However small the space, it needs to be layered with lighting you can dim. You may not have the capacity to redo the electrics to allow this in your second bedroom, but brands like Aldo and HAY make wonderful chargeable table lamps which are really all you need to add.”
Lastly, Griffiths says a snoring room needs personality.
“Something that brings you joy, as it’s the last thing you’ll see before you shut your eyes. That could be a treasured artwork, or it could be beautiful bedding – anything that says the design of this space hasn’t been compromised.”
He suggests Piglet in Bed and Secret Linen Store as troves of quality linens, while Dhilnawaaz points towards Att Pynta for quality curtains that are easy to order.
“Take them up to the ceiling and allow them to pool a little on the floor,” she says. “It’ll give you a sumptuous vibe.”
Ultimately, if you have a little extra space and are prone to a bad night’s sleep, then a snoring room could be more than just a design fad – it could be the saviour of your marriage.
“My parents have separate bedrooms, and have been happily married for 35 years,” Hill says. “My dad has had two hip replacements, and it just allows him to spread out a little more. Meanwhile, my mum is doing up her room to her own taste.”
