Plaskitts' Column

Better bedrooms

No other room is more personal than the bedroom even if it is sometimes shared. Often with so many other pressures on the budget when re-designing a house, the money has run out when it comes to this precious haven.

For years we wanted a brass bedstead and when we eventually found one we didn't like it. In our impending house move the first thing to go to the auction room will be the brass bedstead. In the new house the headboard will be fully upholstered, padded and very large to allow comfortable Sunday morning paper reading - our special treat. It probably won't be long before one of our four cats uses it as a scratching post, but that's life.

The worst type of bedroom is one filled with clutter, usually because there has not been enough thought given to storage and lay out. However, this rule does not apply to teenage bedrooms which are very scary places indeed and something we will write about in the next column.

With so many people living such busy lives, the bedroom should be the one calm place for escape. We can never understand clients who say they are not that bothered about this room as it is only a place to sleep. The bedroom is the last thing you see before you go to sleep and the first thing you see when you wake up every day. How awful to face a new day in a room you don't like.

Peter's tips...

Power points either side of the bed are a must - no more arguments about who should get up and switch out the light!

Before ordering that king-size bed measure the room to make sure you will still be able to walk round it.

Some antique wardrobes are very pretty but do not hold very much. Look at custom built as an option, often not as costly as you may think.

When building wardrobes look at the type of clothes you wear. If you have a cupboard full of knitwear you will need more shelves than hanging space.

Look at shoe storage, we have just designed a pigeon hole-type shoe rack to accommodate 70 pairs of shoes for one of our clients. So often shoes live in the black hole at the bottom of the wardrobe and refuse to emerge in pairs.

Think about the use of space if there are four or six people in a house competing for one bathroom. A wash basin in the bedroom can solve a lot of early morning rows.

Many bedrooms now double as a study or work space, aim to provide a work station that is compact and use screening to hide the computer paraphernalia.

Prioritise the position of the bed - avoid draughts and do not put the bed under a window.

Bedroom buy on a budget

Some of the best ranges of bedding around at the moment are from Next. We love the denim range with single duvet covers from £34.99 and for the dreamers among you the dreams duvet cover from £19.99, both available mail order: 0845 600 7000.

Designer's bedroom choice

The ultimate comfort zone bed is from the Conran shop (tel 0171 589 7401), with a designer price tag of around £1,700, the Tallis queen-size bed is fully upholstered in cream jumbo cord. Maybe it would be just too difficult to leave in the mornings.

Problem of the week

My bedroom has built-in wardrobes with three mirrored sliding doors along the whole of one wall which I hate. Do you have any low cost ideas on how I can improve the look of the doors.

Jill Boswell, Heslington.

The cheapest solution, apart from using a sledgehammer on them is to conceal them with curtains. Attach a top fixed 'Discreet' track (available from hardware stores) to the ceiling and make simple lightweight muslin or voile curtains on one-inch rufflette tape. The curtains can then be easily pulled aside when you want to open the wardrobe doors. The solution will allow you to use the mirrors when you want to, without them dominating the room.

Note: Each week we will answer your queries. We cannot reply individually to each inquiry so please do not send an sae. We aim to ensure all products and companies mentioned are reputable but readers must deal with them and follow advice in this column at their own risk. Send your queries to Plaskitt & Plaskitt, 8 Walmgate, York YO1 9TJ.