Turn Your Bed Into a Little Retreat

A bedroom in a Maltese apartment or townhouse does not need extra square metres to feel grand. A curtained bed, layered textiles and a few thoughtful touches can turn even a compact room into a proper retreat.

Create a room inside your room

Hanging curtains around the bed does more than look stately. It gives the bed its own sense of enclosure, useful in a Maltese flat where the bedroom often has to double up as a reading nook or a quiet corner away from the rest of the household. Curtains let you control how much light gets through, which matters during Malta's bright summer mornings, and once drawn, the space becomes a little room of its own, with its own lighting and decoration separate from the rest of the home.

SILVERLÖNN sheer curtains, 1 pair, white/with heading tape, 145x300 cmBENGTA block-out curtain, 1 piece, beige/with heading tape, 210x300 cmVILBORG room darkening curtains, 1 pair, beige/with heading tape, 145x300 cmSTENFRÖ sheer curtains, 1 pair, white/with heading tape, 145x300 cmROSENMANDEL block-out curtains, 1 pair, grey/with heading tape, 135x300 cmKORGMOTT block-out curtains, 1 pair, white/with heading tape, 145x300 cm

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Mix patterns and layers for better control

A bold pattern facing outward gives the canopy presence in the room, while something calmer on the inside keeps the sleeping space restful. Using two layers of fabric rather than one also helps manage both light and temperature, a real advantage during the warmer months. Curtain rails paired with simple clips make it straightforward to adjust the hang, including the length, so the canopy can be shortened or extended depending on the height of the room and the bed beneath it.

RÄCKA / HUGAD double curtain rod combination, black, 210-385 cmBEKRÄFTA curtain rod set, black, 120-210 cm 28 mmBEKRÄFTA curtain rod set, white, 120-210 cm 28 mmHUGAD curtain rod, white, 210-385 cmHUGAD curtain rod, black, 210-385 cmRÄCKA curtain rod, black, 120-210 cm

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Make the bed worth lingering in

Once a bed has a canopy, it tends to become the place where people actually want to spend their time, not just sleep. Cushions in varying sizes, colours and patterns add softness to lean against and give the whole setup a lived-in, inviting look. Mixing a patterned cover with plainer ones keeps the arrangement from feeling too busy, and swapping a few out between seasons is an easy way to refresh the room without changing anything structural.

Build up the bedding for proper comfort

Layering lightweight duvets with a bedspread gives you the flexibility to adjust warmth as the weather shifts, which suits Malta's mild winters and long, humid summers rather well. A soft rug placed beside the bed makes the first steps of the morning a little gentler on bare feet. Together, these layers turn the bed from a simple place to sleep into the most comfortable spot in the home, one worth climbing into early and staying in late.

INDIRA bedspread, natural/unbleached cotton, 230x250 cmTRATTVIVA bedspread, yellow-brown, 230x250 cmTJÄRBLOMSTER bedspread, grey, 150x210 cmINDIRA bedspread, grey-green, 150x250 cmTRATTVIVA bedspread, dark grey-blue, 150x250 cmGULLSTRÅLE bedspread, white, 230x250 cm

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Add storage and reasons to stay put

A bed frame with built-in storage, such as IKEA's BRIMNES bed frame with storage, is particularly useful in smaller Maltese bedrooms where every bit of space needs to earn its keep. Keeping everyday items within reach underneath the bed means less clutter elsewhere in the room. And once the bed is this comfortable, a tray for breakfast in bed is not a bad idea either, letting you enjoy a slow morning without ever needing to leave the covers.

BRIMNES wardrobe with 3 doors, white, 117x50x190 cmBRIMNES wardrobe with 2 doors, white, 78x50x190 cmBRIMNES day-bed frame with 2 drawers, white, 80x200 cmBRIMNES wardrobe with 3 doors, black, 117x50x190 cmBRIMNES bedside table, white, 39x41x53 cmBRIMNES chest of 3 drawers, white/frosted glass, 78x46x95 cm

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Browse Maltashopper's bedroom textiles and storage pieces online, with orders delivered to homes across the islands, and start building a bed worth lingering in.

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