Atmospheric Architecture: Tips for Designing the Perfect Wedding Bedroom

It’s no surprise that most engaged couples focus on the decorations for their wedding venue prior to the big day. After all, it’s the backdrop for perhaps the happiest moment of your lives, witnessed by dozens, even hundreds of your friends and relatives. However, when the sun has set and the music has faded, they’ll return to a normal bed, in a normal room, and resume normal life. 

But what about you? Well, you’re certainly not going to be returning to normal life, so why return to a normal bedroom? Whether you spend it in a hotel, at home, or whatever accommodation you choose, the night following your wedding is the first time you’ll be alone together as a married couple. A night like no other deserves a room like no other, so let’s take a look at how we can set up the perfect wedding bedroom.

The Approach: Atmospheric Architecture

As the name might suggest, atmospheric architecture is a method of designing a space that goes beyond its physical aesthetics, and into the realm of atmosphere and mood. Where typical architecture focuses on the physical building blocks of a space, atmospheric architecture is centred on more intangible appeals to the senses, such as light or sound.

It’s a design philosophy that’s perfectly suited to creating the ideal mood for a post-wedding bedroom. Just as the night itself is very special indeed, despite being just another date on the calendar, the room you spend it in, while physically just another bedroom, should invoke a unique, personal atmosphere. 

Choosing a Theme

Picking a theme that suits you, and sticking with its conventions, is the first step in creating a cohesive, atmospheric space. It’s a good idea to avoid mixing aspects of different themes together, as this will create visual clutter and impact immersion. 

If you’ve already got a distinct theme for your wedding ceremony, you may wish to decorate your room to match. If you’ve not picked a theme, or you’re just looking for something different for your bedroom, here’s a few proven ideas: 

Classic Romance

If you’re looking for a traditional aesthetic, you can’t go wrong with a classic romance theme. Drawing from 19th century romantic ideals and art, it's a theme that places a lot of emphasis on the timeless nature of love, persisting through the ever-changing modern trends. Some key factors to consider include:

• Soft Colours: Off-whites and muted colours are the hallmarks of a classic romance aesthetic, calling back to times when the vivid hues we see today weren’t readily available. Consider cream or ivory rather than true white, along with tones like pastel blues and pinks, sage, lavender, or lilac.  

• Warm Lighting: To set a relaxed, intimate atmosphere, opt for subtle, warm lighting. You could try candles or LED imitations, or consider a personalised neon sign from our redding range in warming white or watermelon pink, available with a dimmer remote so you can adjust the ambience to your liking. 

• Smooth Textures: For bedding, opt for smooth, luxurious fabrics like silk or satin for a natural, elegant texture. 

• Classical Music: Pick classical music to match your theme, and consider vinyl records for an extra touch of authenticity. 

Modern Boutique

Minimalistic and streamlined, a modern boutique aesthetic is great for those looking for something clean and sophisticated, taking inspiration from functional designs for creating an exclusive, curated feel for retail spaces. Here’s some of the main aspects:

• Neutral Palettes: Simple shades are great for a contemporary look: greys and whites can be perfectly accentuated by subtle pale or navy blues, as well as providing an appealing contrast against wooden textures. Try to avoid total monochrome, though, as nothing will kill the mood more than making the space feel rigid and uncomfortable.  

• Quality Materials: For a more natural feel, make use of wood and soft fabrics, and complement them with tranquil, earthy décor such as plants or a tabletop water feature. If you’re after something sleeker and edgier, try incorporating metal and glass where feasible. 

• Keep it Simple: If you’re looking to keep things sleek, less is more; keeping things simple leaves more space for the two of you. Take care not to leave it too barren though as, again, you still want the space to be inviting and homely. 

• Scents: Try a reed diffuser or scented candle to bring an extra veneer of luxury. 

Bohemian

Drawing inspiration from 60s/70s hippie counterculture and with an emphasis on nonconformity and individual expression, a Bohemian style is the obvious choice for the unconventional, free-spirited couple. Some of the key elements include: 

• Natural Materials: Focus on natural, organic materials, blurring the lines between cultures and periods. Wood, rattan, bamboo, and wicker can be combined with textures from across the globe, including cotton, silk, hemp, and jute.  

• Colour Contrast: A base of earthy, neutral tones like sand, sage, or terracotta accented by more vibrant purples, reds, and greens.

• Layered Textiles: Mix and match different textiles like patchwork, crochet, macrame, fringe and tassels, embroidery, and more. Modern or vintage, the Bohemian aesthetic is all about eclectic styles. 

• Mismatched Items: Following on from mixing textiles, try accentuating the room with whimsical, second-hand items, or those with personal meaning. Try online marketplaces, thrift stores and charity shops, or pick out souvenirs from shared holidays. Contrast vintage items with modern, and remember that there’s no need for consistency - mismatching is the name of the game!

Whimsical Fairytale

Otherwise known as fairy core, a fairytale aesthetic seeks to evoke a sense of dreamy enchantment, and is ideal for a truly magical night, truly separate from normal life and the outside world. It’s a style that shares classical romance’s preference for softer, pastel colours, and the layering of fabrics associated with Bohemian aesthetics, but places a greater emphasis on nature, through elements such as: 

• Floral Colours: Garden-esque hues like lavender or mint are a good choice for helping create an enchanting atmosphere. 

• Natural Elements: Try incorporating natural features into the room design; plants, stones, crystals, all are perfect for creating that “fairy at the bottom of the garden” feel. 

• Magical Lighting: Fairy lights interwoven with an overhead sheer tulle drape will create a truly magical starry-night feel. You could also mix fairy lighting in with plants or other natural features to resemble fireflies for an enchanted forest aesthetic.   

Layered Lighting

A key aspect of atmospheric architecture is going beyond the physical characteristics of space, and focusing on appeals to the senses. Lighting is among the most important of these. Everyday overhead lighting is the enemy of romance - we’re looking to create a cosy, intimate atmosphere, not feel like we’re in an office building. For this, we need layered lighting, which consists of the following features:

• Ambient Lighting: The overall illumination of a room. For a romantic vibe, it’s best to keep this fairly soft and, ideally, dimmable. Avoid stark or overly-bright lighting, as this will make the room feel less intimate. An LED neon sign is a great source of ambient light; the soft, mellow glow and eye-level mounting allows it to cast a warm, inviting ambience, without dominating the space like an overhead fixture.  

• Task Lighting: Although primarily functional, fixtures such as bedside lamps can be matched on either side for a balanced glow to frame the bed. 

• Accent Lighting: Accent lighting is ideal for adding that extra bit of magic to the room. Try lining the room’s skirting with candlelight for a flickering ambience, installing LED strips beneath the bed for a magical floating effect, or highlighting pictures or mirrors with fairy lights.

• Additional Tips: Regardless of what approach you take to lighting, it’s best to stick to warmer colours, between 2700K - 3000K. When exposed to warmer hues, your brain will produce more melatonin, perfect for winding down after the hustle and bustle of your wedding reception. It’s also a good idea to diffuse light where possible, which involves hiding the source of light from direct view, for a more consistent overall glow. An LED neon sign is a great example of this - translucent silicone tubing diffuses the light given off by the LEDs beneath, resulting in a much smoother, mellow glow. 

Five Senses Checklist

Within the framework of atmospheric architecture, we’re looking to create a complete, fully immersive sensory experience, so it’s important to avoid neglecting any of the five key senses. We need to make sure we appeal to: 

• Sight: Colouration and lighting are key here. When you open the door, you want to be greeted with a warm, inviting palette. 

• Sound: 10% volume music or ambient noise will go a long way to prevent the room from feeling empty after the noise and conversation of the reception. 

• Smell: A reed diffuser or scented candle with a subtle scent like sandalwood or vanilla can lower cortisol levels and help you unwind. Avoid strong perfumes - we don’t want to overwhelm the space.

• Taste: Prepare a small platter of your favourite snacks in case you get peckish. And don’t settle; if there’s a brand of chocolate you can’t get enough of, go for the real thing, not a supermarket home-brand imitation.

• Touch: Swap cotton for silk or satin for a smooth, luxurious feel. 

Over to you…

The aesthetics and atmosphere of your wedding ceremony and reception will be seen and experienced by dozens of people, so it's only natural to try to appeal to everyone. But a post-wedding bedroom should be entirely exclusive to you, so design it in whatever way feels more authentic to who you are. And remember, these are just tips and guidelines, not dogma. 

If you’re looking to add an extra touch of magic to your wedding bedroom, feel free to take a look at our range of customisable wedding-themed LED neon signs. Alternatively, try out our design tool or, if you’re looking for something bespoke to match a chosen theme, upload a custom design here. Whatever vibe you’re after, we can create something that will last years into the next chapter of your lives!