As we spend a third of our lives in the bedroom, it makes sense to create beautiful spaces designed for peace and slumber. If merely changing your bed's linen can alter the look of your bedroom, imagine what a canopy can do. Here are three very different and inexpensive ways to veil your bed with a swathe of fabric.

The clean lines of the black-and-white colour scheme are brought to life with the addition of a patterned half-canopy.

Here's how: Rig up a half-canopy using three extendable curtain rods fitted with elbow joiners at the front corners.

Thread an equal number of rings with clips, about 30, on each side of the canopy. To do this, use toggle fasteners to secure three rod brackets to the ceiling. They need to correspond with the centre front and sides, 40cm in from wall, of the canopy frame. Hook the frame onto the brackets, then attach the curtains.

As a standard pair of curtains may fall short, run up a pair of curtains using reversible fabric which drapes well. You'll need four drops of about 3m each. For each side, stitch two drops together. Measure the hanging length (from curtain ring to floor), and allowing 22cm for hems, cut the length. Stitch 2.5cm side hems, then a 2.5cm double hem at the top. For the lower hem, turn under 2cm, then stitch a 15cm hem. Press. Attach curtains to clip rings, bringing them part of the way around the front of canopy. Gather curtains, at about bed height, with a tie-back.

Give the bed opulence with luxurious bedding.

Yin and Yang work well in this Asian-inspired setting; it's minimal yet serenely beautiful.

Drape the bed with bedding in soothing neutral colours and soft, tactile textiles such as cottons, wools, linens or silks.
When working with neutrals, details and texture become all-important because they give depth to your bedroom scheme. Your bed covers can be pleated, pintucked, ruched or quilted, your cushions can be patterned in muted hues, and your throws can be textured and cosy.

Here's how: to make the canopy frame, purchase four long 2.5cm-diameter bamboo stakes (lengths to suit your bed size). Trim each rod to size, then sand lightly. Stain the rods with a coat of Feast Watson Black Japan and allow to dry. Slip a pair of transparent tab-top curtains onto each rod. Crossing the ends, put side rods on and across the head and base rods. Using lacing cord, diagonally lash the rods together at each corner. Then tie the loose ends to the chains (aligned with the four corners of the bed) that are suspended from the ceiling. For plasterboard ceilings, use toggle hooks on which to hang the chain.

Decorate with traditional Asian-style objects, organic shapes, dark timber furniture, wall-hangings, screens and lamps.

ROMANTIC AND FEMININE

Making white the common denominator, layer the room with crisp bed linen, scrolled ironwork and pretty bedroom accessories. Painted ironwork on the bed makes the perfect foil for a softly draped mosquito net or curtain. A beaded cushion, soft throw and fluffy rug provide a lovely array of feelgood textures. You could display pretty lace pieces in white frames.