While we go through this covid-19 pandemia crisis, as we’ve mentioned this in some other articles, our homes have become our “everything place”, and I can bet, every single corner of your home (and I talk here just by personal experience) has become more crowded with all kinds of stuff: office stuff, school stuff, handcraft stuff, baking stuff, you name it!
Honestly, it is not the moment to lecture you about the benefits of decluttering. I know. But one thing is for sure: you need to have a zen-area in your home where at the end of the day you can put your head down and truly relax.
Yes, I am talking about your bedroom. And more then ever, this room should be a place that you could think of as a safe haven where you can relax after any pressure or stress you are going through. Don’t you agree?
Funny thought: Unlucky for bedrooms, they often get the short end of the stick when it comes to decorating, since they’re less visible than social areas. How curious is that? But now, more than ever, we need to change that. So I am going to share with you some tips to transform your bedroom and try to close the gap to that oasis you need, in spite of your budget and design style.
1) Start with what should be taken out
Since the goal is to create a calming space, before anything you need to get rid of décor options that are too stimulating, whether noisy, complicated or just messy:
- Charging Stations and wired gadgets: besides the super messy look, some research studies suggest you should keep electromagnetic waves to a minimum while you sleep.
- Workout machines and weights: workout machines are the ugliest clothing hangers and weights can be even dangerous. I hope I made my point.
- Piles of books and newspapers: this is quite simple, just admit to yourself that you will never read that year-old copy of the paper and all those books that seem to already be building a jenga tower.
2) Symmetry can help
Symmetry creates balance, which besides being pleasing to the eye, also creates harmony and order, which are key for a restful and soothing bedroom. It is not mandatory, but it helps.
If your space allows it, start placing the bed at the center of one of the walls – yes, it can be underneath the window. Then bookend each side with nightstands that can be tables, dressers, shelves. As long as they have the same size it can be fun have different pieces on each side of the bed. They can hold your nighttime must-haves. And last but not least, if and only if they don’t crowd the room, think about storage space and sitting space pieces. Voilá, room complete.
Jeanstofferdesign.com
3) Keep it simple
In spite of your personal design style, a bedroom should be, above all, cozy and simple. To keep a nice flow, leave a minimum of three feet (1 meter) between the bed and side walls or large pieces of furniture and at least two feet (65 cm) between the bed and low furniture, like tables and dressers.
Accessories should be kept to a minimum. Choose a beautiful piece of artwork, arrange some family photos, add flowers and a couple of books.
Anything else is clutter.
Houseandhome.com
4) Create a lighting plan
As with any other room in your home, the bedroom should have a lighting plan.
The first thing to take into consideration is the height of your ceiling: If you’ve got a 7’2” foot ceiling (220cm) or lower, you won’t probably be able to place a charming pendant light. But any kind of Flush & Semi-Flushmounts can do the trick.
Second, try to incorporate the three types of light sources:
- general light -that should be a ceiling light,
- task light for reading and nightly crossword puzzle, and
- accent light to draw attention to a side table or any nice piece you have. All 3 sources should work together to help you achieve a layered space.
Remember that bedroom lighting should be peaceful and relaxing. Yes, you want to be able to see well, but use soft bulbs (also known as soft white) which are kinder to your sight and if possible, avoid harsh overhead light.
Another important detail if you can: add dimmers to your switches to control light flow.
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5) Embrace texture
Coziness happens when elements with diverse qualities are brought together. So make sure to decorate your bedroom with as many different textures as you can: think about mixing different fabrics, wood, leathers and metals.
Decorating with texture and patterns makes a room relaxing while still interesting and alive.
athoughtfulplaceblog.com
6) Cover the windows
A properly dressed window will not only help to frame the view but will also provide other ways to add pattern, coziness, texture, and softness to a bedroom.
If you like soft sheer curtains that just filter light, combine them with opaque roller blinds that can be pulled down to maintain privacy at night and to block morning light.
When mounting draperies, to create the illusion of height, mount the drapery rods close to the ceiling, and to create the illusion of a wider window, extend the rod up to 10 inches beyond the window’s frame.
crazy-wonderful.com
7) Indulge in Luxurious Linens
No bedroom design could be complete without the perfect linens. They do not need to be the most expensive ones. Fortunately, there are many great options out there nowadays that offer great cool and crisp percale sheets for a very reasonable price and there’s nothing that adds comfort to a bedroom like beautiful linens.
Don’t think twice before splurging on the perfect mattress and duvet. A perfect night sleep is the best gift you can give yourself every day.
I hope these tips will motivate you to give to your bedroom the attention that this room deserves.
The American novelist Margaret Kennedy once said: Where the bedroom is wrong the whole house is wrong. I am not as sure as her, but I do think we should be good to ourselves and think more about it: At the end of the day, this is where we will spend more than one-third of your lives!
So off you go. Your bedroom is calling you. The moment is now.
