Your home is your oasis and your bedroom should be your haven.
If your home is the place you can relax and unwind away from the rest
of the world then your bedroom should be the place where you can unwind
from the responsibilities of your home.
We live in an increasingly demanding world. One where it is not
uncommon to come home from work and fix a quick dinner before heading
out to take the kids to sports practice. Once back home there is just
enough time to get the kids bathed, put to bed, and a load of laundry
in the washer before falling asleep. We look at our homes as a place to
relax, but in reality there is just as much going on once you make it
through the front door as at the office. With the increase in demands
at work and at home it is important that each person has a space solely
dedicated to relaxing.
For some, this dedicated space may be as simple as a recliner with a
television and a remote. Others will find it nearly impossible to reach
their point of relaxation with the noise of the television and the
images of daunting tasks surrounding them. For this reason it is ideal
to create a haven in an area that can be shut off from the rest of the
house: the bedroom.
These ten simple steps will turn your master bedroom from common to
customized and will help bring luxury and relaxation to your place of
resting. Whether you are decorating your new home or sprucing up one
you have lived in for years, these tips will help take away the
ordinary and create a more welcoming environment.
1 Bring calming hues into the bedroom. Try decorating
your bedroom in soft neutrals, light blues, or subtle greens to create
a calming oasis. The majority of your room should be decorated in these
colors. Try painting the walls a putty color and having a soft green or
sage comforter and curtains.
2 Use patterned throw pillows and blankets to add
energy to your bedroom. These can be changed with the seasons to create
different looks at an affordable price.
3 Drench the room in rich fabrics and textures. Try
hanging silk curtains over the windows. Make your bed with 400 thread
count sheets and cover up at night with a down comforter.
These new textures and materials will create a warm cozy environment to rest your head.
4 Switch out the simple wood trim around doors for
elegant casings and add a chair rail at mid-wall height. For a look
featured in four-star hotels, paint the wall below the chair rail a
muted, relaxing color and use a slightly lighter shade of the same
color above the chair rail.
5 Hang blackout curtains, shades, or shutters in your
bedroom. When there are no kids, animals, or alarm clocks to wake you
don’t let the sun do it. Hanging blackout shades, shutters, or curtains
will keep the sun from filling the room and waking you when your body
has the opportunity to get much needed sleep.
6 Hang new pictures and mirrors throughout the room.
Hanging mirrors will give the room added light during the day when the
curtains are open. It will also give the room a larger, more open feel.
Add a new large picture that will work as a focal point and break up
the monotony of the neutral walls.
7 While it is tempting to have your television,
computer, and even sometimes workout equipment stored away in your
bedroom, don’t. This isn’t only the first rule of feng shui, it is also
a good idea for creating a haven of relaxation. The rest of the house
is susceptible to the outside environment, keep your bedroom sacred.
8 Create layers of lighting. While the bright
overhead light may be good for getting dressed, at other times of the
day it may be too much. Consider adding lamps beside your bed or
installing a dimmer switch for getting ready for bed or reading before
you go to sleep.
9 Get organized…in you closet. Have a custom closet
installer come and fit your closet with extra storage and racks. This
will make getting dressed in the morning relatively effortless. If your
budget does not allow for a custom closets to be installed, many stores
carry do-it-yourself closet organizers.
10 Declutter your bedroom. Remove everything from the
top of your dresser or chest of drawers and nightstands except what you
use on a daily basis and find a small container to store that neatly
in. If you have a tendency to scatter already worn clothing throughout
your room, find large, stylish wicker baskets to consolidate and
conceal them. Move the baskets to a discreet location, like the closet
or beside your dresser. If you find a place for everything and have
everything in its place, feelings of chaos and clutter will surely melt
away, leaving nothing but your relaxing oasis in their place.
Making these design changes to customize your bedroom doesn’t have to
be difficult or expensive. The key to the changes is to make the space
work better for you. Sweet dreams!