We all need a place to unwind and relax in today’s fast-paced world. So, isn’t it funny that most of us gravitate to our bedrooms?
The humble bedroom is so much more than a place to crash after a hard day - it’s a place where we can be ourselves and spend time with our thoughts, a safe space where we can drop the charade and take a load off.
Your bedroom should be a haven of tranquillity, a place to fall flat on your bed, curl up with a book, and zone out from the world. Here are some simple ideas for creating a comfortable bedroom space that improves your quality of life.
Invest in a comfortable mattress.
With sleep quality playing a crucial role in your physical and mental health, a comfortable mattress is an investment in yourself.
You need a mattress that supports your body and provides comfort in all positions to enjoy the best night’s sleep possible.
Most people should choose a medium or medium-firm mattress. Medium mattresses provide more significant support and work for all sleeping positions. If you like a firmer bed, choose a medium-firm mattress for the best of both worlds.
Layer your bed with different pillows.
When you crash out on your bed, having many cushions and pillows to throw under your head, legs, and back is pleasant.
If you struggle to get comfy reading and sitting upright, try a bolster pillow - a cigar-shaped pillow that runs across the width of your bed.
Picture Source: Etsy, Round Bolster Pillow
A U-shaped pillow is excellent for pregnancy and relieving pressure on hips and knees because you can tuck half of it between your legs for a snuggling effect.
V-shape pillows are also an excellent addition to any bed, designed to stop you from turning over in the middle of the night.
Decorate in stress-relieving colours.
For centuries, people have played with colours to create a sense of calm, stillness, tranquillity, and peace in spaces.
The most relaxing colours are toned pastel blue, violet, pink and green shades, especially sky blue and mint green. Yellow is also a good choice so long as you keep the shade muted - anything loud or brash has the opposite effect.
Pictured: Shire Beds Eco Grand Divan Bed, Available from Bedstar
Relaxing colours will help bring tranquillity to your bedroom and lift your mood. Avoid red and orange because these colours are associated with danger.
Choose calming, peaceful art.
Calming works of art include landscapes depicting idealistic countryside and seascapes depicting calm seas and birds. Colour is crucial to the calming effect, with greens, blues, and pastel purples creating a sense of peace.
Art is subjective, but anything you enjoy looking at will work well so long as the art makes you feel happy when you look at it.
Etsy is our favourite marketplace for affordable, original art from independent artists worldwide. You can pick up beautiful paintings in acrylic and oil, and many artists will supply their works framed for an extra fee.
Alternatively, pick up prints of famous work online, or if you need something fast, head to your local home improvement store with a furnishings section.
Use a combination of light sources.
Nothing beats a ceiling fixture for ambient lighting, and you can get creative with opulent chandeliers and decorative shades. The key is to use light bulbs that emit warm light (2700K to 3000K) and a dimmer switch so you can adjust light levels.
A simple table lampshade is great beside your bed, or you can move your bedside lights to the wall to free up floor space.
Spotlights are suitable if you have a large bedroom or a ceiling overhang above your bed. Consider installing amber spotlights above your bed because these will provide warm, soft reading light with complete illumination.
Lastly, use natural light as much as possible. Pull back your curtains, open your blinds, and place mirrors strategically to increase natural light in your bedroom.
Renovating loft space can be a great way to make the most out of every inch of your home to create an extra bedroom.
It could be a great new space for your child/teen or a lovely, calming main bedroom at the top of the house.
However, there are things to bear in mind when it comes to furnishing the room, and the main component is the bed, as this is the focal point of any bedroom. So, what are the best types of beds for your loft room?
The most important thing to consider in the first instance is access to the loft, and the amount of space to manoeuvre anything will be far more restricted going up into the attic.
So, with this in mind, a low-height wooden or metal frame is a good option as these are self-assembled and will arrive in smaller boxes, making it straightforward to transfer them up into the loft space, even with a more restricted entry space.
Another good option would be a 4-way split divan. These are available in a range of sizes from small double up to the super king, so if access is an issue, but you have plenty of floor space within the attic room, you can still have a decent bed size. The divan base comes in 4 quarter bases as opposed to two-half bases, so it is much easier to squeeze through a smaller doorway or get round tricky bends. Once in place, the pieces slot together to create the full-sized base.
The extra benefit is that these beds can add storage to the base, usually up to 4 drawers. So, in a room where head height can be an issue and therefore tricky for wardrobes, etc., you have plenty of low-level storage without extra space.
