With the help of Alice Whately, author of Peaceful Spaces, discover how to inexpensively turn your bedroom into a soul-soothing refuge.
Colours
White is the ideal colour for a relaxing bedroom; it gives off an aura of peace and purity and defuses visual tension. An all-white or neutral colour scheme also makes a room look bigger.
Other soothing shades are buff, beige, biscuit, or soft shades of blue, green, yellow, grey and pink. If you suffer from insomnia, choose light violet or blue - colours said to induce calm and lower blood pressure.
Contrast sheets in calming colours with unusual textures to prevent your sleeping space from appearing too bland. Throw a sumptuous satin comforter over stark white sheets or combine delicately detailed fabrics such as lace and eyelet with more robust ones like piqué and wool.
Create a haven of romance around a dove-white bed by adding cascading drapes falling from a ceiling-attached corona.
Bed & Bedding
Invest in a decent mattress every ten years. A supportive, well-cushioned mattress is essential to a good night's rest. Also, buy the best pillows to support your head and neck.
Choose high-quality bed linens in natural fibres and colours. For allergy-free nights, stay clear of permanent press sheets and choose 100 percent organically grown, 100 percent cotton or cotton kapok, a resilient lightweight fibre harvested from silk. Egyptian cotton is a less expensive alternative to pure linen. For a soft, silky feel, look for the highest thread count.
Contrast alpaca, burlap, and linen tones with wooden beds to promote a reassuring, grounded feel. Pick from brushed cotton, cashmere, suede, angora, or mohair.
Experiment with flashes of colour and unexpected style by layering bedding with shawls, antique linens, tablecloths, saris, etc.
Lighting
Opt for blinds and curtains made from light-filtering fabric such as voile to avoid harsh glare.
Mix specific-task and ambient lighting to create an intimate, relaxing glow. Add dimmer switches to existing fixtures, table lamps for direct illumination and a small book light for reading in bed. Lamps with collared shades cast a therapeutic glow; try basking in blue-tinged light to ease insomnia.
Experiment with indirect lighting that has a two-tone effect - creating pools of warmth on walls and ceilings while leaving other areas mysteriously shadowy.
Storage
Clear out all clutter and do everything you can to separate your workspace from your sleeping area. If you must have a desk in your bedroom, separate by using screens or tall ficus plants.
Investigate unused storage space: under your bed; in a corner surrounded by a screen; or build floor-to-ceiling storage with push-catch doors for the look of custom cabinetry. Don't forget the back of closet doors - nylon or canvas shoe organizers can be used for all sorts of things, from doll clothes to hats and mittens.
Invest in an antique trunk (search flea markets) to store linens and other sundries at the base of your bed.
For an inventive clothes rack, hang a painted broomstick on two lengths of sturdy string from ceiling hooks and use as a clothes rod.
Feng Shui
Avoid placing your bed under a window: this disrupts the energies around you and can cause disturbed sleep. Also, make sure you can easily see the door when seated in bed.
Do not place a mirror on a wall that reflects the door as this dissipates energy.
Balance straight lines with curves to soften the technological edge.
Place furnishings in an octagonal arrangement with the bed at one corner.
Fragrance
Fragrance plays an important part in relaxation. For instance, scents such as lavender and jasmine are known to promote sleep and enhance a sense of well-being. Using Glade Plugins® Scented Oil in Jasmine & White Rose, Lavender & Vanilla or Lavender Meadow® will complete your bedroom makeover, creating a little piece of heaven in your home.
Interested in more tips and ideas like the ones you’ve just read in this article?
Check out the message board and have your say!
