Guest post - 10 top tips for creating the perfect bedroom

Bedrooms are often the only room in the house we can call our own. Whether you’re single or share your bedroom with a partner, this space should be a sanctuary for the senses. So why is it that so many of us neglect this personal space, or put it last on the list of priorities? Perhaps it’s because it is often the last room a visitor will see, or quite frankly it’s just fast become a dumping ground for the household’s general clutter. It’s time to say no more, this post of top tips will guide you through all the essential elements your bedroom requires to be the peaceful haven it so desperately wants to be.

Colour

The colour you decide to paint your bedroom can have multiple knock on effects with regards to your sleeping pattern. It is thought that people with a blue room, generally, have a much more successful night sleep. This is thanks to blues effects on the human body, slowing our heart rates and reducing blood pressure, perfect for those with manic lives.  It is thought that people with blue rooms can enjoy eight solid hours of sleep a night, waking refreshed and positive in the morning.  Other colours that offer sleep benefits are green and yellow, both oxford green and mustard yellow are hot colours right now and look great on feature walls or simply just used on accessories. Purple is supposedly too stimulating for the bedroom and should be avoided.

Storage

Storage is something we never have enough of in our homes. It’s time we invested in suitable storage that adds value to a room whilst also being incredibly practical. Keep the bedroom clutter free, this is a great opportunity to dig out an old trunk and do it up to suit your new sanctuary. Store your spare bedding, towels and whatever else needs to be hidden away. A sense of organisation will certainly help your mental well-being, organised living space, organised mind.

Beds

The benefits of a good bed are endless, ensuring your bed supports you in all the right places is often a difficult task but one that will, in the long term, improve your health. Your work life is demanding and requires you to push yourself daily, your home life offers glimmers of relaxation but you’re still needed to be on the ball in order for the family home to run as efficiently as it should. There is one space that can offer you pure relaxation and comfort, it’s your bed. Bed styles have advanced massively so you’ll be surprised how many styles you can consider on today’s market. Sleigh beds are a personal favourite of mine. I love the idea of my bed adding an extra element of colour and design to the bedroom.

Lighting – candles

You could create and decorate the most fabulous room but fail to get the lighting right in the bedroom and you may have yourself an issue. Having multiple options when it comes to lighting in the bedroom allows you to create the appropriate mood. Have overhead lighting with adjustable dimmer, perfect for searching through the wardrobe for those tights you can never seem to find and even better for turning down a notch for romantic evenings in.

Art work

Incorporating some art to a blank wall really adds a burst of colour and attention to detail. Depending on what art you choose, each will have a different effect from contemporary, beautiful to relaxing. There are endless possibilities to adding artwork to your bedroom, the final result could completely set or change the mood. Ardesia Design offer beautiful totally unique illustrations that would sure add value to any room. Totally bespoke, hand drawn artwork creating dreamlike scenes of the places we love most.

Dressing table

A dressing table certainly is a feminine and very glamourous focus point in any bedroom. It may sound like an expensive option but know where to look and you can have yourself a French inspired traditional dressing table in no time. Keep an eye out at local car boot sales and second hand shops. Dressing tables can often be picked up for around 60 – 80 pound second hand. If you decide to go second hand, why not then go a little DIY and sand it down finished with a lick of fresh paint. Sound like too much hard work? Get the kids involved, make a Saturday afternoon out of it. Always picture the end result and how beautiful and quaint your new dressing table will look. Perfect for pacing freshly picked flower on also.

Throws

A throw is a great way to add an extra splash of colour and pattern into the mix. Accessories in any room are important, without these added details you’d simply only have the necessity’s and what is life without a few little added extra treats. Ardesia Design offer a beautiful selection of Corriedale throws , when purchasing these limited edition items, you can be confident in knowing they are totally organic and free from chemical dyes and bleaches. I’d consider it incredibly important to have items in your bedroom that represent pure craftsmanship, that’s exactly what these throws represent. Knowing they are handmade offers a certain feeling of luxury, certainly worth celebrating in the bedroom. Well away from any little hands!

Reading chair

Don’t limit yourself to only reading in bed, although I know it’s tempting! Whether the chair is simply just an accessory or for practical use, make room for one. Maybe you have an old chair that no longer has any use down stairs. Add it to your list of things to spruce up, a fresh lick of paint or fabric maybe and introduce it to the bedroom. For those of with young children, I know it’s often the case they’ll like to hop into bed with you. Having a chair is a great alternative space for you to sit with your child and read rather than encouraging them to get into bed with you.

Private photographs

We all know what benefits a photograph can add to a room, subtle reminders of happy times, smiling faces when we so desperately need it most. What about those more intimate pictures, that you do not wish to share with every visitor but haven’t yet found them a home. The Bedroom is certainly the best place to display and celebrate your most intimate and personal images.  Dig out the first date images, the slightly risky photo’s you took when you were 2o somethings, wake and remind yourself every day of your life’s most memorable and greatest achievements. Perhaps it is in fact the person sleeping next to you.

Do the math

When buying new furniture for your bedroom, always consider how much free space will remain. It’s so important to avoid overfilling your room and ending up with a cramped living space. Always leave a minimum of three feet between the bed and side walls or any large pieces of furniture and at least two feet between the bed and low furniture, tables and dressers etc. Using your new storage facilities, remove all clutter, moving around your bedroom should be an easy task not an obstacle course. And of course, always measure your space before purchasing new furniture.  

Article by Nathalie from Help I'm Getting Merried.