9 Simple Ways to Create Your Ideal Bedroom Retreat
Smart and thoughtful design has the power to promote wellbeing. Your bedroom should be designed for not only a restful night’s sleep, but it should be a sanctuary where you can spend time relaxing and decompressing.
Whether you’re re-doing your entire room or just making a few updates, we’ll show you how to turn a boring bedroom into a tranquil oasis.
AHG Interiors - Aframe
Declutter
One of the simplest things you can do that has a big impact is decluttering. A cluttered room creates an overloaded mind. You can’t fully relax in a space that isn’t calming aesthetically. Clutter only induces stress since it prompts you to think about cleaning or your never-ending long to-do list.
Start by get rid of anything that you don’t need and make sure you have enough storage for the rest, whether that means tucking things away in a closet, chest, dresser, or nightstand.
Once you’ve decluttered you’ll start to see all the possibilities of your dream bedroom retreat.
Eyeswoon
Invest in a Good Bed and Mattress
A good night’s sleep begins with a great bed and mattress. If your mattress is over 10 years old, then it’s definitely time to replace it.
You’ll also want to make sure that you have quality linens and bedding. There’s no point investing in a good mattress if you’re then going to skimp on the rest of your bed.
Upgrade Lighting
To enhance the tranquil atmosphere of your bedroom, you’ll need to think about how to best incorporate lighting.
Rather than a single overhead light, think about layering your lighting so you can create different moods based on the time of day. This could mean having some combination of overhead lighting along with natural light, bedside lighting, table lamps, dimmer lights, pendant lights, and sconces.
Go for softer lighting over harsh or fluorescent lighting, it will help create a relaxing and calm environment.
Dwell
Block Out Light
To make your bedroom a haven for sleep, make sure you invest in curtains, shades, or blinds that will sufficiently keep out light. A thicker material will do the job better than lighter fabrics. You can also layer multiple curtains for different levels of darkness, like a heaver set with a sheer linen set.
If you really like it pitch-black a good set of blackout shades may be the way to go.
Dwell
Think Light Calming Colors
When it comes to paint, furniture, and fabric colors light and neutral tones are the most calming. According to color psychology cooler tones - blues, greens, and lavenders, all help you relax. While colors in the red family increase heart rate and are more energizing.
When in doubt, you can’t go wrong with soft and neutral colors or earth tones. We love a good white!
If you like more color you can add pops of color with the decor and as accents, but we recommend avoiding painting the walls a bright bold color.
Though, if you’re partial to darker colors, moody paint in neutral tones can work to create a cozy den-like vibe.
Lulu and Georgia
Minimize Electronics and Devices
Many of us are used to having our phones, laptops, or tablets in bed. Whether you like to check your email, catch up on some work, or just surf the internet or social media it’s a bad habit that can be disruptive to your sleep. Your bed and bedroom are no longer solely a place for relaxation.
The light emitted from electronics can also affect your circadian rhythm and make it harder for you to fall asleep.
To minimize the desire to use them, try storing these devices in another room once it’s time for bed. It may be hard to break the habit, but once you try it for a month, you won’t want to go back.
McGee & Co.
Introduce Some Greenery
Another way to make your bedroom feel tranquil and relaxing is to include some plants and greenery. Indoor potted plants, a small tree, or hanging plants are all good options.
For more inspiration, The Spruce has plant recommendations for your bedroom.
Apartment Therapy
Don’t Overcrowd with Furniture
Like clutter, an overcrowded room will also feel stressful. Being able to move around easily without obstacles will help you feel more relaxed. To avoid furniture congestion choose the right size pieces and measure carefully. Also, make sure all the pieces are proportional to each other.
You may want to think about the visual weight of furniture. Pieces that are minimal with open clean lines tend to have a lighter feel vs. something more substantial will look heavier.
If you prefer larger and heavier pieces of furniture you’ll want to have fewer items to refrain from making the room feel cramped.
Create a Cozy Nook
If you have enough space, another way you can make your bedroom feel warm and relaxing is by creating a reading nook. Having a seating area (other than your bed) will invite you to spend more of your downtime there.
Kristi Murphy