So why do we pay this space so little attention? Bedrooms are often the last room in our homes to be decorated, say designers, since they're not "public" spaces. And they're often given short shrift. Many of us fill our bedrooms with items that have little to do with sleep or serenity. Think: treadmill, laptop computer on the nightstand, television.
Yet bedrooms are probably the most important room in the home to focus on: They hold the key to a good night's sleep.
"Our bedrooms should be a refuge from all the cares of the day," says Rebecca Wilson, an interior designer based in Boston. In other words, you should feel relaxed from the moment you step inside.
Anything from clutter to loud color can cause unnecessary stress, which can lead to hours of insomnia. Relaxation starts with wise decor choices. So we put together a fool-proof list of 10 things you can do today to up your Zzz's.
Decor for Better Sleep
Bedrooms are probably the most important room in the home to focus on: They hold the key to a good night's sleep. Yet they're often the last room we decorate. Here's a 10 step guide to making smarter decorating choices to help you get a good night's sleep.
Forget those heavily patterned Marrimekko sheets. They might look stylish, but will they get in the way of a good night's sleep? It's possible. "Heavy patterns are like bold colors," says Handler. "They're not going to be conducive to a feeling of serenity." A must for any bed in winter: a chenille throw. Choose a super soft blanket in a soothing accent color and lie it at the foot of your bed to up the snuggle factor. Photo: Living Etc
Instead, try dressing your bed in a luxurious set of sheets and one fluffy duvet, and when it comes to throw pillows, remember: less is more. Photo: Mabley Handler
Austin Handler, a decorator based in New York's glitzy Hamptons, says it's easy to put form over function in the bedroom. You may love bold colors, but before painting your room canary yellow or hot pink, think about the effect the color will have on your psyche. "When you're trying to achieve a serene environment," he says, "you don't always go with what you like. You have to take a step back and think about the desired goal of the room." Photo: Flickr, ooh food
One of the most soothing colors: green. According to color theorists, green is soothing and calming and too much of it will make you complacent. Bingo! Just what we want in the bedroom. Handler suggests a color like Benjamin Moore's Misted Green (similar to the color shown here). But any watercolor blue, green or gray will probably have the same desired effect. Photo: House to Home
Is your bed high off the ground in a sleigh bed with an extra high mattress, or is it resting low to the floor on a Japanese platform bed? Either way the style of your bed could be getting in the way of a good night's sleep. "The height of your bed plays a huge role in how comfortable your bed is," says Handler. While some people consider higher beds luxurious, others, like Handler, can't imagine sleeping that high off the ground. Ask yourself: Do you prefer to be higher off the ground or lower, and then choose your bed frame accordingly. Photo: Pottery Barn
While a luxe chair in the bedroom can wind up being the perfect place to drape clothes, it can also serve as a relaxing transition between you and your bed. A spot for you to kick off your shoes, sink into the chair, close your eyes and savor a few minutes of personal meditation before undressing and getting into bed. Think of it as a "relaxation destination," says Handler. A bench at the foot of the bed can serve the same purpose as could a vanity or dressing room chair. "Getting into bed in a relaxed state is just as important as getting a good rest," he says. Photo: Sarah Face
Granted, if you live in Miami or Malibu, you're going to savor the cool touch of wood or tile floors to your feet when you roll out of bed in the morning. But if you live in the rest of the country, where slippers are more common than palm trees, you're going to appreciate a cozy soft shag area rug underfoot. Be warned: While sisal and jute rugs look nice in the bedroom, their scratchy texture may be a buzz kill when it comes to stepping into bed at night. Photo: Flickr, sparklerawk
Many of us associate a few rows of throw pillows and layers of sheets, blankets and comforters with a luxurious bed. While Pottery Barn makes us want to own every item shown enveloping beds in their catalog, it shouldn't be work to get into bed, says Handler. He points to the scene in "Along Came Polly" when Ben Stiller gets so tired of taking all of the throw pillows off his bed every night that he ends up stabbing them in an act of liberation. "I threw away all your little throw pillows," Stiller's character tells his ex-wife, Debra Messing. "Yea. Cuz throw pillows suck. They serve no purpose. They're purely decorative." Coming to bed is supposed to be serene and relaxing, but if you're stuck "creating these mini-systems, you're creating more work for yourself," says Handler. Photo: Sweet Home Style
Many of us have trouble sleeping if there's too much artificial light pouring through our windows at night – or too much sunlight coming in at the crack of dawn in the morning. The easiest solution – curtains or roman shades that block out the light. But don't head out for thick velour drapes just yet. Handler says you can buy any curtains you think will have the most serene effect aesthetically, even gauzy ones – as long as you back them with blackout lining. "Don't feel like you're limited by picking the heaviest fabric," he says. Photo: Flickr, coco+kelley
Reader comments (Page 1 of 1)
This is an article? Where's the rest of it? This is only a lead in to ads for IKEA. Usually an article includes choices and suggestions about what to do or pictures showing what others have done in similar situations... So, again, where's the rest of the 'article'?
ReplyAre you BRAND NEW to the intertubes???? It says right there that there are 13 pictures. Click on the right hand arrow, dummy.
ReplyHere's what I do. Instead of redecorating my bedroom to look more condusive to serenity, I close my eyes when I go to bed. Seems to work.
ReplyFantastic, Paul!
You hit it right on the head!
I've read so many articles on the exact shade on the walls of the bedroom necessitating everything else must follow suit.....but why?? Go in when you're ready to sleep, undress in the bathroom where you brush your teeth (I hope) & then quickly hop into bed....close eyes. Works for me!
(If your bedroom color's too exciting, don't turn on the lights...just depend on that nightlight in the bathroom to navigate your way to your pillow & there's no need to spend $$$ on all new colors)
Thanks, Stephanie. I think we've hit on a radical new idea! Have a good day and, of course, a good night. (Don't forget to close your eyes.)
That would work for me at home but when traveling make sure you bring earplugs or if other noise problems occur turn on low fan it diverts your attention from the other noise problems. You would not believe what Hotels have cut back on. It doesn't matter where you stay, they all like everyone right next door to each other (cuts back on housekeeping etc). Bose headphones can be gotten for $30.00 nor and block most noise also. Sorry the grammar, I'm so dang focused on the single Doctors and Soldiers that I'm worried about Doctors and Soldiers! Here is a clue, go for the Soldier. Doctors are a tad odd.
Reply