Decorators' tips for a cozy winter bedroom

Decorating a bedroom is about creating a peaceful retreat, and in winter that means making it as cozy and welcoming as possible.

For some people, “cozy” requires the physical warmth of thick flannel sheets and soft quilts, says California-based designer Kathryn Bechen. For others, filling a bedroom with sentimental items can make the space feel warmer and more welcoming. Still others find that the golden glow of soft light bulbs and the flicker of candles (real or fake) can elevate a bedroom from merely comfortable to truly cozy on winter nights.

Here, Bechen and two other interior designers — Maxwell Ryan, founder of the Apartment Therapy website (apartmenttherapy.com), and New York-based Young Huh — suggest ways to create the warmest, coziest bedroom possible.

Sounds and scents

A cozy bedroom is quiet, says Ryan. So consider adding an extra throw rug on the floor or heavier draperies on the windows to absorb sound. And if you don't already have one, he says, get a padded, upholstered headboard.

Ryan treated himself to one several years ago and was surprised at the impact.

“Lying in bed, my head was near this big upholstered piece,” he says, and the room was noticeably quieter.

Taking that strategy a step further, Huh suggests upholstering one or several walls in your master bedroom. Like a headboard, this will absorb sound and also create a sense of warmth when you see and feel the plush, padded fabric.

Along with sounds, consider scents. Cinnamon-scented candles, for instance, can “make you feel cozy instead of gloomy” in winter, Huh says.

Don't like cinnamon? A wide range of scents will work, says Bechen, even some you wouldn't expect: If the smell of coconut and pineapple brings back memories of a mellow, sun-drenched vacation in the tropics, that fragrance may bring you a sense of calm and warmth.

Colors and light

Along with scenting the air, candles give a room a “warm, soft, inviting glow,” Huh says. She recommends lighting them every evening in winter.

If you're worried about lighting a flame in your bedroom, consider pairing flameless LED candles with a diffuser containing scented oil.

Or swap out your light bulbs for ones that offer warm, yellow or pink-tinged light. The newest energy-efficient bulbs give warmer light than the original compact fluorescents, and dimmers can also help create appealing, soothing light.

Colors also convey strong messages; for a cozy space, Ryan suggests avoiding overstimulating colors like bright reds or yellows in favor of calming greens, grays, eggplant, lavender and even some blues.

But Bechen points out that bedroom colors are a very personal choice. Some folks prefer a room decorated in low-key, calming colors, but others will draw warmth and coziness from deep, powerful shades. If a color delights you, she says, then it may work as a calming, joyful influence.

Winter fabrics and rugs

Huh says winter is the season for layering on extra soft blankets and adding throw rugs on top of your usual floor covering. Consider a faux-sheepskin or faux-fur throw rug, or a fluffy flokati rug.

Look for winter sheets that are flannel or heavy cotton, and make sure they're soft. No one feels cozy on scratchy sheets, says Bechen.

Ryan suggests choosing sheets in dark, cool colors like deep brown, charcoal gray, even rich eggplant. Just make sure they don't contain too much red.

He also recommends adding a thick bed pad, feather bed or extra-thick mattress cover under your fitted sheet for added warmth and softness.

If you have a four-poster bed, he says, consider draping fabric over the top and down the sides to create a warm, enclosed space. If you don't have a four-poster but love the idea of fabric draped around your bed, he suggests getting “one of the big white, gauzy canopies that hang from the ceiling.” Even if it's as light as mosquito netting, he says, it gives a sense of being wrapped in something cozy.

It's “romantic and lovely,” he says, “and not just for kids.”

Finishing touches

Being cozy includes feeling a bit pampered, says Bechen. If you have space, consider setting up a little coffee or tea station in your bedroom, like you'd find in a hotel room. On a Saturday morning, drink your coffee cuddled up under soft blankets rather than at the kitchen table.

Huh suggests splurging on a soft chair for reading in your bedroom.

For Ryan, a powerful but silent air purifier is a great finishing touch to make your air healthier and help you drift off to sleep feeling secure.

One detail he doesn't recommend? Decorative pillows.

“True coziness has to be something you touch and feel and use,” he says, not something on your bed that you'll never use.