Bedroom design is about creating a relaxing environment
A lack of proper rest and sleep will cause you to have the wrong kind of bedroom eyes.
Sleeping under normal circumstances takes about one third of the day. Everyone is recommended to sleep approximately 8 hours, some more and some less, depending on age, activity level and - dare we say it - stress. Therefore, it is justified to spend time pondering and designing the important elements of your bedroom.
Your bedroom should be a place that brings you peace, rest and relaxation. This should be your special place to withdraw from the activities and preoccupation of the world outside. The environment should be a pleasant one that nurtures the very primal necessity of rest.
Ideally your bedroom's focal point should be the bed, but of course a bed alone does not create a bedroom. There are other factors to take into consideration to design a room that promotes sleep and well-being.
Good ventilation is a requirement for sleeping. Depending on where you live, your source of air and oxygen may come from an open window to the outside or perhaps an air-conditioner. This is important because a room should be warm enough during the winter and cool enough in the summer.
Installing an air filtering system or changing the filters to your air conditioner often can regulate the quality of the air. A ceiling fan is an additional feature some may like, because the gentle flow of air has been proven to lull you to sleep.
Light and the control of light are equally important. While we all like a light to stream into a room, it is necessary to be able to temper and regulate how much light and when it comes into a room. Bedrooms should generally have two layers of window treatments. I usually recommend a sheer and a top decorative layer: The sheer to filter light and allow for privacy, and a lined top layer for blocking out light altogether for sleeping. Keeping the light out - whether from sunlight or a neighboring streetlight - is the game.
Wall color in a bedroom is an issue left up for discussion. Some prefer light colored walls, and that makes for a bright room. However, bedrooms are meant for sleeping, so I recommend trying dark colored walls. This creates a cocoon-type of effect that is very effective in creating a relaxing environment.
Placing art in bedrooms can be tricky. You want your selections to be soothing and to induce relaxation. Antique prints, oceans scenes, landscapes and even abstracts are great works of art to be placed in a bedroom, because of the neutrality of their subjects. Avoid placing art that involve battles, tragic scenes or other extreme themes because subconsciously, they do not aid in relaxation.
Above all considerations, a bedroom should be a sanctuary of comfort. Select the most comfortable bed from a reputable mattress manufacturer. This is the place where a good deal of your life will be spent refueling your body. It fits well here to say that comfort is the ultimate luxury.
• Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida.
© 2016, Creators Syndicate