Bedrooms create an atmosphere of rest and relaxation
Believe it or not, master bedrooms, not living rooms, are the most troublesome rooms to decorate for most homeowners.
While the desire to make the room attractive and design-worthy is on the top of the list, comfort and personal needs are sometimes at odds with some aesthetic considerations. There are so many things to consider: the furniture layout, lighting, window treatments, fabric and even colors that should make your room a haven of restfulness and relaxation.
In difficult rooms such as these, my advice as always is to engage an interior designer before making any purchases or major decisions for your room. Here is an abridged guide to bedroom R&R:
Beds are always the centerpiece of any bedroom. Buy the best mattress, pillows and bedding you can afford. These items are essential in creating a comfortable cocoon for sleeping and resting.
Today's mattresses are better than ever. Some incorporate technological that adjusts the firmness of the bed so that it is perfect for everyone. Some can even lessen the snoring of a partner by adjusting the pitch of the bed automatically. Also, everyone's preferred type of material and thread count differs, so pick one suitable for you and your sleeping partner.
Laying out your room should be straightforward. You should be able to see the doorway or entrance to your room while lying in bed. This is best because you can see who comes into your room, as recommended by feng shui principles. You should also avoid placing any mirrors across from your bed, as it reflects energy, counteracting relaxation.
Avoid drama in the bedroom. Keep bold and trendy colors for public rooms. Science aside, designers can tell you that there is plenty of research to indicate that most people like to sleep in airy pastel-colored rooms akin to sleeping in the clouds, or in darker-colored rooms such as navy blue or dark gray to resemble nighttime. Follow these color schemes to a good night's sleep.
Keep it simple. “Streamline” should be the mantra in this room. Keep surfaces and decoration to a minimum. Your environment should be peaceful and without clutter. This also means paring your bedding down to the essentials for sleeping. A hundred pillows to remove from your bed at bedtime is no fun and can elevate your mood when you should be winding down.
We all love a light-filled room, but in a bedroom, the task at hand should be how to control light coming in. The best sleep is obtained in a pitch-dark room. That means no TV, cellphone blue light or computers should be near your bed or sleeping area. Outside light can be controlled with blackout shades or lined drapery. Needless to say, lamps for reading a good book before going to bed are necessary and should be within reach to make it easy to turn off while drowsy.
These recommendations seem simple enough, but many homeowners are dumbfounded when approaching a master bedroom. Of course, there are many other issues to combine into a design, such as required medical equipment, comfort-height chairs for taking shoes and clothing on and off. All of these components can be combined stylishly.
These guidelines are a bit of common sense — something that is often lacking when confronting our most important space in the home.
• Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida.
© 2019, Creators Syndicate