Turning Your Bedroom into the Perfect Retreat
By Dawn WestConfession: I'm an insomniac. Like most folks who've dealt with sleepless nights, I've done a few desperate things - special buckwheat pillows, soothing noisemakers, Nyquil. But one of the best moves I ever made was moving my desk to the other side of the room so that my laptop, my bills, my "to do" list, and everything else piled on my lovely work surface was far away from my bed. The lesson I learned: when it comes to making your bedroom a serene retreat, little changes go a long way.
Here are a few bedroom design tips that can help you change your bedroom from the ho hum place where you try to sleep into the restful place where you truly retreat and rejuvenate.
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Tip #1. Segregate.
Like I learned, eliminating outside distractions from your bedroom will make a big difference. You may have no other choice but to keep a television, a work space, or a dressing space in your bedroom, but a bedroom design that separates activities into areas as much as possible - desk on one end, bed on the other - will help create serenity where you need it.Tip #2. Choose color carefully.
Bedroom design schemes using cool colors - blues, greens, etc. - are typically thought of as restful. If you're like me, though, red doesn't make you feel manic; it makes you feel warm and cozy. The bottom line is that color is as important in your bedroom as it is in every other part of your house, but that your personal preferences, not a bedroom design rulebook, should decide what you settle on.Tip #3. Light it well.
A good bedside lamp is a standard for most functional bedrooms, but sometimes a little extra innovation can help your bedroom feel special. Sconces, chandeliers, and swiveling lamps are all options you might not consider for your bedroom, but that can help you customize the space to your personal definition of calm. Me -- I like the lamps with the little bulbs that look like candles. Cheesy? Maybe. Soothing? Definitely.
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