Blissful bedroom design

Bedrooms are often one of the very last spaces clients tackle, or neglect to finish off all together.

That doesn't make the most sense, considering statistics report we spend nearly 227,468 hours tucked up in bed sleeping over the average lifespan - the equivalent of 26 years. 

If you're in the mood for a soothing and inviting space to retreat to, why not consider some of the following changes you can easily implement… You'll thank yourself in the morning.

Declutter

It's not just the design of a room you need to focus on - first you must clear out the "mind-clutter" abject and misplaced objects and clothing create when they're strewn about or piled high in a corner.

Your bedroom should be a place you feel less tense and destressed in — not a place you lie awake at night in, surrounded by to-do projects, laundry, or items that didn't quite make it to the closet; it's amazing just how peaceful a clean, well-organized bedroom can be.

Change Your Light Fixture

Once you've gone through and tidied and purged, you can move on to the fun parts! Start simple by changing out an old or dimly lit light fixture with something that makes more of a statement.

Dining rooms aren't the only spaces that can benefit from a show stopping fixture: a smaller chandelier, a modern mobile, a capiz shell piece of art... step up and something unexpected.

Add An Area Rug

Whether you have hardwood, laminate, or carpet already... adding an area rug at the foot of the bed or even under the entire bed will soften up your space and allow you to add some interesting pattern and texture.

A 5x8 can tuck slightly under the foot of the bed and give you enough left over to add a bench or trunk at the end. Opting for something larger will give you a warm and cozy surface down either side of the bed to step out onto in the mornings.

If your duvet or comforter is heavily patterned, lean more toward a solid or something with a simple border around the edges, and vice versa if your linens are solid... too much pattern can seem too fussy and busy.

Mix Up Your Pillows

Just in case you wondered, you don't have to stick with the matching pillowcases and shams that come with your sheets.

Look to darker shades and accent colours if your bedding is white or taupe; you can even mix a few white or off-white pillows with these accents to kick up the contrast. And on the contrary,

if your bedding has darker tones, try adding something in silver, cream, pearl, sand, or watery blue to help lighten the mood.

Pick A Soothing Colour

You can paint your bedroom nearly any colour you please, but if it's a soothing oasis you want to create, stay away from deep or heavy-feeling hues.

I tend to stick to pale grays, sands, suedes, and even silvery sages when picking out bedroom paint finishes... the bedding, drapery, and decor can add hits of darker and brighter tones afterwards in smaller doses.

Ditch The Matching Suites

If you're in need of new bedroom furniture, consider ditching the 'full suite', and look at mixing and matching instead.

An upholstered headboard and footboard, paired with wooden night tables, and a complementary dresser in white is a much more interesting combination than a standard five-piece set.

Too much of the same finish in one space can make it feel smaller and more crowded.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.