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Our bedrooms should be a space that welcomes us as we walk in, and serves us while we are there.”
Are we truly meeting our needs in the bedroom?
There is no innuendo intended in the title of my blog – but you’re welcome to read into it anyway you
choose.
I’m talking about all the things we do in our bedroom. Of course it’s where we sleep, it is also a place
where many of us have our much needed quiet moments. A place where we decompress, think, plan,
create, daydream and share private whispers.
If I tally the hours I spend in my bedroom it far outweighs the time I spend anywhere else in my house.
Sadly, this sacred space usually gets relegated to last on the decorating list – mostly due to depleted
money or energy reserves – or both. Yes, I know we all spend a lot of time in our living areas, but if you
think about it, how does it compare with the time we spend in our bedrooms?
Many bedrooms become the dumping ground for laundry and other items we don’t know where to
store. It is the place no one really sees and we tend to place all the good art and hang the good curtains
in the living areas.
It really should be a no brainier. Our bedrooms – or certainly mine – ought to be the most important
room in the house. It should be a space that welcomes us when we walk in and serves us while we are
there.
It was when I made this realisation that I decided to get stuck into my bedroom. It was high time to redo – or just do – my own bedroom.
It all started with the curtains…
“Consider the joyous luxury of beautiful curtains.”
My mother often mentioned how badly she wanted beautiful curtains in her house. But she, like many,
kept stalling and putting it off. Sadly she passed away a few years ago without ever getting the window
treatments she so badly wanted.
I have used her regret as a lesson in my life. If you really, really want something, you gotta make it
happen! I decided I will never again put off installing great curtains for myself – among other things (but
that’s another story).
Let’s be honest, great curtains are not cheap, even at bargain basement level. If my clients are battling a
bit with deciding on curtains, I ask them to consider the expense of a new kitchen… and then consider
the joyous luxury beautiful curtains will make in their life.
I don’t usually fuss with complicated curtains. Just a straight forward wave curtain that can be against
the wall or hidden behind a bulk head. I like to install a soft block out curtain behind a sheer curtain so
that during the day you can open the block out and close the sheer letting in light but maintaining
privacy.
“Dressing a bed is like getting dressed for the day yourself.”
One of the best places to start designing your bedroom is with the bed itself. Dressing up a gorgeous
bed with a luxurious mattress is like getting dressed for the day yourself. Invest in a really good bed. I
cannot reiterate the difference it makes in the overall feel of the room and how you feel when you
approach it at the end of the day.
The next step is getting a mattress topper. I never understood the need for one of these, but a friend
told me about them and now I can’t make a bed without it.
In winter my electric blanket goes underneath the mattress topper. I use one that fits over the mattress
so I leave it on the whole year. Then over the mattress topper comes the mattress protector.
Make sure you use a good quality linen and treat your sheets like your best silk shirt. Don’t wash your
sheets on a high setting, even the whites, and stop using fabric softener. Rather rinse with vinegar. I can
assure you your sheets will stay softer for longer.
A beautiful throw or two doesn’t just look nice, it is also practical for when a quick restorative nap is in
order and you don’t feel like getting under all the covers. Pair different throws with different bedding for
different moods.
“Wallpaper will transform your room into
exactly what you want it to be.”
I love, love, love wallpaper! It can be anything your heart desires. You might want a room that feels bold
and from another era, or maybe you want to create a space of peace and calm. Wallpaper will transform
your room into exactly what you want it to be.
I fell in love with natural fibres for walls from the first moment I laid eyes on them. For my bedroom I
lined my walls with a beautiful taupe coloured wallpaper and I am ecstatic with my choice. Yes, wallpaper
is quite a commitment but there are so many gorgeous prints and colours to choose from, and I can help
you choose the perfect one!
“A soft headboard can make you feel enveloped.”
My go-to headboard is one that stretches past the bed behind the bedside tables. I like to make it feel a
bit like a hotel and have my plug points above the bedside pedestals. No matter the shape of the
headboard a soft headboard can make you feel enveloped.
“A bedside pedestal is an opportunity to make a statement.”
Choose a pedestal according to your needs. It can have drawers for storage or be just an interesting
statement piece.
“The right rug brings in absolute luxury simply by how your
feet feel when they touch the ground.”
I like having something soft to step on when I get out of, or into, my bed. I always have a beautiful rug
running along-side my bed. I also love them because the right ones bring in a sense of absolute luxury
simply by how your feet feel when they touch the ground.
They are also very versatile. They can go on wooden or tiled floors, and look really good on top of flat
carpets for an extra layer of comfort.
“Your best art can absolutely be for your eyes only.”
Choose art pieces that you love. Keep it simple and enjoy it every time you come into your room. Please
don’t save all your good art for the common areas on display for everyone to see. Your best pieces can
absolutely be for your eyes only.