Of all the rooms in your home, the bedroom is probably the most important. After all, you are likely to spend up to half a day, or even a third of your life in it. It is a place you come to recharge your batteries, a place to rest and prepare yourself for the coming day.
Most of us think nothing of spending endless hours planning a new kitchen but rarely do we put the same thought and effort into designing a bedroom. The height of a dresser and the depth and width of a wardrobe are all critical factors for our comfort and convenience.
It seems strange to make a list of the activities that will take place in the bedroom, but apart from sleeping you may wish to read, work on a computer, eat breakfast or take some exercise. Making such a list will help you to determine what you can plan for the space in terms of furnishings, storage and lighting.
The main item of furniture in the bedroom is quite obviously the bed, so this should be considered first. Ideally there should be room to walk around it - a minimum of two feet space on each side is desirable - and positioned to make the most of the natural light. The headboard should be considered carefully; wood and metal are currently popular but make sure there is plenty of natural padding in the form of pillows around it. Designers often attach the headboard directly to the wall - this makes it more secure and it is easier to make the bed.
Storage is the next consideration. A walk-in wardrobe, whilst very desirable, is not really an option for many people if space is more limited. You do need a wardrobe which is wide and deep enough to accommodate all your clothes. Naturally finished oak or pine works very well here and white-painted furniture is very popular. The advantage of white-painted furniture is that although the underlying style echoes classic natural wood, the smooth white finish has a modern contemporary twist to it. This means it suits a wide range of decorating schemes and gives a real sense of freshness as it lightens up the whole room. You can generally buy matching items in the same style so you can easily co-ordinate the wardrobe with a chest of drawers and a dressing table. Keep it fairly simple - do not cram too much in to the room and you will be able to luxuriate in the feeling of space more easily.
Finally you should think about lighting. Create a calm and restful atmosphere by diffusing light sources with soft shades in order to avoid glare. Down-lights in the ceiling work well but ensure you can adjust them with a dimmer switch. Use some lamps on a bedside table for task lighting for reading. It is helpful here to measure up the height you need to keep the light in a comfortable position as bedside tables come in range of heights. Or you may prefer to fit such lamps on the wall - the advantage here is that the bedside table is freed up. Dressing tables are often placed near windows to take advantage of natural light, but make sure that in the evening the lights are situated to illuminate yourself in the mirror. You may also wish to fit strip lights or small down-lights inside the wardrobes to help find your clothes in the evening.
If you try and think ahead and plan a little, you can end up with a comfortable and cosy retreat, whatever your chosen decorating scheme.
