Does Your Bedroom Have What It Takes To Be Your Safe Haven?
Your bedroom is your sacred space! While the whole house is accessible to the family and outsiders and is designed, keeping in mind a more versatile taste, your bedroom speaks for you. It says a lot about your personality and is a reflection of your personality. It is simply your personal domain. That is why, when it comes to designing your bedroom, you need to make informed choices. Your bedroom should be exactly like how you want it.
But what is the point of having a room to yourself if you cannot sleep properly in it? The least that a bedroom should do is be a comfortable sleeping zone. One of the essential elements of a healthy and happy life is good sleep. We can write pages on the virtues and benefits of proper sleep. But today we would like to focus on the elements that you can incorporate into your bedroom to make it conducive to a sound, peaceful sleep that will rejuvenate your mind and body.
How does your bedroom interior play a role in your goodnight's sleep?
Why are our offices designed in a specific way everywhere? It's to create an ideal and efficient environment to work in. Similarly, a good night's sleep needs a perfect environment set up too. The calmer you feel in your bedroom, the better you are expected to sleep. Here are some suggestions to enhance the comfort level of your bedroom:
1. The balance between artificial light vs natural light
Light is an essential element in the comfort of any room. But it is crucial for the bedroom. Natural light is very important for a fresh feeling in the morning. Make sure you take maximum advantage of the windows that you have and if needed, add ceiling lights if the natural light in the room is not enough. You cannot afford to ignore the lighting in your bedroom. But make sure that these don't hamper your sleep in the night. Have suitable blinds and curtains so that you can shut out the light when required.
As for the artificial lights, you should have a minimum of three options in your bedroom. In addition to regular lights, there should be ambience lighting which can be had from fancy wall fixtures or ceiling chandeliers and the third essential is bedside reading lamps, also known as task lighting. Depending on your needs, you can also have a night light if required or get sensor-activated footlights.
2. Choose a calm and subtle color
Color plays a vital role in influencing our moods. So, give a lot of thought to the color you select for your bedroom. Remember that this is the room where you will be looking for a relaxing time and peaceful sleep. As a rule, the subtle the color the calmer it will make you feel, but you should decide what works and what doesn't.
Just understand that the whatever color you choose should not over stimulate your senses at bedtime.
3. Ideal-Air circulation and room temperature
Your bedroom must be comfortable. It is absolutely non-negotiable. Nothing spoils comfort like a stuffy room. Bedrooms need to be well-ventilated to keep them comfortable. Along with air-circulation you also need to have proper heating and cooling in your bedroom. You cannot have a sound sleep if you are shivering with cold or tossing around because it is too hot. The type of temperature controlling systems you require is subjective to the weather you experience in your city. This is one element in the bedroom where you should not spare any expense and get the best possible systems installed. Comfortable temperatures are one of the most important aspects of getting restful sleep, and also inducive to spending quality time in the bedroom.
4. All about the bedding and mattress
Choosing a mattress for your bed is another crucial element contributing to quality sleep. We strongly advise not cutting any corners in this aspect. You cannot sleep on an uncomfortable bed. There is a reason why so many different types and varieties of the mattress are available in the stores. You have to go with one that is the most comfortable one available in your budget. You should even increase the budget for this and adjust on some other things if necessary.
Not as paramount as the mattress but important nonetheless is also the bedding that goes on the mattress. It needs to be soft and comfortable. After all, what good is a bed, if you cannot cozy up in it.
5. Say no to visual tech in your bedroom
As a rule, we say no to all gadgets in the bedroom. We already spend too much time in front of the screen, and your mobile is always handy in case you need some quick entertainment. Generally, we advise people to install a good music system in the bedroom instead of a television. Apart from that, it would be wise not to switch on your laptop and tablets once you retire for the night. Your bedroom should be as much of a tech-free zone as possible as visual tech is not conducive to good sleep.
Secrets to Designing a Great Bedroom
How many times have you walked into a bedroom and felt that it was perfect? It may not be very stylish or may not boast of expensive furniture but still create an impact. So, what is it about some bedrooms that strike a chord with us while others fail to impress?
One of the crucial factors that make or breaks a room is whether it suits the personality of the person it has been designed for.
When it comes to designing a bedroom, most people have a vague idea as to what they want. The struggle is choosing between functionality vs comfort vs space. Well, we are here to help! From decoration tips to space-saving creatively, we have you covered. Let's address the questions one by one!
Whether you are lucky enough to be planning a bedroom from scratch or remodeling an existing bedroom, we are sure that these tips will help you along the way and ease out a few bumps for you.
Because a bedroom is not something that you show off or entertain in, it is often overlooked. What most people don't understand is the interior design is not just about creating fabulous spaces that people will love. Still, it is mainly about creating living spaces that you will love inhabiting.
Let us begin with the basics. Not just your bedroom, but before starting on any interior project, it is essential to have a floor plan. Having an efficient and well-designed bedroom floor plan that gives you everything you want is the first step towards creating the bedroom of your dreams.
A floor plan is simply a drawing to scale of the available space. It helps you understand how much area you have to work with. A floor plan will be your guiding star in designing your bedroom.
1. Plan Circulation
The term circulation means to move around. To put it, you need to plan the room keeping in mind how you will move around it, and also have easy access to everything.
Circulation plans become a little more challenging with ensuite rooms (bedrooms with bathrooms attached) or bedrooms that have doors to the outside.
But whatever type of bedroom you have you need to plan it in such a way that you can move around it with ease.
2. Focus on the view
A bedroom always feels nicer when the first thing you experience is a pleasant view out the window – as opposed to a view looking straight at the bed. If you're designing a new bedroom with a view or reworking an old one, try to come up with a layout that focuses on the vista – whether it's something as stunning as a lake or as simple as your backyard.
3. Keep privacy in mind
It's always nice when you can leave the bedroom door open without forsaking all of your privacy. If you are redoing the entire house, try and position the bedroom entrance (if the plan allows.) away from a public area like the kitchen or living room.
4. Connect with the outdoors
While this might not be feasible in all climates, connecting a room with the outdoors is a great way to make space feel larger and admit more natural light. If your bedroom happens to be on the ground floor, you can create a patio space that will act as a private outdoor sitting area and also enhance the room.
If the bedroom in on the upper floor of the house or you live in an apartment, having a large picture window will open up the bedroom and create an illusion of a bigger space.
But if none of this is possible don't get disheartened. Any window of any size is excellent. If you are keen, you can build a window seat around it to enjoy the outdoors.
5. Consider the furniture layout
Your bedroom's layout should be designed taking your furniture into account. You cannot just dump the bed in the middle of the room. Most bedrooms have a bedroom wall. And there has to be enough space around the bed to be accessible from three sides.
Dressers, nightstands, TVs, chairs, desk and closets. You need to create a designated place for all the furniture that you need in the room.
Work with your architect or designer to make sure that the furniture layout for bedroom leaves enough space for all these to fit in and yet for you to have space to move around the room comfortably.
6. Take your time
Anything worthwhile takes time and effort. You may not get everything right at the first go. There is a reason why sketches are drawn and 3D views created. It is to give you an idea of how things will look before you take the final step.
So do not rush the process. Take time to make important decisions. What matters is that you get a well-planned bedroom at the end of the process, no matter how much time it takes.
7. Make it work for you
There are many different types of bedrooms. You need to select a design plan that will work best for you. Don't get tempted to follow current trends or blindly follow what someone else has done with their bedroom. You will be living in that space, and it has to resonate with you.
The truth is, great design doesn't necessarily mean an ostentatious, complex and expensive space. Something that can be the built-in budget is sturdy and straightforward and gives you comfort and joy can be an outstanding example of great design.
But there are times when you don't want to get into extensive renovations. You want some simple ways to spruce up your bedroom without pinching your pocket or taking up too much of your time.
These easy to implement design hacks will help you get a fresh new look for your bedroom.
A New Rug
Getting a new rug on an empty floor space in the bedroom or changing the existing one is a classic way to up the style quotient of your room.
Throw Pillows
There is nothing like too many pillows. Colorful or funky cushions can go on the bed or armchair and add a dash of color to the bedroom.
Go green
It's healthy and pleasing to the eye too. Having an indoor plant will liven up your bedroom, giving it a fresh vibe.
Dress up the dresser
You can get lovely aromatic candles that will not just look pretty but also spread fragrance in the room. You can also decorate your dresser with a beautiful tray with a small vase of flowers and a small jewelry box. In the case of a kid's bedroom, it can be a superhero or a favorite character memorabilia.
These things are not too expensive and also can be moved around to another room or area of the house.
Whether it is making your bedroom more comfortable, renovating the entire bedroom or making a few cosmetic changes we have covered all aspects of bedroom design for you.
The last bit of advice that we would like to give you is to take a leap of faith and trust your instincts when it comes to designing your bedroom. Many people wait for years to make any change to their bedrooms, afraid of things that could go wrong. But you don't need to be afraid. At J. West, we cater to all types of big and small projects and even provide consultation services. Connect with us today for more details.