The bedroom is a highly personal space, where you are able to rest, relax and recharge your batteries, in anticipation for the day ahead. If your bedroom is in need of an overhaul or you’ve just moved into a new property and are able to start from scratch, this can be an exciting opportunity to design and create the bedroom you’ve always wanted.

Get Inspired

Start by looking for inspiration online and in catalogues and magazines. Some people find it helpful to have a tangible ‘mood board’ of inspiration, where they pin printed pictures and images cut from magazines alongside fabric and paint samples. Others prefer to collect ideas online. Pinterest is a great tool for this. Look at the size of your bedroom and consider how to best utilize the space you have available. Don’t make the mistake of completely replicating a showroom in your home, as this often ends up looking impersonal and clinical. You can be as creative as you like with your space.

Colour Schemes

When choosing your colour scheme, think about the shades that will promote restful sleep. It’s best to avoid very dark colours in the bedroom, but if you’re particularly drawn to a bold shade, choose one wall to feature. This also applies to a busy wallpaper print. Floral and flocked wallpapers look very effective in bedrooms, and a feature wall is perfect for those who don’t want to commit to a particular pattern throughout the whole room. Pale pinks, blues, lilacs, sands and sea greens are classic bedroom choices. Smaller rooms need very light coloured walls and white ceilings to create the illusion of space.

Furnishing Your Bedroom

Unfortunately, bedroom design is often constrained by the need for a large, basic piece of furniture which often takes up the majority of the floor space. This is, of course, the bed. If you’re often disturbed by a snoring partner, you may wish to invest in a king or queen size double bed in order to get the space that you need. You can always utilize under-bed space as a smart storage area for shoes and clothes. If you’re searching for a design statement that is as practical as it is elegant, a TV bed from from TV Beds Northwest could be the perfect centrepiece to turn your bedroom into a cosy sanctuary. Choose furniture that is an appropriate size for your bedroom, as large pieces can easily swamp a small room. You don’t have to spend a great deal of money here, as lots of furniture items can be picked up for cheap from second hand warehouses and car boot sales. Many people are willing to give old furniture away and if it’s wooden, it can easily be repainted to match your bedroom’s colour scheme.

Lighting and Bedding

If you’re on a tight budget, the best place to splash out is on luxury bedding. Choose sheets, duvet covers and pillow cases with the highest thread count you can afford and pile the bed high with colourful and patterned cushions. If your bed looks cosy and inviting, it will be much easier for you to get to sleep in the evenings and you’ll want to spend time in your bedroom, reading and relaxing. To create the most intimate atmosphere, it’s a good idea to invest in lighting on different levels of the bedroom. Think overhead lights, wall sconces and bedside table lamps. You can find a variety of different bedroom lights with contemporary chrome fittings and embellished shades from retailers like Scotlight Direct. The lighting in your bedroom should be warm and cosy, and this can be achieved with energy-efficient or low-wattage light bulbs, or a dimmer switch.

Promoting Restful Sleep

If your bedroom doesn’t promote restful sleep, then something has gone badly wrong in terms of its design. You should make sure that your room is tidy and free from clutter, as this can cause unwanted stress and prevent your room from having a relaxing atmosphere. Make the most of your wardrobe or closet space and move unnecessary items to other rooms in the house. Even a small amount of light from streetlamps or the dawn can disrupt your sleep, so make sure that you have good quality blackout blinds or heavy drapes on your bedroom windows. These should be matched to the room’s existing colour scheme for a more cohesive appearance. Think about soothing sounds and smells. Some people find soft classical music, rainfall or the sound of waves breaking particularly restful. Add incense, scented candles and oils to create a sensory haven. You should also try these large scented candles in Australia from Palm Beach Collection. It’s best to keep certain pieces of technology, like mobile phones and laptops, out of the bedroom. They promote wakefulness and may tempt you to keep working or worrying about work when you’re trying to sleep. If you want to have a television in the bedroom, make sure that it’s contained within a closing cabinet. It’s a good idea to put all technology away at least an hour before you go to bed.