Ten top tips for bedroom bliss
24 August 2011
As we spend around a third of our lives asleep, the bedroom should be a harmonious haven. Before embarking on the quest for a calm and clutter-free bedroom, these handy tips from the Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association (KBSA) should give you a head start:
- Before you start remodelling, consider who’s using the room and for what purpose. Children may want a playroom, teenagers will need a den with space to do homework, and adults would probably like an oasis of calm and tranquillity. Bear these functions in mind when planning colours, fabrics and furniture.
- Fitted wardrobes don’t only look good; they can also hide a multitude of sins. Hanging rails at full and half-height, built-in shelves and shoe racks, all concealed behind the wardrobe door, means there’s a tailored space for everything, no excuses!
- Get some order. Socks, scarves, ties and belts are often just shoved to the back of a shelf or drawer. Invest in a special scarf rack, tie hanger and belt hook for your wardrobe, and a drawer divider to separate those socks into pairs in the drawer.
- Maximise storage. Under the bed is a good place to store seasonal items, like extra bedlinen or winter clothes. Don’t just stuff them under the mattress, though – if you don’t have a drawer divan bed, underbed storage boxes on wheels are convenient and can simply be rolled out of sight when not needed.
- If your children’s bedroom doubles as a playroom, brightly coloured stacking toy boxes and hanging storage nets are ideal for a quick tidy up before bedtime. And you can never have too many shelves.
- Create order - make sure everything you need at bedtime is close to hand on or in the bedside table: reading light, alarm clock, books and magazines.
- Older children will often use their bedrooms to do homework and play computer games. Design a desk area with plenty of storage for CDs and computer peripherals – a purpose built computer station is ideal – and make sure you have enough power points to avoid trailing wires.
- Avoid clutter. For the dressing table invest in baskets and decorative boxes to hold hair accessories, make up and other bits and pieces.
- A calm, neutral colour scheme will give rise to a relaxed, stress free environment – which is just what you want the bedroom to be. Aim for natural fabrics in toning colours to promote the harmony and tranquillity you need.
- Make sure your lighting works with the décor and helps create the right mood. Ambient lighting works best: wall-mounted and table lamps create pools of light whilst uplighters will illuminate the room gently. Clip-on lights are great on kids’ beds and a dimmer switch on your main ceiling light will help soften the effect.