It's a given — the bedroom should be the most relaxing spot in your home, where you feel instantly at ease, ready to drift off into a restful slumber. But this isn't always easy to achieve, especially with so many bedroom decor choices.
To help you, we asked design experts to give us their top tips for creating an atmosphere of pure relaxation and comfort. Pay heed to these crucial suggestions on how to sleep better in a bedroom that's designed for relaxation.
1. Choose adjustable pillows
If you're wondering how to have have the coziest modern bedroom, you need to choose the right pillows.
'When designing a bed set up, I always add an adjustable pillow,' says Claire Spring of Silk & Snow. 'It’s a versatile solution that suits every sleeper’s needs.'
Picking a pillow is an undeniably personal and at times divisive decision. Whether you opt for hard or soft, fluffy or firm, single or double, your selection can shape the comfort of your bed.
'The S&S Pillow, for example, has removable memory foam, so if we need to adjust the loft of the main sleeping pillow, I can always add extra foam to the additional pillows that are there for decoration,' shares Claire.
Memory foam molds to the position of your head and neck, offering enhanced levels of support and relieving pressure points.
2. Limit light exposure at night
Be careful how you design your bedroom lighting scheme. One of the things that aid sleep is low lighting as it creates a relaxed environment. If your room features bright or harsh lights, they can stimulate and prevent you from falling asleep.
Dr Chad Eldridge, sleep and wellbeing advisor to Hästen's suggests striving for total darkness in your bedroom for optimum sleep. 'Limit light exposure, ' he says, 'Add shades on windows that allow total darkness. Also limit electronics that may cast light in the room.' If you have a TV in your bedroom, consider light dimming stickers from Amazon for the standby light.
This advice is echoed by design expert Mark Schubert , founder of Philip Harrison Interiors. 'We like to layer various window treatments to accomplish a full blackout condition to maximize restful sleep,' says Mark. 'We also layer in additional light filtering or sheer window coverings to add privacy, while disallowing light to enter the room.'
3. Beat the heat
Our bodies can be very sensitive to temperature changes, and being in a hot and stuffy room can have a huge impact on your sleep quality.
Among the things every hot sleeper should own are breathable bedsheets that naturally cool you down.
'For hot sleepers, I always select a lightweight material like Percale Bed Sheets , and then add a lightweight duvet and muslin coverlet for additional warmth options,' says Claire. 'Not only does it add more dimension to the bed’s look, but it is also easy to add or remove layers based on one’s needs.'
Dr Chad highlights the importance of 'creating a cool room.' He suggests incorporating 'fans or things that will generate cool temperature and quality airflow, and bed coverings and sheets that allow you to breathe and not generate heat.'
When designing a cozy bedroom, Mark makes sure to personalize the bedding to complement each client's sleep habits. 'We will discuss with our client their needs in terms of bedding and if they sleep hot or cold at night,' he shares. 'This helps us select the necessary duvet insert, bedding materials such as percale, silk, or linen, and how much bedding they will need. Additionally, we will typically recommend a summer and winter bedding collection that can be easily swapped for the seasons.'
Having a variety of bedding options on hand is a useful way to ensure your bed will be as comfortable as possible no matter the weather.
4. Add seating and floor coverings
In order to create a room that exudes relaxation, incorporate comforting design elements beyond your bedding. Adding some extra cozy details to your bedroom will help to elevate the design and create the space of your dreams. Think bedroom rugs, cozy bedroom furniture and mor.
'Floor coverings are always a great way to add comfort and luxury to a bedroom,' suggests Mark. 'Utilizing plush carpets or area rugs that use wool, silk, or even viscose creates a soft and welcoming feeling when walking through the room.'
'If space allows, adding in a seating group of two chairs, a settee or a chaise lounge adds to this comfortable environment,' shares Mark. 'It creates an additional area that moves away from sleep and into a space that focuses on rest or calmness.'
These are small, but so impactful changes to make a bedroom more comfortable and to enhance your sleep, and best of all, they don't require the expense of changing your mattress. Every tiny step you can make towards turning your bedroom into a sleep sanctuary is going to improve your whole life, as you wake up each morning better rested.
