Transforming Your Bedroom Into A Relaxing Retreat

After a long day at work, there’s nothing better than returning to a stress-free, relaxing haven. Regardless of what is happening in the rest of your house, your bedroom at least should be a stress-free zone where you can kick back and relax. To achieve this, you should aim to strike the perfect balance between your personal style and hotel style luxury and cleanliness. Everyone’s paradise is a little different. But here are a few ideas to get things rolling.

Lighting

Lighting is the factor which holds the most potential to change a room’s entire atmosphere. So depending on personal preference, this will vary from one home to another. If you’re the cozy type who likes to get home and wrap up in front of the television with a movie and hot chocolate, you probably like dim, warm toned lights. If you’re more wild, free and adventurous, you probably think nothing beats natural light filtering in through the window with a breezy chill. Controlling the lighting in your room is easily done. You just have to be able to control outdoor light (through curtains, blinds and shutters) and indoor light (through different watt light bulbs, light fixture size and placement and the number of light sources in your space).

The best part? You don’t have to stick to one option or another. You could have bright, luminescent main lighting from your ceiling fixtures and low, warm tones from a table lamp.

Bedding

When you think of relaxation, you think of lying back and letting go of all of your troubles. The best place to do this? Your bed. Your bed should be the epitome of comfort and cleanliness. It all starts with the base. Which base best suits you and your needs? Do you like to feel tucked up and enclosed in a single? Or do you prefer lying spread-eagled across a double? If you’re particularly tall, you might want to consider a Queen or even King size. Beyond size, there are other variations in bed bases. Divans are the most popular kind of bed frame. Platform divans are firm, while sprung divans give that sinking feeling. Choose whether you want a headboard when purchasing the base, as certain styles will be specifically designed to go with your bed base.

Next? Mattresses. There are so many varieties of mattress that choosing one can become confusing. So use thebest-mattress.org to help you find the best type for you. The one that will offer you the best night’s sleep will depend entirely on your posture, sleeping positions, height, weight and general shape, so compare and get recommendations before you buy anything. Finally: bed sheets. This is the widest category of products, with all sorts of colors, designs and fabrics available. Egyptian cotton is widely acknowledged as being soft on sensitive skin. Silk is lightweight and ideal for summer. Thicker fabrics will keep you cozy and warm in the winter.

For a budget option, Target has super soft microfiber sheet sets that are under $30. White will give you that crisp hotel vibe, but prints are fun! Choose what best suits your personality.

Flooring

The type of flooring that you opt for in your room can make all the difference. Do you like to feel like you can breathe easy? Do you appreciate the refreshing feeling of stepping out of a cozy bed onto a crisp, chilly floor? Wood may well be the way to go. Does the thought of this make you wince? Well, go with a dense, thick pile carpet. Can’t decide? You can get the best of both worlds with a wooden floor and thick rug or runner combination. If you are lucky enough to have an en suite, you should consider tiles. They are easy to wipe-down clean, which means a shiny, bright, fresh space to get ready in when you wake up and before you go to sleep.

Plants

Almost any bedroom can benefit from the addition of plants. There are so many types of houseplant out there that there’s bound to be something that you find appealing and are capable of caring for. If you’re a little Lackadaisy and think you might forget to water a plant or might neglect it, consider low maintenance species. Cacti, rubber plants, aloe and snake plants are lovely green options. If you have a little more time on your hands and a penchant for gardening, you can invest your time and money in a fascinating species, such as a tropical plant. Anthurium, Bird of Paradise and Peace Lilies, are all beautiful, flowering plants to consider.

Not only will the plants add a touch of colour and hint of nature to your room, but they will also detoxify the space.

*This article was contributed.