Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers

Creating a Comfortable Bedroom

Comfy BedroomsI love to read, eat, watch television and work from my bed. I once read that Sarah Bernhardt had an 8 foot bed that she traveled with all over the world, requiring special train cars to transport it and hotels to remove doors and windows to install it in her suites. By comparison, my obsession with my bed doesn't sound so crazy. I never leave home with it. It's relatively easy to create a private oasis within the sometimes chaotic environment of a house filled with interaction and activity. When redoing your bedroom, think in terms of comfort, convenience and visual calmness.

The Mattress
If you must replace a mattress, buy a good one. The extra expense will be worth it in the long run.

Color
Choose a color scheme that's restful and promotes a feeling of calmness. If you like busy floral patterns, keep the colors soft.

Lighting
Lighting should be good for reading, i.e. the right height, brightness and location. But also think about placing a small, dimly lit lamp in a strategic area to create another mood. Candles and soft music are a nice touch.

Windows
Plan window treatments for easy light control. Panels and a valance over sheers enables you to remove the heavier side curtains, leaving the sheers for summer. The valance stays put.

Comfort
A light weight down comforter and pillows makes a bed look so inviting. Use a pretty duvet to cover the comforter for easy care and bed making.

Pillows
Large, square pillows are great for sitting in bed and a small neck roll is pretty and practical.

Sheets
Sheets should be soft. Splurge and get good ones. Fancy, lace-edged sheets are a lot more expensive than plain white, but if you buy them unadorned, it's a cinch to add your own lace, eyelet or ribbon to the top edge. It will cost a fraction of the cost.

Carpets
Soft carpeting right at the spot where your feet first hit the floor is a must. Even if your floors are bare, place a small area rug beside the bed.

Night Table
The night table should be the right height for the lamp and for easy reach of your "stuff." Preferably, it should have a drawer or two and the surface should be large enough to hold essentials plus some pretty accessories like a framed picture and a vase of flowers.

Flowers
A vase filled with cut flowers, not a plant, is a great pick-me-up in the morning when you open your eyes. Makes the bedroom fresh and pretty even if it's a bit of a pain to keep replacing them. It's worth it.

Comfort From The Past
Something from the past is always comforting, like an old rocking chair, a quilt on the wall, an antique picture frame or a vase.

Containers
Buy a large basket with a handle to hold magazines, books, hand cream, manicure items, tissues, pads, pens, etc. and keep on the floor within easy reach. This will organize the things you don't want messing up your table, but it's easy to lift the whole kit n' kaboodle onto the bed.

Copyright Leslie Linsley, author
Reprinted with permission, HouseNet, Inc.

Back to Home Improvement Preview Lawn And Garden Home Decorating Preview Shopping Center