Bedroom Basics

If there’s one place in the home where you never have to worry about tripping over dinkie toys or discovering a work of finger paint art on the carpet, it’s your bedroom. The master bedroom is more than just the place where you rest your head at the end of a long day: It’s your private sanctuary. So, put a little time aside and put some effort into turning your bedroom into a haven of tranquillity:

• Choose a soft and soothing colour palette the walls, like pastels, light grey tones or off-white.
• Paint each wall a slightly different shade of the same colour to create a sense of depth.
• Create a focus wall with pictures of faraways places into which your mind can escape.
• There’s nothing more soothing than nature, so bring the outdoors indoors by using natural elements such as drift wood, plants, bark, seashells and so on.
• Hang mirrors on the wall to create the illusion of space.
• Comfort is key, so invest in a good quality matress and bedding.
• Create a reading nook, preferably by a window, with a comfy armchair and plenty of reading material.
• Instead of the traditional headboard, opt for something a little more unusual like a shelving structure, an old barn door turned on its side or no headboard at all (in which case you can always paint a “headboard” on the wall).
• If you’re constantly on the go, keep your bedroom simple, for example fewer scatter cushions that need to be arranged on the bed every morning.
• Creat a positive ambience by painting or hanging inspirational words on the wall or using “happy shapes” such as hearts or stars.
• Nothing sets the mood like good lighting. While overhead lighting might seem sufficient, a bedside lamp or string of fairy lights makes all the difference.
• Certain fragrances have a calming effect on the brain, so always have fresh flowers or bowls of pot pouri in the room.

Original images and their credits available on Pinterest