Are you resting well? Does it take you hours to fall asleep? Maybe your environment is not helping you. I’ve been there.
A few simple changes can help you create a relaxing bedroom. We all deserve a calm space to unwind after a long day.
Learn seven proven tips to improve your sleep. And get a sneak peek of my bedroom renovation plans featuring stylish accessories and furniture.
Meet the “Happier at Home” blog series
This blog post is part of the Happier at Home blog series. A collection of articles packed with practical tips and healthy habits to help you boost your happiness at home. Make sure you check out the first blog post of the series to get started: 10 science-backed ways to make you happier at home.
The importance of a good night’s sleep
My insomnia story
Sometimes I wonder how my parents survived parenthood. Confession: I was that annoying child with insomnia — “Muuum!” After the third call for help in one night, I know for certain my mother would ignore me. I don’t blame her, to be honest. But, in my defence, the homemade placebo recipe of water and sugar obviously wasn’t cutting it.
Time passed. As I grew up and moved from one house to the next, I learned the tricks that helped me sleep better. The adjustments I had to make in my environment to turn my bedroom into a relaxing sanctuary. I share all these below, and my master bedroom mood board. I hope it inspires you to design your bedroom with your well-being in mind.
Create your own sanctuary
Your bedroom is the most overlooked room in the house. Yet, it’s the most important — even more than the kitchen. Treat it as its own universe with special rules and rituals. And that’s because, in this space, a core human body need takes place: sleep. Like health, you only miss it when you don’t have it.
Even if you don’t have sleeping problems, it’s worth learning what works for you. And what doesn’t (bombshell at the end of the post). Do not underestimate the impact of a good night’s sleep. Activities such as learning a new language, mastering a craft or gaining deeper insight, rely on it1.
7 Expert tips to get better sleep
These are the key principles that will help you create a calm and relaxing bedroom. I learned them the hard way — I’m looking at you tip number four! Implement them into your space one tip at a time and you will feel the benefits. Your super sleep journey starts here.
1.- Sort your bed out
Not all bed sheets are created equal. There is a way to determine their quality — and it’s not thread count. The key factor is the material. Natural fibres such as cotton, linen and related non-synthetic blends are the best option to maximise breathability.
And for that luxurious hotel bed feeling? Invest in a good mattress topper.
Next, how often do you change your bedsheets? Every one to two weeks is ideal. This will reduce the build-up of bacteria and mites2. I will not cover this in detail because typing it makes my whole body itch. And remember to renew your mattress every eight years or less. Yes, wash the pillows too.
2.- Hide the clutter away
The secret is to hide the bedroom clutter away so you don’t see it. That’s why we have wardrobes, drawers, etc. Make sure all surfaces are clean and free from unnecessary stuff. Those bedside table books and trinkets look cute on a pic. But when it comes to sleep they’re not really helping you.
Having an easy room layout with no floor obstructions (i.e. strategically placed piles of clothes) will make entering your bedroom a non-stressful experience. Ensure the flow around your bed and to the door is not interrupted.
Remember, clutter goes beyond the physical form of a pair of jeans on the floor. Visual clutter, such as heavily patterned high-contrast surfaces, can stimulate your brain and hinder relaxation.
3.- Choose your colours wisely
Let’s talk about colour. The link between colour and sleep has not been properly studied. However, vibrant warm/red colours are associated with attention and focus3. Therefore, they may not be the best option for your bedroom.
The truth is no single colour will help you sleep better. But many people find blues and greens calming. You just have to find your own soothing colour. (Mine is dark green!)
Interested in the power of colour? Read my blog post about the myths and facts of colour psychology.
4.- Set the perfect temperature
In terms of room temperature, set your thermostat to 15-19℃ (or 18-21℃ for babies and toddlers)4. This will not only help your body regulate its temperature ahead of sleep. You’ll also save money on heating and consume less energy.
Despite this, I had issues sleeping ever since I arrived in the UK 3.5 million years ago. It turns out I kept waking up in the middle of the night… because my feet were cold5. Solution: thermal socks.
5.- Soothing scents and sounds
Another thing you can try is scent. Certain scents, such as lavender and chamomile, can help you relax6. Yet, there’s no direct link between scent and better sleep. Note burning candles in the bedroom is dangerous (never leave a candle unattended). Instead, try reed diffusers or essential oil sprays.
Additionally, some people find white noise soothing. This is something you may have noticed already. An air purifier, for example, will generate low-level white noise without annoying the cat. Otherwise, there’s a myriad of white noise apps available: from true white noise to nature sounds.
6.- Master of the light
Blackout blinds/curtains or solid shutters are a must in the bedroom. Unless you live in a glass house in the middle of the forest somewhere in Scandinavia. The best solution is to use different window treatments. Blinds and curtains, shutters and curtains, blackout curtains and sheer curtains, etc. This will reduce the amount of brightness in the early morning.
Artificial lighting can kill the relaxing vibe you want for your bedroom. Forget those fancy exposed Edison bulb lamps. Their light is too harsh. Instead, choose lights with lampshades or diffusers. And make every switch dimmable to control the amount of light in the space.
7.- No tech allowed
This is perhaps the most important of all these tips — and the easiest to implement! I try not to use my phone in the bedroom, and you won’t find a TV or tablet around.
Most of these devices emit blue light via their screens. Our brain interprets blue light as the morning sky and will trigger alertness responses to kick start the day7. That’s the last thing you need before bed.
Some devices have a Night Shift mode, which helps to an extent, but it’s not as good as No Phone mode. That’s because, even though you may be blocking the blue light, you are still stimulating your brain by using your phone.
Inspiration: My relaxing master bedroom renovation plans
The space and its challenges
This space is your typical Victorian 1st-floor bedroom facing the street. You could say the size is average for UK standards which — for the rest of the world — means it’s a matchbox. Luckily, natural light is not an issue with three large windows on one wall. The room has a lot of potential. But it hasn’t been updated for a long time.
Some years ago, the previous owner of the house decided to experiment with novelty textiles. For the window, he picked vertical blinds and half-length blackout curtains. Let me tell you a secret. Half-length curtains are not very useful at blocking light. And for the floor, white carpet. I’m sure in the catalogue it looked sumptuous. But now it has a raggedy rat feel to it.
An ambitious plan
Carpet be gone! I’m looking forward to uncovering the floorboards and place a large thick rug to frame the bed. Storage has to be sorted too. My old broken wardrobe needs replacing desperately. The idea is to find a pair of mid-century modern wardrobes, and maybe a handsome chest of drawers. If this fails, the plan B is to get fitted custom-made wardrobes.
The current window dressing situation has to be fixed. I’ve opted for a multi-layered solution. First, solid shutters will allow me to control the morning light. Then, white sheer curtains will let the light in throughout the day whilst providing privacy. I may finish it with accent curtains, but I haven’t made my mind up yet.
Other important jobs have to be done before the decoration begins. Here’s my renovation list (in no particular order):
- Add more light switches and sockets
- The above will require plastering afterwards
- Remove Artex ceiling (checking for Asbestos)
- Change the radiator because my 2.3 tog bed socks are not enough sometimes
The inspiration
The keywords of this bedroom design are stylish and elegant, with a subtle hint of mid-century modern. Well… it’s mainly mid-century modern. But, hey, if you’re following Boreal Abode it’s not because of my appreciation of Shabby Chic and pallet furniture. I haven’t decided on the colour scheme yet. I can tell you it’s likely to be a dark shade.
To help me narrow down colour and design options I’ve resorted to my usual inspiration sources — including Pinterest! We have a love-hate relationship, and now we’re together again. Make sure you follow me on Pinterest. And get ready to swoon over the finest mid-century modern, contemporary and Scandinavian interiors.
The mood board: A relaxing bedroom for a better night’s sleep
Now that you know the best tips to improve your sleep, the beautiful pieces below will make perfect sense. They may not be my final choices, but they illustrate the calm mood and style I want to achieve for the space.
1.- Mid-century bed and side tables – West Elm
I already own these since I moved two years ago. The acorn finish is simply magic, and it brings the wood grain and colour to life. These are the pieces that set the style of the whole room design.
2.- Royal System shelving unit – Poul Cadovius
My beloved vintage Royal System unit is staying where it is. A piece of 20th-century design history. You may remember the blog post I wrote about it. I wonder what it will look like against a darker wall colour, though.
3.- Classic-style radiator
Investing in a good radiator is a must in old homes. Did you know heating your room efficiently helps prevent damp?3 I still don’t know what size radiator I need, but the classic design works for me.
4.- Metal framed arched floor mirror – West Elm
The oversized round mirror in my living room makeover was a success. I’m resorting to West Elm again because of their timeless designs. This large floor mirror with a brass frame will disguise an awkward blocked chimney breast.
5.- Sunset Lake rug – West Elm
When the carpet goes, a rug will be required to soften the space. I’m drawn to the soft colours and soothing pattern of this rug. I can see it complementing dark walls and wooden floor perfectly.
6.- Vintage wardrobes
I hope to find a pair of wardrobes like the ones in this Robin Boyd house. Clean lines with plenty of storage. It will be a challenging task. But as I explained earlier, there’s a backup plan.
7.- Curvilinear mid-century sconce – West Elm
The only light in the room right now is a pendant lamp. This is not helped by the fact there’s only one socket in the room. A sconce will free up the bedside table and provide directional lighting thanks to its flexible arm.
Do you want to see the final result?
Now you know the plans, and I’m happy to reveal my bedroom is finished! Did I stick to my furniture and accessories choices? What’s the final colour scheme like?
One thing is for sure, it’s now a relaxing and calm space. Just as intended when I designed the room. Check my bedroom makeover blog post and tell me what you think.
Is your bedroom relaxing enough?
Hope you have enjoyed my top tips and design plans for the master bedroom. Now, a little bombshell. Whatever you do, please do not count sheep. It’s been shown that counting is detrimental and will not help you sleep8. Instead, focus on your breath flow to steer away from distracting thoughts. And relax… zzzzzz.
If you’d like to know more tips on how to make other rooms more relaxing, from the kitchen to the living room, check out this blog post: how to create a calm home – a simple guide to creating peaceful spaces.
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Meera
•6 years agoWholeheartedly agree with your tips, Juan! Calm sanctuary is what I aim for in my bedroom too. Your moodboard looks amazing, I can’t wait to see it all come to life. I know you’ll do a beautiful job!
Juan Sandiego
•6 years agoThank you for your comment, Meera! I have an idea of what I want in my head and it’s slowly developing into a variety of elements. I’m glad you liked the mood board. So exciting!
Fiona Mostyn
•6 years agoI’m a terrible sleeper. It’s probably my own fault as I can’t crack the tech habit. If you’ve seen me stalking your insta at 4am now you know why!
Juan Sandiego
•6 years agoThank you for your comment, Fiona! Sometimes it’s hard to get lost on these apps. My brain is super active after scrolling for a while and seeing so many ideas. Even though sometimes I break it, my rule is to check social media only three times a day.
Karen
•6 years agoReally love this post Juan, and that wall shelving! It’s stunning.
Admittedly, I’m someone with on/off insomnia and it looks like my daughter is following suit, and the only way we’ve managed to improve her sleep is blacking out the room. The idea of calm is subjective but I completely agree on the getting rud of clutter idea. If there is a pile of laundry in our room waiting to be done, I just need to clear it before I can relax!
Juan Sandiego
•6 years agoThank you for your comment, Karen! You’re completely right about the idea of calm being subjective. I mean, Marie Kondo has a clear idea of what it means for her! Too much visual stimulation is what stops a space from being calm for me.
Lin Warwick
•6 years ago? Oh dear Juan – I am planning to feature a rich deep red in then bedroom that I am decorating ! Looks like there’s going to be no sleep for me? – Plans look great – looking forward to seeing the finished room.
Juan Sandiego
•6 years agoThank you for your comment, Lin! You could incorporate red in many ways. To be honest, if it works for you it’s always worth trying.
Lins Drabwell
•6 years agoI can’t wait to see the transformation Juan, we’ve kind of done an interim makeover which involved redecorating and rearranging the furniture and it definitely make a huge difference to how I feel in the space but still more I’d like to do!
Juan Sandiego
•6 years agoThank you for your comment, Lins! A spruce up of a room can do wonders. My bedroom is screaming for a full renovation after almost three decades untouched.
Yol Pedrosa
•6 years agoThis post is amazing! I love your plans for your bedroom. That got me thinking that I have to renovate so many things in my bedroom too! and the home office and the kids rooms, etc. It seems like a no end.
I completely agree with no having TV in the room. The only TV we have at home is in the lounge and I don’t want a TV in any other room in the house. Years ago I met someone that had 5 TVs at home!! Can you imagine?
I am really looking forward to seeing your room transformed! 🙂
Juan Sandiego
•6 years agoThank you for your comment, Yol! Hope the post helps you with your bedroom renovation. And no TV, of course!
Jumi Awomosu
•6 years agoI’ve been dying to read this post and it does not disappoint! Some really helpful points and you totally made me laugh with your “Cheap bedding is nasty” quip! Can I quote you on that? I looooove it!
Juan Sandiego
•6 years agoThank you for your comment, Jumi! You can quote me on that, of course. Haha. It could be a slogan for a t-shirt or tote bag.
Nicola Capper
•6 years agoCan’t wait to see the finished result Juan. In the meantime I’m taking all your advice and hoping for a good nights sleep!
Juan Sandiego
•6 years agoThank you for your comment, Nicola! Glad you found the tips useful. Can’t wait to share more about the bedroom reveal with you.
Victoria - The Bold Place
•6 years agoI’m all about getting enough sleep, and I can tell when I haven’t, but it can be really hard to get into good habits can’t it? Some lovely tips here. I can’t wait to see the bedroom reveal – and the darker colours, which I love. I have a dark brown in my bedroom and it’s very calming and cocooning. I think it helps.
Juan Sandiego
•6 years agoThank you for your comment, Victoria! Your dark bedroom is fantastic. I hope to achieve a cosy mood with mine too.
Mary Middleton at Hello Peagreen
•6 years agowholeheartedly agree on creating a sanctuary Juan! I didn’t even allow a TV in the bedroom until my son came along…… as an exhausted parent just being in bed at 8 pm was bliss. I still don’t allow us to bring phones or tablets up to the bedroom. I also rather romantically sleep with an eye mask and earplugs. Your room looks absolutely idyllic, especially with the vintage feel.
Juan Sandiego
•6 years agoThank you for your comment, Mary! The earplugs are also my secret weapon against unwanted noises, haha. I hope to avoid the eye mask with multiple window treatments. But the earplugs are staying!
Marlene
•6 years agoGreat tips Juan! I really enjoyed what seems to be real solid wood furniture in your pictures. It is refreshing to see that in a world of MDF based furniture. I like the pale blue on the walls that contrast with the rich wood colours; even though it isn’t my style I appreciate it. Good luck with it, can’t wait to see more!
Juan Sandiego
•6 years agoThank you for your comment, Marlene! It’s all solid wood indeed. But the pale blue walls may go and I’ll introduce a darker richer colour.
Nicolette Lafonseca
•6 years agoClutter is a no no and I have ranted many a time about tv’s in the bedroom a real divided nation on that one.
I look forward to seeing the progress
Juan Sandiego
•6 years agoThank you for your comment, Nicolette! The TV in the bedroom is indeed a hot topic. We all have different situations for it’s clear that watching TV before bed doesn’t help you fall asleep.
Stacey Sheppard
•6 years agoSuch a great, informative post Juan. I can’t wait to see your makeover. Sadly for me our master bedroom is my least favourite room in the house and I find it really uncalming. It’s the only room in the house where we can keep the things we want to keep away from the children. This means it’s often brimming with stuff. My husband also has a full on desktop pc in the corner which I absolute hate but there is nowhere else we can put it (until we get the loft conversion done). We have plans to put it in our built in cupboard this year so at least we can hide it away. But I have so much work to do to change this room into a relaxing sanctuary.
Juan Sandiego
•6 years agoThank you for your comment, Stacey! Bit by bit I’m sure your bedroom will become the sanctuary you want.I’ve been living in a bedroom that resembles a messy antiques shop for years. It’s time to do something about it.
Maria
•6 years agoAfter your living room makeover, I really cannot wait to see what you achieve with your bedroom space Juan.
I completely agree with ALL the points you have raised with regards to getting a better nights sleep having just redesigned our bedroom from scratch. Diffused lighting makes all the difference, as does having clutter-free surfaces, it certainly reduces the stress factor and helps create a sanctuary away from everyday life. In fact, I’ve implemented all of what you have suggested above with our bedroom makeover and definitely feel more rested and the Hubs is sleeping 100% better too.
Juan Sandiego
•6 years agoThank you for your comment, Maria! I hope my bedroom makeover is half as stylish as yours, the ultimate Art Deco palace. I’ve neglected this room for too long and it’s vital to sort it out this year.
Ricky
•6 years agoYes to the natural bedding! This is definitely a must! We spend so much time in bed, so it’s always best to go for something of quality. Plus a declutter is always a good idea too 😉 Great tips!
Juan Sandiego
•6 years agoThank you for your comment, Ricky! The bedding makes all the difference. It’s the easiest way to achieve that luxury hotel comfort.
Silvia - DforDesign
•6 years agoHi Juan!
So much truth in this post! Sanctuary is the one and only word that should come to mind when thinking bedroom!
I’m not one that has particular problems in sleeping and I think I’ve never counted sheeps …but knowing that’s detrimental? Well that’s a news! 🙂
Juan Sandiego
•6 years agoThank you for your comment, Silvia! We all deserve a calm sanctuary to retreat, whether your introvert or extrovert. Glad you enjoyed the post!
Carolina
•6 years agoGreat tips Juan! Thanks for sharing. Carolina.
Juan Sandiego
•6 years agoThank you for your comment, Carolina! Glad you found them useful.
Anna Dawn
•5 years agoAmazing article. I love the way you have explained all the things in this article. Thanks for sharing this post.
Juan Sandiego
•5 years agoThank you for your comment, Anna! Glad you found it useful.
Johar Interiors
•3 years agoAmazing tips. The “No tech” is really good advice. I find myself really distracted by these things. Will definitely adopt these tips for better sleep…and designs! 🙂
Juan Sandiego
•3 years agoThank you for your comment, Johar! Glad you enjoyed the article.