When you want to relax, retreat, or rest, where's the first place you go? Most likely your answer will be the bedroom. Shouldn't your spot to relax make you feel comfortable? Shouldn't it feel like a calm, soothing, and cozy place? Turning your bedroom into a sanctuary is simple and fun.
Choosing the Theme for Your Sanctuary Your bedroom's sanctuary theme should be something that makes you want to relax. For me, it's a warm and soothing beach. A quiet walk in the park, a serene forest, or midnight breeze are all examples of calming themes. If you're not the outdoorsy type, maybe your relaxing theme is a cozy fireplace. Maybe you imagine yourself as a princess in a royal castle. Wherever you feel most relaxed should be your theme, even if it's exotic to others. Your bedroom should make you relax, not please others. Choosing Your Colors Your colors should mesh with your theme, as well as soothe you when you see them. For my beach scene, I use light blues, foamy greens, and dark greens. All of these colors soothe me. Some colors associated with relaxation are blue, green, and pink. Pink has been shown to immediately calm an angry person. Blue has shown to cause tranquility and lower blood pressure. Green appears to have the same effect as blue. However, not all people would enjoy having a room in these colors. Your colors should be something you feel comfortable with and that make you feel happy and relaxed. Choosing Your Furniture Here again, you want to mesh with the theme, if at all possible. If you already have furniture you adore, try dressing it up with scarves, lace, or other fun accessories that will match your theme and colors. For a beach scene, you might have sand-colored scarves on an end table with a bowl of decorative blue rocks or glass atop the scarves. You could also purchase a couple small blue or tan wicker chairs to go with the theme. The main idea is to make everything blend together to create a scene that makes you feel like you are in your calming place, your theme, wherever that might be. Sometimes if you hunt around your house you can find all you need without having to shop for accessories. If you do have the freedom to go with all new furniture, don't be afraid to let the sales associates know your theme and what you're trying to accomplish. Some furniture stores will even come to your house, scan "your room" into their computers, and plan a layout with you using their products. It sounds a bit spoiled, but it can actually help you visualize how it will turn out, so you don't end up with a look you weren't trying to achieve. Arranging Furniture for Your Bedroom Sanctuary The furniture should be arranged in a way that will make you feel like just plopping down on it because that's what you do in your bedroom. It should be easy to access and should make your theme pop out. When you walk into your room, you want to immediately feel like you are walking into your fantasy place. When I walk into my bedroom, I feel like I am on the beach. I can actually hear the ocean in my head, feel the warm sand on my feet, and smell the fresh ocean water. Sometimes I can feel the warm breeze and see the palm trees swaying in the wind. This is my ideal relaxation zone. Your furniture should make you feel like you are actually in your ideal sanctuary scene. It should take your breath away and make all your troubles slip away, even if just for a moment. If your room is large enough, the ideal bedroom furniture would be to have at least a bed (of course), a lounger or chaise, a couple chairs, and of course an armoire or dresser and nightstands. The pieces should be chosen to your taste and arranged so that they are not all cluttered together. Hanging some furniture, like hammocks or swing chairs can help with comfort, as well as removing clutter. If they are cluttered together, this will be stressful, rather than relaxing. Try having the bed and dressing furniture on one side of the room and the chaise (or couch or lounger) and chairs on another. The television (if you have one in your room) should be placed in a manner that will be easy to view it from any of the furniture, but it should not be the center of attention. Try to make it blend in with the theme as much as possible so it doesn't stick out. If at all possible, omit a television altogether. Televisions can throw off a design, but you can sometimes find a way to implement it, such as placing a picture frame around a flat screen television that's attached to the wall. Decorating With Your Style Your room should have plenty of accessories that go with your style or theme. Some examples of items you might use could include throw pillows, scarves, vases, marbles, chandeliers, beads, lamps, books, plants, dishes, paintings, mirrors, shapes, and more. Whatever you use should pull it all together. Once the furniture is arranged just so and the walls are painted, your accessories should fill in any missing gaps that will complete the final design. Accessories can be placed on shelves, on stands, on dressers, on drawer pulls, on the end-posts of your bed, and on chairs. The possibilities are endless. When you have an idea, run with it and see where it takes you. If it doesn't work the way you'd planned, don't give up. Try another idea. Soon your room will be looking relaxing in no time and you'll be ready to fall into a soothing slumber.
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Your home is likely where you'll spend a great deal of your time, so you want to make it as comfortable as possible. Former customers at both the large craft store and the home improvement retailer I once worked for would ask me advice on their homes all the time. Comfort was a popular topic. These five ways will help make your home more comfortable.
Soothing and Warm Colors Help Create Comfort at Home Colors can really enhance a person's mood if done correctly. Choosing soothing and warm colors for the walls and furniture can make a home feel more comfortable. Light and soft hues of blue and green can often be comforting. Some yellows can also have this effect. Avoid extra bright yellows when going for relaxation. Lean more toward goldenrod to give off a happy, yet comforting feel. Mixing the yellows and blues - and even adding some soft green - adds to the effect. Use Feng Shui Techniques to Help Make Your Home More Comfortable Many swear by Feng Shui techniques to enhance comfort and mood in a home. Check out a few books at the library to read up on Feng Shui techniques. A great number of my friends and family members say they've benefited from using these in their home's interior design. I've used this method as well with great results. Try applying some Feng Shui techniques to enhance comfort in your home. A Variety of Seating Options Adds Comfort to the Home One day you might feel like sitting in a chair. Another, you may feel like lounging in a recliner or on the couch with your feet propped up. Choosing a variety of seating options is a great way to make your home more comfortable. If you have a large family like I do, this is an excellent way to make sure everyone is comfortable and happy. Choose Furniture Anyone Can Use for Added Comfort If you have kids or you entertain guests often, choose furniture that everyone can use. Pick darker colors or materials that can be cleaned easily. You don't want to have seating furniture in your home that no one is even going to sit on. Couches with a wider seating area tend to accommodate everyone better and can be more comfortable. Also, be sure to have some throw pillows handy. Throw pillows are a good idea if you're pregnant or have back problems and can help make furniture more comfortable. If you have pets, be sure to choose furniture that's comfortable for you, but that you won’t mind them messing up - or that is easy to clean. Use Soft Lighting to Add a Comforting Feel to Your Home Soft lighting can be very soothing and relaxing to many. Choose light bulbs with a low wattage or use dimmers to create a more comfortable and relaxing atmosphere. Soft lighting should be used throughout the house. Try to avoid bright lights, such as fluorescent lighting fixtures. Whenever customers would ask me about comfort lighting, I would always recommend bulbs with the lowest wattage. Brighter lights can create the opposite effect. Decorating the home can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be. There are many ways to enhance the inside of the home without draining the wallet. I've always been quite cheap...frugal, I mean. Plus, I've worked at a large craft supply store (one that included home decor), as well as a home improvement retailer. Based on my experience, here are five cheap decorating ideas for your home.
Portrait Walls Are Great For Decorating a Home This may sound costly, but it doesn't have to be. Low cost frames from discount and dollar stores work just fine for this. Cheap decorating doesn’t always equate ugly. In fact, those cheap frames are often better because they are usually easier to paint and glue things onto for customization purposes. For a bright look, try gluing the buds of silk sunflowers around the edge of the photo frames. These can be found at dollar and discount stores as well. To bring a room together, try painting the frames to match the furniture or using glued-on silk flowers and other items to match the mood and colors. Digital photo copies and prints can be done at home or sent to a printer for a nominal fee. Throws and Decorative Scarves Throws and decorative scarves are a great way to add some color to a room without spending much money. Check thrift stores and bargain bins for these cheap decorating accents. They can be draped over a couch or chair. They also can be placed on coffee tables and stands. If you have a piece of furniture you're getting tired of or one that's worn out, cover it with a throw or scarf and beautify it once again. It's almost like having a new piece of furniture. Decorating Ideas Using Fresh Flowers Many people have gotten so used to silk flowers that they've forgotten about the fresh ones. Fresh flowers can be found right in your own backyard or a nearby field. Be careful not to pick flowers where you're not allowed. Stick to wild flowers (not purposefully planted ones) on public property or those you’ve planted yourself. Flowers are often free and placing them in a vase on a coffee table, stand, kitchen table, or counter top can really brighten a room. Stenciling Ideas for Decorating the Home Cheap No, I'm not talking about hiring some specialist to come stencil an elaborate design. Head to your local craft store, pick out a simple design that fits the style of your chosen room, and grab the appropriate paints. You can stencil things like wooden chests, dressers, stands, and more. You may even want to try stenciling a border on your walls. Stenciling is relatively low in cost if you do it yourself and it can really enhance the look of a room or piece of furniture. The paints can be found on discount at craft supply and home improvement stores. Homemade Masks as Wall Decor Wall masks can add an interesting new look to a room. Choose from Native American, African, theater, clown, and many more. You can make the masks yourself out of papier mache or plaster of Paris. It's easy to find instructions for many different types by doing a simple web search. I've also found cheap, but still great looking masks at dollar stores, thrift stores, and craft stores.Remember that you can always glue on items or paint over any designs you don’t like if you find plain or decorated masks for cheap. The season has quickly changed from summer to fall and it's time to start decorating accordingly. Flowers are easy to incorporate into any theme and can be used in a variety of interesting ways. There is no limit to the decorating possibilities with seasonal fall flowers. Here are five fun ways to decorate with seasonal fall flowers.
Decorate Door Frames With Seasonal Fall Flowers Seasonal fall flowers can be used to create strands that can be hung around door frames. This can be done with both silk and fresh flowers. When using fresh flowers, be sure to dry them first and spray them with a floral acrylic coating to protect them. Sunflowers are great for decorating door frames, as they accommodate the large space. Because of the yellow color, they also can brighten a room. Make Your Table Fun With Seasonal Fall Flowers These, of course can be used to make great table arrangements, but there are more ways to use them on the table as well. Flower garlands can be wrapped around the table legs. Also try sprinkling flower buds and stems around the tabletop. Marigolds and daisies in varied colors are great for this. Fresh or silk can be used. Fun Ways to Decorate Countertops With Seasonal Fall Flowers Seasonal fall flowers can be put in a simple vase on the countertop. Also try laying out a flower garland and winding it around existing countertop decor. Just as on the table, another fun way to decorate with seasonal fall flowers is by sprinkling them around the countertop. Be sure you do this in a designated are, of course. You still need some counter space for other things. Accent Furniture With Seasonal Fall Flowers Seasonal fall flowers are fun to use in various places around the house. Try wrapping seasonal fall flower garlands around assorted pieces of furniture. Lamp posts and chair legs are great spots for this. Also experiment with wrapping them around the edges of tables and stands. Yellow fall flowers are great for rooms that need brightening. Orange fall flowers can balance an extra bright room. Choose red for a more romantic feel. Use Seasonal Fall Flowers to Make Your Walls More Fun Seasonal fall flowers can be used on the wall in all sorts of fun ways. Create swags and hang them in various places. It can also be fun to wind flower garlands around wall sconces, picture frames, and other wall decor. Try letting seasonal fall garland strands cascade over other decor for a natural look. This can be especially fun to do in between picture frames and other grouped wall decor. Don't be afraid to experiment. |
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