Getting the Most out of Your Home – Part 3 – The Master Bedroom
Ahh, the master bedroom, one of your home’s most important spaces. It can often be the place where parents go to relax and enjoy some quiet time. It’s also a room where we spend quite a bit of our time – about a third of our life – sleeping, so it should feel warm and comforting.
In a continuation of our series – Getting the Most out of Your Home- we’re offering some tips on how to improve your master bedroom so that it becomes your own personal sanctuary.
First and foremost, don’t use your master bedroom as a storage space or exercise room. If you walk into a room filled with laundry draped all over an exercise bike, the last thing you’ll feel is relaxed. It will immediately remind you of all the laundry and ironing that needs to be done – not to mention the exercise that you should be doing.
That’s not a way to relax or unwind. So, find other places to store your excess stuff. Perhaps put that laundry and ironing board in your laundry room – where it belongs. You might even consider throwing some things out!
Also, since you want this room to be a peaceful retreat, you’ll probably want to paint it with soothing colors. But that doesn’t mean you can’t add some bright and/or dark colors with your bed linens, pillows, lamps, etc. And these accessories can be changed out to fit the season or your mood, an idea that works especially well if you have used a neutral palette.
Speaking of bed linens, this is a place where you’ll want to invest in the type of bedding that is pleasing and super comfortable to you and your significant other. For me, it’s not a place where I like to pinch pennies. Other ways to make the room more soothing and restful include room-darkening curtains or blinds, which can make a huge difference if you sleep during daylight hours or want to sleep in on a weekend. They are available in a wide variety of styles and colors.
Another soothing item you might consider is a sound machine, which can relax you with its simulations of rain, ocean waves, the forest and other calming sounds. These are especially good if you find outside noises a nuisance or if you head to sleep before others are finished watching TV.
Speaking of TVs, most agree that all electronic devices, such as TVs, computers, etc., should not be in the master bedroom if you want to create a restful retreat. However, there are some people who feel they must have them in their bedroom. If that’s the case, consider putting them in a cabinet with doors so that they can be hidden when not in use.
If you are fortunate to have a large master bedroom, consider adding a nice cozy sitting area with a comfy chair, small side table and lamp. It can be a peaceful spot for you to enjoy your morning coffee or read a book before turning in for the night.
As I’ve said repeatedly in this series, with just a little bit of thought and creative thinking, you can make any room in your house a very special place. And the master bedroom is one room that should be on the top of your list.
See our entire series on Getting the Most out of your home –
#1 Home Gym
#2 Home Office