Give Me Sanctuary

Too much hustle and bustle? Turn off the tube and transform your bedroom into your own private hotel suite, room service not included.

By Matthew M. F. Miller
CTW Features

Simplify for relaxation’s sake: Stow media in a closed armoire and banish clutter and exercise equipment to another room. Image courtesy Liz Claiborne Home

Pillows, blankets and a comfortable mattress more often play second fiddle to televisions and treadmills in the modern bedroom. Limited space and time has inserted convenience into the room primarily designed for rest and relaxation, as homeowners spend less time in the living room.

“People want time alone to be by themselves,” says Josette Buisson, artistic director of Pittsburgh Paints, Montreal. “I have only boys in my house and all they watch is sports.”

Buisson says that 61 percent of American kids have a television in their room, and that the living room has become a less of a gathering spot as technology allows more freedom to entertain in individual spaces.

Davis Remignanti, lead design consultant for Furniture.com, believes the bedroom is the new basement, and it’s where we store all of the detritus and clutter we don’t want our guests to see. “People say, ‘Oh let’s just throw it in the bedroom,’ when it really is supposed to be about sleep.”

The first step to turning a busy, multi-tasking bedroom into a sanctuary is to dispense with what you don’t like. Buisson says that people feel they have to hold on to heirlooms or items that had meaning for them in the past, but that ultimately those things keep us from fully relaxing. Remignanti suggests paring down the amount of furniture in the room. “There’s a certain Japanese sense of spareness that is relaxing,” he says.

De-cluttering is the next step. All non-sleep related items, especially exercise equipment, should go. “A treadmill is not something you want to think about, or trip over, every night,” says Buisson, who believes it is a constant reminder of unfinished business. She recommends thinking about our bedrooms as if they were boutique hotel rooms, incorporating soft blankets, towels, sheets and aromas that appeal to all five senses. “Create a place with individuality. If you like to read, add a comfy chair and a lamp. First make it functional, then make it beautiful,” she says.

Simplify for relaxation’s sake: Stow media in a closed armoire and banish clutter and exercise equipment to another room. Image courtesy Pittsburgh Paint

Arrangement is key, but Remignanti says feng shui isn’t necessary. “I don’t believe having your feet pointing to a door gives you better rest, but I do think you should avoid putting your head under a window.” Where possible, looking out a window from bed is key. Most important, Remignanti says, is to experiment. “My one rule is to not put all furniture against the wall. Try placing things on an angle.” Make sure practical considerations, such as being able to get to all sides of the bed to make it, are in order.

Adding scents, such as lavender to promote sleep, and relaxation music will help calm the body by establishing a distinct boundary between your room sounds and smells of the day. New alarm clocks emit light to mimic the sunrise, aiding the circadian cycle and giving the body light it needs to wake up naturally.

If you absolutely must have a TV and the budget will bear it, Buisson recommends opting for an unobtrusive flat screen model. “Then you can hide it away and not have to look at it,” she says. “I disagree with having a television in the bedroom; we’re in the bad habit of feeling we need to be constantly entertained. The bedroom should be a place to unwind. We can be reached 24/7 via e-mail and Blackberry, and we need to respond to our need for down time,” Buisson says.

Remignanti agrees: “There are better things to do in your bedroom than watch reruns of ‘Everybody Loves Raymond.’”

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