Home is where the heart is — but what if your home doesn't feel quite as homey as you'd
like?
According to the pros, the most important part of your home is your bedroom.
So here are your expert-approved hacks for creating the dreamiest space around!
Start with the bed
Numerous experts recommend starting with bed placement and then arranging everything else
around it.
California-based designer, Becki Owens, tells Apartment Therapy the best place for the bed
is usually
"...your longest uninterrupted wall."
"Don't be afraid to put your bed up against a window if necessary."
"The aim here is to make the bed a focal point of the room."
Libby McMillan, editor at Apartment Guide, recommends also asking yourself whether or
not you like to watch TV in bed.
Try out different arrangements until you land on one that works for you.
Focus on symmetry
Anna Shiwlall, a California-based interior designer, says,
"Symmetry is key.
Giving the space visual balance calms the mind and makes the room much more comfortable
and livable."
So while you can always pop in matching night tables and reading lamps, she's also got a
few tricks up her sleeve, saying,
"You can give the illusion that there's another window by adding a mirror that's the same
size on the other side of your bed.
It gives great symmetry and opens up the space."
According to Nebraska-based interior designer, Genevieve Wilhelm, the placement of the bed
also affects lines of sight.
She says,
"I always try and place the bed so that you see the front of it when entering the room.
I think it's great to come in and see a bed face-on instead of walking into the side of
it."
Hit the sheets
According to Terry Cralle, a registered nurse who works with the Better Sleep Council, good
bedding is a worthy investment.
She says,
"We spend one-third of our lives sleeping, and that sleep is fundamental to our functioning:
our health, our general well-being, our success, our quality of life."
When it comes to sheets, Stephen Cardino home fashion director at Macy's, tells Real Simple
that 100 percent Egyptian cotton is the most top-of-the-line option, and notes that 100
percent pima cotton is the second best option, saying,
"Egyptian cotton's long fibers produce sheets that are thin and sumptuous yet extremely
strong and long-lasting."
Maximize storage
Especially if your room is small, HGTV's experts say furniture with built-in storage gets you
more bang for your buck.
UK interior stylist, Ana Zuravliova, recommends Ikea shelves like the Kallax line that
"...can be painted and personalized, so you can create a piece of furniture that's personal
to you, as well as enabling you to organize your room better."
Additionally, Nick Fu, owner of a home furnishing company in Washington D.C., says,
"If you're limited for floor space, [vertical storage] will take up less space in the room."
"Build shelves on your walls, use closet organizers that hang for shoes and shirts, and utilize
bookcases with multiple levels to showcase pictures and other personal items."
Use soothing colors
Genevieve Wilhelm achieves a calm, serene bedroom environment with a "Monochromatic
color palette, [such as] soft grays, whites, [and] light blues."
The benefit of working off a neutral base, Wilhelm says, is that you can then "Swap out
[accent pieces] with different seasons or trends because [your] main investment pieces
are neutral."
Zuravliova also notes,
"White and light colors work well with a warm accent, like blush, rust, or deep teal.
All of these shades are trending at the moment."
Mix textures
San Francisco-based designer Alice Chiu also recommends adding depth to your bedroom by
mixing in different fabric textures.
She says,
"Texture helps to transform light and adds dimension to a space.
Rough and coarse textures reflect less light and feel warmer, so adding a fleece blanket,
mohair throw pillows, or a shag rug to your bedroom will help make it more inviting."
Play with light
You can also add depth, warmth, and trendy accents to your room by incorporating different
types of lighting.
Chiu says,
"A poorly lit room comes across as unpleasant and not inviting.
Include different layers of light from ceiling lights to table lamps, floor lamps, and wall
sconces…
Adding a combination of light sources helps make the space more warm, cozy, and cheerful."
Add some feng shui
Interior designer and feng shui master Catherine Brophy tells Real Simple that feng shui is
"A practice based on the idea that our homes are a mirror of what's happening inside us.
The purpose of feng shui is to get your environment in alignment with who you are and where you
want to go — to harmonize your energy with your home's energy."
According to Brophy, it's important to carefully consider
"...what you bring in, how you arrange your rooms, and how you maintain the place."
"Everything has energy...
Feng shui helps guide that energy and lets it flow freely throughout your home."
Make sure there are clear paths from place to place in each room, as well as incorporating
a mix of shapes.
As Brophy explains,
"Squares represent earth; rectangles, wood; triangles, fire.
Round and oval items represent metal.
[A room] will feel most balanced if it includes all of them."
As life coach and Oprah contributor Martha Beck puts it,
"Your surroundings are an expression of your inner state.
You can't change your life without changing your stuff, and you can't change your stuff
without changing your life.
I now fill my rooms with things that energize and delight me.
Mostly."
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