I saw this question on socials this week and I thought it was a great question. Sometimes with interior design (structure, function, aesthetics) and interior styling (function and aesthetics) we’re too focused on making a space beautiful that we forget about function. So, I wanted to write about relaxing bedroom ideas that don’t compromise creating a beautiful space.
Functionality is the core of every interior design or interior styling project. I mentioned in this blog post on styling your décor.
Where I suggested that when styling your coffee table, place décor on a tray. The reason I suggested this is that the true function of a coffee table is to support the overall function of the living room. This includes watching TV, lounging around, reading a book, napping, chatting with friends.
For all these ‘functions’ your coffee table is used for remote controls, books, cups of tea or other food and beverages and sometimes a coffee table is a foot stool. So, an ornately styled coffee table seriously compromises this functionality. But if your coffee table décor is on a tray, you can quickly and easily move this away, to ensure optimum functionality.
Remove electrical stuff
So, let’s look at a bedroom. First and foremost, the easiest way to make a bedroom relaxing is to remove electrical stuff. Phones, TVs, any device that emits electrical energy. Many clients will tell me that the TV helps them fall asleep, or that their mobile phone is their alarm clock. It’s not ideal, and I advise against it but some habits are hard to break. However, a bedroom without electrical equipment goes a long way to creating a relaxing atmosphere.
Furniture layout
In some bedrooms there isn’t enough room for negative space. Negative space is the area around the furniture that takes up the positive space. The positive space is the area taken up by the pieces that support the function of the room.
Both positive and negative space are important. Without enough negative space, you can’t move easily and freely around the room, compromising the functionality. Feeling worried you might bump into something in the middle of the night when you go to the bathroom, doesn’t help make a bedroom relaxing.
Another key point on layout, beds that are in front of a window is not ideal from a feng shui perspective. Try to have your bed against a wall.
Bedroom by Grace Interior Designs, no devices
Colours in a bedroom
Colours are a powerful tool that impact your mood. There is a reason McDonald’s uses orange and red in it’s branding and shop fit outs. Red = energy and stimulation and orange = warmth and happiness.
Therefore, try to incorporate calm, relaxing colours in your bedroom like blues and greens. The greens can actually be plants. There is a debate about whether it’s good to have plants in your room.
One side says that plants in a bedroom compromise your own breathable air and another says they clean the air. So, research this and choose your plants carefully.
Soothing bedroom colours
Textures in a bedroom
Aim for natural textures and materials such as woods, cotton, rattan, wool, and linen. Breathable materials and textures help regulate your temperature and the temperature of the room and ground the space.
I loved this question when I read it on Facebook as it highlighted to me the importance of considering function when designing or styling a space. Incorporating these relaxing bedroom ideas can create a beautiful space. A beautiful space isn’t always functional but a functional space can be beautiful.
