Guest Blogger: How to Turn Your Bedroom into a Retreat

Guest Blogger #996, Entry #2560, June 24, 2013

As wonderful as it may be to relax on a beautiful beach or dine in a great foreign restaurant, half of the fun of going on holiday is sinking into a comfortable bed in a nice hotel.

If you miss the ‘hotel experience’ of relaxation and comfort, you might want to turn your own bedroom into a ‘hotel at home’ retreat. Enjoy the hotel experience in your own home with these four atmosphere-building bedroom tips.

Focus on soft and comfortable bedding

Image via: Alder and Tweed

1. Focus on soft, comfortable mattresses and sheets

All of the world’s top hotel rooms have one feature in common: a soft, comfortable bed. The most important aspect of a hotel experience is wonderful sleep, making it essential that you invest in a high quality mattress and equally soft sheets.

Look for a mattress that’s designed for maximum comfort – preferably one that’s a little too soft, as is the custom in hotels. It’s also important to spend more than you might like to on sheets to enjoy a higher thread count and smoother texture.

2. Invest in charming, atmospheric accessories

The best hotels aren’t plain and minimal – they’re stylish and atmospheric. Try to find unique accessories that give your room a sense of style, instead of the typical paintings, film posters, and bedroom furniture.

Great choices include abstract or unusual art, mood lighting, or unusual bedroom furniture that catches your eye. Think about the aesthetic appeal of luxury hotels and apply the same mindset when you’re decorating your bedroom.

Create an atmosphere that you love

Image via: Gerstner

3. Create a great scent with candles and oils

One thing you’ll never find at a top hotel is a smelly room. From the Ritz Carlton to the W Hotel, all of the world’s top hotel chains invest in custom scents and in-room perfume to ensure that guests are greeted by a wonderful smelling room.

You can achieve the same results at home with some scented candles and oils. Light a scented candle shortly before you retire to bed – paying attention to fire hazards, of course – and enjoy a delicious smell as soon as you enter your bedroom.

Separate your entertainment and relaxation spaces

Image via: Obeo

4. Separate your entertainment and relaxation spaces

Have you ever noticed how quickly you fall asleep in a hotel bed? It’s not because it’s comfortable – although that certainly helps. Instead, the reason we often rapidly fall asleep in hotel beds is because we rigidly separate them from our entertainment.

When you use your bedroom solely for sleep, it becomes a space that your mind will naturally associate with drifting off and resting. Move your television, computer, and bookshelf out of your bedroom to make it a dedicated rest and relaxation space.

This article was written by The Odd Mattress Company, the UK’s top special mattress manufacturer. Visit their website to learn more about four poster mattresses from The Odd Mattress Company

For more bedroom & living ideas on Stagetecture, click here.