Cosiness is essential in a bedroom. But just what makes a bedroom feel cosy? It all comes down to maximising comfort and creating a relaxing atmosphere that encourages you to sleep soundly. Below are 10 common things that could be disrupting this.
By Team Savant
The wrong mattress
Let’s start with the obvious one. Your mattress is what you sleep on and is integral to your comfort while trying to sleep. Mattresses are available in different levels of firmness. There is no perfect level of firmness - it is a matter of personal preference, so it’s important to test out different mattresses to see if you could be missing out on something more comfortable. A hypoallergenic mattress could also be worth considering if you suffer from allergies.
Season-inappropriate bedding
While many of us change our beds regularly throughout the year, a lot of us tend to stick to one type of bedding. What a lot of people don’t realise is that there are many different types of bedding materials, and that certain materials can be better suited to using at certain times of the year. Flannel sheets, fleece throws and plump duvets are all ideal for staying warm at night in winter. However, in summer, it could be better to switch to breathable cotton bedsheets, light duvets and cooling pillows. Consider whether it’s time you stocked up on some seasonal bedding.
Cold hard floors
Cold hard floors in a bedroom can reduce that snug feeling and make getting up at night in winter unpleasant if you haven’t got slippers. Switching your hard flooring for carpets could help to insulate your bedroom and make it feel more cosy. Don’t like carpets? A large well-placed rug can have just the same effect. Such a rug could be placed under your bed with the edges overlapping the sides of your bed so that you step onto the rug while getting out of bed. Consider deep pile or soft rugs that you can sink your toes into.
Too much clutter
A cluttered room is less relaxing. Therefore bedroom clutter — or at the very least visible clutter — is something that you should try to keep on top of. Consider whether there are items in your bedroom that you could sell or chuck to help free up surfaces or floor space. You could also invest in more bedroom storage so that you can hide away messy belongings instead of having to pile them up or cover surfaces. Beds with storage underneath can be great for containing clutter. You can also consider chests for jewellery and loose items, or units with extra shelves/drawers.
Bad window treatment choices
Window treatments are ways of dressing up your windows. While many people choose certain curtains or blinds for stylistic reasons, it’s also important to consider the practical pros and cons of certain window treatments. In a bedroom, you ideally want curtains or blinds that block out all outdoor light. You can explore such blackout solutions at sites like ABC Blinds. You may also want to look into shutters or curtains that provide insulation in the winter (and potentially ventilation in the summer) to help control the temperature in your bedroom.
Energising colours
A bedroom is not a place where you want to feel energised, so you should think carefully about your colour choices. Reds, yellows and oranges can all make us more alert. It’s best to choose soft cool colours in a bedroom such as blues, greys or pastel pinks. Think about this when painting the walls of your bedroom or when choosing bedding and curtains. You can explore all kinds of bedroom colour schemes online for inspiration.
Harsh lighting
The lighting in your bedroom is also important to consider. If the only lighting in your bedroom is harsh overhead lighting, it may be time to consider other lighting options. A lamp on a bedside cabinet or some sconce lights could offer some softer focused lighting for reading under. You could also consider adding a dimmer switch to an overhead light to provide a more ambient light when you want to set a more relaxing mood. Blinds, shutters and voile curtains can meanwhile help to let in natural light, while also providing privacy.
Too much synthetic objects
Our home interiors can often be too synthetic nowadays. While synthetic materials can be used to mimic the look of natural materials, there has become a greater tendency in recent years to choose unnatural textures like gloss white surfaces and even glittery surfaces. The synthetic textures do not have the same relaxing quality as traditional wood or natural stone — which remind us of the natural world. Consider adding some natural textures to your bedroom. Objects like plants, stones and shells may also help us to relax.
Poor air quality
Your bedroom shouldn’t be stuffy or smelly. If it is, it could be time to explore ways of improving the air quality. Dehumidifiers as compared here at Good Housekeeping can be useful for getting rid of excess moisture, while air purifiers can help to remove allergens and bad odours. Some people like to introduce relaxing scents to a bedroom like lavender and jasmine to help soothe them to sleep. Others meanwhile prefer to have no smells at all to distract them while they sleep. There are various candles and air fresheners you can use to neutralise smells. However, with bad smells, it is generally better to focus on the source.
Poor temperature control
Does your bedroom get too hot or cold at night? Finding a way to get the temperature just right isn’t easy, but there are solutions you can explore. Some central heating systems can be put on a timer or triggered to only turn on when a home reaches certain temperatures. These features can save you having to manually control the thermostat at night. Smart heating — which can be adjusted using your phone — is meanwhile also an option. There is then the option of a smart/remote control AC unit or fan for the summer that you can turn on and off from your bed.