How to create the
Did you know you will probably spend about one-third of your life in bed? You’d better make sure it’s a comfortable and enticing place then, eh. Science tells us that it’s better for our health and wellbeing to be a proper Goldilocks when it comes to setting up our sleeping spaces.
Everything from the darkness of the room to the quality and feel of the linen and the softness of a pillow can help or hinder a good night’s sleep.
That might seem like a lot of pressure to put on your pillow, but it can take it. The real question is how many cushions do you really need? And how many blankets, duvets and sheets is optimal? How do you make the cosiest bed possible?
‘‘What we’re finding is that mattresses are getting fatter and fatter and provide more comfort, but our duvets aren’t getting any longer to cater for the thickness of mattress,’’ says designer Debbie Robinson of Compose Interiors.
‘‘You end up with your sheets hanging out, and your duvet coming up short if you have it up around the pillows. So what’s happened is that layering has become popular.’’
If you have a double mattress, Robinson suggests going up to a queen-size duvet; for a queen bed, get a king duvet.
‘‘It means you get more duvet over the sides left and right, but it doesn’t change the length.
‘‘Adding layers – throws and comforters – and folding your sheets halfway down the bed, starting your duvet lower, so it doesn’t come up to the pillows and it’s draped over the end onto the floor – this particular sort of styling has become more popular because of the thicker mattresses.’’
And it looks good, too. Beds that are turned down, coupled with the idea you can pull up or throw off layers as you need them, makes the bed look and feel more inviting.
In terms of creating a cosy environment, however, Robinson reckons it goes way beyond layers of blankets. All the way up the wall, in fact.
In most bedrooms, the focal point is the bed, so accentuating that is key to creating a space that is for relaxing and sleeping in.
Headboards are getting bigger and more elaborate. Plush velvets and linens, tufting, stitching and panels are becoming popular.
‘‘Another layer to add behind your headboard is the wallpaper, or even faux panelling, to give the bed some grounding.
‘‘Then, if you have a window above your headboard, a roman blind or window treatment – so you’re not just layering on the bed but actually behind the bed, too.’’
It could be easy to get carried away with a look like that. The key is in keeping the colour palette limited. ‘‘Your bedroom is a place to retreat to. So to keep it a tranquil space, opt for neutral tones and textures,’’ says Brooke Fairgray, the Memphis Poster Club founder who describes