How to Make Your Master Bedroom Inspire Relaxation

Whether you are showing your home to sell, just moved into a house, or are looking to update your décor, the master bedroom deserves your attention. We actually spend more time in our bedroom than any other room in the house, more than one-third of each day, yet we often put it last on our list for updates.

Buyers and sellers focus their attention on social gathering rooms like the kitchen, or the luxury space of a great master bathroom or the walk-in closet, even the landscaping of the yard gets more attention. But master bedrooms matter; to your sleep, as a sanctuary from the world, to a buyers overall feeling about your house.

More and more, research is telling us about the importance of getting a good night’s sleep. Dr. Susheel Patil, clinical director of Johns Hopkins Sleep Medicine in Baltimore stated, “Fewer than six hours [a night] can lead to diseases — a higher rate of diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular problems, and even shorter life spans.” So, though there’s no perfect amount of sleep one should get, Patil suggests adults try for seven to eight hours on average.

But does your bedroom inspire relaxation and great quality sleep patterns? Updating or remodeling the room can offer you that sleep sanctuary you seek and bring in bigger offers when it is time to sell.

Here are a few tips to get started on refreshing your master bedroom to optimize sleep and relaxation.

1. Move the bed. Try placing your bed away from the room’s entrance to keep it out of the main circulation path. Consider the view outside of your windows or around the room (maybe a nice fireplace?) and place your bed in a spot where you can open the curtains and enjoy the view outside or lie in bed and watch the fire. Dress up the bed with a duvet and decorative throw pillows and make it more appealing and cozy.
   
   There are so many new mattress options out there, so do some research and purchase a mattress that will make your bed as comfortable as possible. Some retailers continue to compete with traditional brick-and-mortar stores under the assumption that customers still want to test-drive choices. Some new companies such as Tuft & Needle, or Brentwood Home sell online — often at lower prices, while offering flexible return programs.

2. Update your window treatments. The standard room décor today is based around keeping it simple-less is more. But this is not a room to have bare window. Some amount of treatment in a bedroom is needed to block outside light and provide privacy.
   
   
3. Update lighting. Add task lighting from lamps on night tables or wall-mounted sconces, or hang one decorative fixture in a ceiling’s center for an aesthetic punch.
   
   
4. Remove or hide electronics. Science now tells us that the blue light that comes from certain electronics equipment can adversely affect melatonin production, which affects your sleep patterns. Health professionals now believe that you can unwinding easier and fall asleep faster if you avoid looking at TVs, smartphones, and iPads at least an hour before bedtime. Shutting them off also helps train the brain that the bedroom is primarily a place to sleep rather than stay awake.
   
   
5. Repaint in a color palette that sooths. Color is a matter of personal preference, but certain ones tend to inspire relaxation more than others. Go too bold, dark, bright, or intense and you are not in a relaxed state of mind. Consider a soft and calming palette of pale blues, greens, beiges, grays, and whites for the bedroom.
   
   
6. Add extra comfort. If your bedroom is big enough consider adding a chaise, a big cozy reading chair and ottoman, and night tables. Also, cover any hardwood with either a large area rug or even consider wall-to-wall carpeting, which can help deaden noise and provide warmth underfoot.

You spend most of your 24-hour day in your master bedroom, so remaking it your own personal retreat (for great sleep) is worth the effort.