Tag Archives: Tips and tricks
Bedroom Design: Three Common Design Mistakes To Avoid When Designing Your Dream Bedroom
Post by Kyle St. Romain.
The opportunity to redesign your bedroom (or any other room in your house for that matter) can be as exciting as it is stressful, especially if it’s your first design project. Whether you’re decorating a brand new home, are undertaking a complete remodel or are just making a few simple tweaks to an existing room, there are a couple common design mistakes that you can avoid to ensure your space turns out even better than you imagined it.
Mistake #1: Over-Furnishing
One of the most common design mistakes is to over-furnish your space. Over-furnishing can happen in one of two ways, either by (1) trying to cram too many individual pieces of furniture into a space, or (2) by selecting furnishings that are simply too big.
Furnishing a room is a balancing act: you need enough furniture for the room to serve its purpose, but you also need to leave enough space to create movement in flow. To avoid over-furnishing your bedroom, always err on the side of less. In the bedroom, stick with the basics first: a bed, two nightstands, and maybe a nice armoire. If you find the room still feels empty after you get the basics situated, you can always add more. Think of furnishing your bedroom as more of an adventure than a destination, and enjoy the journey.
Check out my article on balanced bedroom design for a closer look at this important design element.
Mistake #2: Poor Lighting
Bedrooms suffer from poor lighting either by not having enough of it, or having too much. To block out unwanted outside light, be sure to use heavy window treatments that are easy to operate. Once you have the amount of light you let in under control, you can then think about artificial light.
It’s best to have a variety of lights. Variety can mean different color temperatures of light, different intensities of light, and different heights of lighting (floor lamps, table lamps, wall sconces, and overhead lights). I’ve written about the basics of bedroom lighting in the past, and encourage you to revisit that article to learn more about lighting.
Mistake #3: Not Sticking To Your Budget
Your budget is probably the least fun part of designing your bedroom, but it is also the part you have the most control over. Instead of thinking of your budget as an obstacle, think of it as a game. With a little creativity, you won’t have to break the bank to create the bedroom of your dreams. Flea markets, antique stores, and auctions are all great places to find deals on bedroom furnishings and accessories.
One of my favorite resources to find deals on all sorts of things is Live Auctioneers, a website that enables you to participate in live auctions all over the world. While shipping can be expensive for larger items, you can still find great deals (with reasonable shipping) on all sorts of accessories like lamps, artwork, and other accent pieces. If there is something you like that you can’t find elsewhere, try making it yourself. DIY projects can be a great way to get exactly what you want for less, especially if you are a bit crafty.
One thing you don’t want to try to cut corners on, however, is the bed. Since the bed is the whole point of having a bedroom, be sure to get a quality mattress. We spend nearly one-third of our lives in bed, and a comfortable mattress is an investment in your health and well-being. Be sure to check out my previous article for tips on how to create a luxury bed at home.
Things We Like: Ten Habits To Help You Sleep Better
Post by Kyle St. Romain.
Sleep is one of those unavoidable, mission critical facets of life that we cannot avoid. However, many people treat sleep as a mere inconvenience, and spend their whole lives trying to shortcut the process. Whether your bad relationship with sleep is intentional or otherwise, improving your sleep is one thing you have complete control over that can make one of the biggest impacts on your quality of life.
To help get you on your way (or remind you of what you already know), we’ve put together a list of ten habits to help you sleep better.
5 things to do for better sleep
- Exercise
Exercise is a great way to use up excess energy. In addition to helping you sleep better, exercising is good for your overall health. Instead of worrying about the time of day you exercise or making excuses, just get out there and do it.
2. Eat Healthy
Cut out the fast food and freezer dinners, and reach for fruits and vegetables. It may take some time to notice the change, but eating healthy will not only help you sleep better; it will help you feel better and more energized throughout the rest of your day.
3. Stay Hydrated
The human body is mostly water, and needs to stay hydrated. While the amount of water you need to drink depends on the individual, chances are you aren’t drinking enough. If you’re thirsty, it means you’re dehydrated. Drink enough water throughout the day to where your body doesn’t have to tell you it needs more.
4. Meditate
Meditation helps put your mind at ease before falling asleep. I’ve been getting back into it the past couple weeks, and it’s helped a lot. If you’re just beginning, try focusing on your breaths: count one each time you inhale, and when you get to 10 count back down each time you exhale. I usually don’t even make it back down to zero before dozing off.
5. Establish a routine, and stick to it
People are creatures of habit, and one of the best ways to sleep better is to make it a routine. If you wake up for work at the same time every day, then you know what time you need to go to sleep to get enough of it. Many people who establish a sleeping routine don’t even need an alarm clock after a while. Instead, their bodies have learned what to expect and the mind serves as its own clock.
5 things to avoid for better sleep
1. Stay Away From Big Meals Before Bed
While a light snack (peanut butter on celery sticks) can actually help you sleep better through the night, a large meal will not. If you eat a lot before bed, your body will continue to digest the food while you’re trying to sleep. It’s a tug of war that you’re never going to win. Instead, try to eat dinner a couple hours before going to bed to make sure you’re body has had enough time to digest.
2. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and excessive liquids before bed
Caffeine and alcohol are two of the prime culprits of a bad night’s sleep, though too much water before bed can also wake you from your slumber in search of a bathroom. Caffeine can affect you up to 12 hours after drinking it, so you may even need to cut back on lunchtime coffees. And while alcohol may seem like it helps you fall asleep, it actually causes midnight restlessness.
3. Turn Off The Lights
You need to make sure your bedroom is as dark as possible. One obvious change would be to turn off the lights or television set before you go to bed. If you’ve turned everything off and your room is still brighter than you’d like, consider investing in some blackout curtains. You’ll never be able to reach your full sleep potential in a bright room.
4. Don’t oversleep
Oversleeping can be as bad for your health as not sleeping enough. The average adult needs around 8 hours of sleep, and can vary by a couple hours depending on the individual. In addition to heart disease, depression, and diabetes, oversleeping will leave you feeling more tired when you wake up than you did before.
5. Don’t sleep in an uncomfortable bed
If you don’t have a comfortable bed, then you won’t ever look forward to using it. If you wake up with a sore neck or stiff back in the morning, it may be time in invest in a new mattress or some new pillows. If you’re too hot at night, you can turn down the air conditioning, turn on a fan, or try some new cotton sheets that breathe better. The bottom line is that an uncomfortable bed will ruin what would otherwise be a great night’s sleep. Start here first.
Remember: When forming new habits or breaking old ones, the trick is to go slow. Instead of trying to change everything at once, focus on one thing at a time. This will help ensure that your new habits stick, and permanently become part of who you are.
