Our bedrooms are our personal sanctuaries. They are the places in which we seek solitude, share intimate moments and allow our minds and bodies to recover from the stresses and strains of day-to-day life. We spend a serious amount of time in our bedrooms and the way this room makes us feel is a major contributing factor to our overall wellbeing. Thus, it’s imperative that it is laid out in a way which promotes comfort and relaxation and heads off potential issues which could interfere with the tranquil vibe we’re trying to achieve.

Build Around The Bed

Our bedrooms are primarily used for sleeping and for this reason the bed should be your main priority when it comes to planning your new bedroom.  As it’s usually the focal point of a room due to its size, most of us will choose a bed which aesthetically complements the décor and design theme of the space. From a functionality angle, it’s key that you can easily walk around your bed and gain access to doorways, wardrobes and drawers. If the route to storage is hampered, you’re going to find it more tempting to pile your belongings elsewhere rather than do battle with a wardrobe door that won’t open far enough.

A clear pathway between the bed and the door is also recommended to avoid any accidents! For optimal relaxation, you could try following the rules of Feng Shui, which recommend that the bed should be placed centrally and facing, although not directly in line with, the door, with a small table at either side. This kind of layout is popular in hotel rooms probably for this reason.

Perfect Placement

The layout of your room can massively impact the level of relaxation you can reach within your bedroom, so spend time planning it carefully. A busy and cluttered room will obstruct the flow of energy and distract the mind; it could also be a hazard. Try to keep your sleep space as streamlined as possible, with functional furniture and sufficient floor space for moving comfortably around the room.

All furniture is best placed around the outside of the bedroom, embracing the contours of the walls to allow for space in the centre of the room. Fitted furniture is ideal for creating a streamlined bedroom, avoiding incongruous, ill-fitting furniture and catering for bespoke needs, however each individual storage solution may look. Depending on the room size and design preference, a compact, minimalistic bedroom may simply contain a bed and a drawer chest. A room of larger dimensions could include banks of fitted wardrobes and low units with additional freestanding elements such as a chaise longue and a coffee table.

Focusing On Fixed Features

The fixed features within a room should be taken into consideration too. For instance, the position of your windows will have a major impact on the layout of your bedroom. During the winter especially you’ll want as much natural light as possible filling your space, so you may wish to place your dressing table in front of the window to do your makeup. You may well work from your bedroom, so maybe it’s more important that your desk sits in front of the window so that you can gain inspiration from the view and absorb as much daylight as possible. If you position your bed next to the window, consider the early morning sunshine; black-out blinds may be your answer!

Another consideration for where you place your bed is the location of your radiators. You may wish to turn the radiator in question down a notch or two, or invest in a radiator cover! The positioning of the all-important electrical sockets is important too – do you need a socket by your dressing table so that you can dry your hair? If you work from your bedroom, you’ll certainly need a socket in the vicinity of your desk for your tech.

Other architectural features which may need to be considered are alcoves, sloping ceilings and awkward corners. Don’t allow these spaces to be wasted. Maybe a fitted slimline desk would suit the alcove space, and how about a fitted wardrobe to mould itself around the contours of the ceiling, and a set of shallow shelves flush to the corner? – All contributing both functionally and aesthetically to your bedroom layout.

Clutter-Free With Savvy Storage

Did you know that having an untidy and cluttered bedroom can be hugely detrimental to relaxation? Mess will play havoc with your brain, which will be busy trying to work out a solution for clearing it up! Most of us use our bedrooms to store our clothes and other personal belongings, and we often find ourselves with a limited amount of space in which to store them. When planning the layout of a new bedroom, it’s useful to consider the type and amount of storage space you require before committing to sizeable furniture purchases.

Also consider the functionality of your bedroom – perhaps it doubles up as a home office, so you will need desk space and filing cabinets too, or even a wall-bed if space is tight or you need the flexibility. A proper assessment of your belongings will ensure that everything has a place and surfaces can remain clutter-free. This arrangement will help keep your mind clear as well as reducing stress by knowing where all your belongings are at all times. Bespoke fitted furniture is a great choice for bedrooms; it will provide exactly the storage solutions you need and optimise every centimetre of space available, all with a seamless finish.

Personal Preferences

Of course, functionality plays a major role in the decision-making involved in planning a new bedroom, but personal preference is the overriding factor. We spend more time in our bedroom than in any other room, so it’s essential that we make it an environment that we feel comfortable in and can enjoy. Do you prefer your bed facing the window so you can admire the view in the morning? Do you like having your bed in the centre of the room or do you feel more secure with your headboard against the wall? Perhaps having a bedside table seems unnecessary. Weigh up the pros and the cons of each layout option and make comfort and relaxation your primary goal!

At Hartleys we give the layout of any room we create a great amount of thought. A carefully considered layout makes the different between a room that works and one that doesn’t. Through our CAD designs we will offer you the best options from which you can choose and adapt as you see fit. If you’d like to talk to one of our designers about a new storage solution, whether for your bedroom, home-office, lounge or multi-purpose area, we’d love to hear from you. You can contact us on 01756 700471 or via our website at www.hartleysbedrooms.co.uk