How to make your bedroom a sanctuary

You spend a lot of time in your bedroom, and since it’s where you start and end your day, you’ll feel most comfortable in a space that matches your interests.

Here are some tips for helping make your bedroom not only a sleeping space, but your own sanctuary.

No matter the look you’re trying to achieve in your bedroom, there is a wall solution that can fit your budget. Painting, adding wallpaper and even installing some DIY paneling are great budget-friendly options to give the walls in your bedroom a little bit more personality.

Cool and natural tones such as blues and greens are ideal options for a bedroom, since they make you feel calm, happy and relaxed. Yellows and corals make good accent colors, and use neutral whites, grays and beiges to bring it all together.

If your room is feeling cramped, consider decluttering and organizing the space. This is a completely free way to make your room feel more open and spacious. Think about new angles to use the space. Under-bed storage can save a lot of room, and hanging baskets or over-the-door organizers can go a long way toward making use of wall space.

In our bedrooms, we often want a sense of calm, not a sense of clutter. After you’ve taken on some organizing and find that you still have things around, consider adding shelving. You could add built-in shelves if you have the space, or you can consider a floating shelf option, which takes up a little bit less space. Both of these can be amenable to any type of budget and can be done over a weekend.

You can add some visual warmth to your bedroom by installing curtains or drapes. Blackout curtains are best to block out any light from outside. If you prefer streaming daylight, consider breezy sheer curtains. Multiple layers of covering also work well for different circumstances. And of course, they can enhance your personal style.

Lighting is critical to help create the ambiance and feeling that we want in our bedrooms, so play around with your lighting options. You’ll need different lighting for different times of day; more light for getting dressed, smaller lights by the bed when you retire for the evening. Try installing sconces on either side of your bed. This can give you extra space on your bedside tables and doubles as functional decor.

Multiple lamps connected to home automation can help you turn lights on or off without having to leave the comfort of your blankets.

Your floor is the first thing to greet you every day, after all. If you don’t have a carpeted floor, an area rug is an ideal way to have a warmer first step. And more and more homes are installing radiant heating into bedroom floors, guaranteeing a warm floor from the very first step.

Tweet your home care questions with #AskingAngi and we’ll try to answer them in a future column.