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You spend a lot of time in bed, which means selecting the right one is an important decision. The perfect choice is about more than a comfortable mattress (although that’s certainly important!). You’ll want to think about size, the headboard, and the smaller details all the way down to your bedding.

Here are some things to think about when choosing a bed style for your bedroom.

Choose a Bed Format

The first style decision to make is what type of bed format to go with – specifically if you want a bed frame or a headboard.

Choosing a Bed Frame

Think of the bed frame as the support your mattress rests on. It usually consists of a header, footer, legs and side rails. A bed frame can often be used as a style element – think wood, metal, leather and other fabrics. It’s also a great way to add some under-bed storage.

Make sure you think carefully about the right bed frame style for your needs.  You’re going to have to stick with it for a while, as they’re not so easy to assemble and move.

When it comes to practicalities, think about the size of your mattress, the space you have in your bedroom and whether it will clash with any other decor you want to include.

Choosing a Headboard

If you go with a headboard, you will still need a base to attach it to. However, it does give you more style options by allowing you to combine two different styles. It also means that if you want to change your décor in the future, it’s easier to do so than it would be with a bed frame.

When choosing a headboard, the two main materials you have to pick from are wood or upholstered. Wood bed heads are versatile, durable and easier to clean, while upholstered bed heads give you a cosier, chic vibe. Plus, they’re great for propping up against as you curl up and read your favourite book.

Choose a Bed Type

Once you’ve decided between bed frame and bed head, it’s time to think about style. Beds come in a wide range of shapes and sizes – from platform to canopy and divan – and each one comes with its own pros and cons.

Platform beds don’t require a box spring but can be low in height, which means no room for storage underneath. Canopy beds, on the other hand, are perfect if your bedroom has a high ceiling, but can also be high maintenance when it comes to cleaning, as you have to clean the hangings as well as the sheets.

Divan beds consist of a wooden frame covered in a fabric with a matching mattress. These are one of the most popular styles on the market due to their space-saving abilities, luxurious appearance, and ease of movement (if they are on wheels instead of solid legs). However, they can be bulky, which means it can be hard to get it into your house on delivery, and cleaning underneath is a struggle.

Choosing a Mattress

If you’re buying a new mattress there are a few things to keep in mind, specifically the size, firmness and material.

Even if you have a type and size that you love, it’s still best to try out a mattress in-store. The mattress you have become accustomed to may not be what you need now, or your sleep preferences may have changed. You may have slept on a memory foam, but now need an innerspring for firmer support.

Make sure that your body is well supported, and invest in a mattress protector or topper to expand the mattress’ lifespan. 

Choose your Bedding

Now that you’ve decided the type of bed you want, it’s time to have fun with bedding and accessories! After all, what’s a brand new bed without beautiful linen to go with it?

Start with the basics with a sheet set, which will usually come with one fitted, one flat, pillowcases, and sometimes the option of a matching quilt set. Sheet sets usually come in a variety of colours and patterns; you can go with your favourite colour, a shade or pattern that matches the palette of your home, or softer colours and designs that will soothe as you get ready for bed.

From there, you can add more stylish features with either a matching quilt set to co-ordinate, or in a bold pattern to make the bed stand out. For the finishing touch, add some cushions for extra comfort, and a throw blanket at the other end of the bed for added texture and colour.

Now that you know what to think about, you can choose a bed style that is right for you and your bedroom. Once you do, your bedroom will be popping with colour and life, and you’ll be sleeping better for years to come.

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Given that our bedrooms are our safe space to relax, conduct our hobbies and do essentially anything else, it isn’t much of a secret that the way these spaces are designed can affect our health. Whether we are fostering a sense of calm, or spiking our energy levels, our bedrooms hold a lot of power when it comes to sleep, or getting amped up and ready for the day.

With this in mind, it’s interesting to know that we can ‘hack’ the power of our bedroom’s effect on our health to remain positive and promote a happier and healthier lifestyle. Whether we work on adjusting the colour of our walls or decor, reduce the amount of natural light or cut back on sound, there is a lot we can do to our bedrooms that impacts our health.

Let’s take a look below at how your bedroom’s design can affect your health, and how to hack it!

Temperature and Alertness

One of the first things to keep in mind is that the bedroom is one of the easier and more affordable spaces to heat and cool. Given that it is likely a lot smaller than the living room, you’re able to quickly heat or cool the bedroom to your liking, and this gives you the chance to do two things – either warm yourself up and relax yourself, or cool yourself down and amp yourself up for the day ahead.

As humans we respond quite well and quite quickly to temperature change, and so if you’re looking to get ready for bed, or for a relaxing night at home, then keeping your bedroom warmed up will help you out with this.

Adjacently, getting ready to go out or for the day ahead, you’ll be able to chill your room to get the heart going and to kick start yourself for the fast-paced day ahead. For those who work from home, you can also use this to your advantage in your home office space.

Sleep Can be Initiated by the Bedroom 

With our sleep being one of the biggest factors affecting our health, it is imperative to keep in mind that a bedroom which isn’t designed well enough for us to head to bed is going to have a negative impact on our everyday life.

As you will know, a bedroom with too much light, sound or even jarring and bright colours can wreak havoc on our sleep routine, and so it’s important to do all you can to reverse these issues. For example, keeping your bed from being too directly impacted by outside light is a good place to start, and so moving it to face a wall and investing in some blackout curtains is a good idea.

With this noted, keep in mind that a lot of sleep issues really can be remedied by bedroom design and so we have some tips for you below:

* Moving light sources out of view
* Choosing neutral colour tones
* Softening hard surfaces to reduce sound echo
* Investing in a well-sized mattress
* Furnish the bedroom for sleep

Added to these tips, making sure you have the correct sleep-aids for any conditions you have like sleep apnea is a consideration you should make when organising your bedroom. With a correctly-designed bedroom you’ll have space for a CPAP machine, for example.

Cramped Space Causes Stress 

Another key point to consider when it comes to bedroom design is to keep an eye out for avenues where clutter builds up. If you have a bedroom that has a lot going on in it, and nowhere to store your possessions, then you’re going to find yourself on edge and rather stressed simply because you’re living and sleeping in a cramped space.

Though you aren’t expected to throw everything out, it is a good idea to take a rather minimalist and ‘clean’ approach to our bedroom design if you’re looking to cut out stress and keep your health in the green.

One final thing to keep in mind is that when it comes to your bedroom’s clutter, layout of your furniture plays a big role here. We understand that not all of our readers live in spacious homes, and with apartments and smaller homes out there seemingly a little more difficult to de-clutter, we ask that you consider a more calculated approach to styling and furnishing a small bedroom to reduce your chances of seeing clutter-related stress.