Quite Continental

The Quite Continental Charm School
A modern guide to creating a charmed life

Image via House to Home.

Day 2: Class Up Your Bedroom
In my opinion, the most important room in the house is the bedroom.  It is where you sleep, where you recuperate, where you reclinate, where you conjugate irregular verbs, but far too often, bedrooms suffer a bit of neglect, especially in those years when we emerge from university or the home of our parents.  Generally, what little attention (and budget funds) we have for decor tends to be concentrated in the common spaces — the parts of our home we usually share when entertaining guests — leaving our bedrooms woefully mismatched or shockingly haphazard.

My tip for you today is to cast a slightly more critical eye where you lay your head and find ways to take pride in your boudoir — I actually touched upon this last year, when I strongly advocated you wear pajamas.  Today, I want you to extend that feeling of “extra” to the room itself, and class it up.  When you take time to create a sanctuary, you will be more rested and you will feel refreshed when you emerge from it.  And gents, a well-done bedroom will definitely assure you the higher probability of repeat guests (only slightly augmenting your dazzling personality and mind-bending technique, of course), for no one enjoys sleeping in what could pass for a shanty town.

Were I one for feng shui, here I would discuss colors and placement of furniture and whatnot, but alas, I am not.  I simply recommend you create a comfortable, calming space with minimal distractions.  This doesn’t automatically mean running out and buying new things so much as it can actually mean clearing out.  Here I will strongly advocate you remove the television, as having one in the bedroom actually tends to cause more insomnia than relaxation.

But of course, the most important — and frequently the most expensive — element of a bedroom is the bed.  Do buy the best mattress you can afford, whereas the bed frame is less important — just please, please, please don’t let your boxspring or mattress sit on the floor.  When it comes to bedding, yes, thread count does matter, but as long as you have a bedding ensemble that pleases the eye, you’re fine.  Matchy-matchy is not required, but do make it look like you put some thought into it.  Above all, the most important thing to remember, no matter where your sheets came from and even if you are sleeping on a futon, is that simply making your bed every morning goes for miles.  I can’t describe how fabulous it is feels after a long day to walk into your bedroom with an immaculately made bed.  It’s like living in a hotel…even though you did it yourself.  Pure class.

A few helpful hints:

• My mother swears by having her sheets ironed — says it makes even low thread counts feel luxe.
• Choose a clock that won’t stare you in the face at night.
• Turn down the wattage of your lighting, or install a dimmer switch.  You’re relaxing, not being interrogated.
• Make it smell nice: burn candles or try these scented wax pendants from Diptyque.
• Keep a beautiful bedside carafe nearby, for late night refreshment.
• For bedroom inspiration, I like to look at House to Home, Elle Decor, Apartment Therapy and Design*Sponge.
• For bargains on sheets and bedding, be sure to check out One Kings Lane and Gilt*Home.  If you live in New York, give Century 21 a try (just be sure to have your elbows out).

What do you do to make your bedroom a more relaxing environment?

The Quite Continental Charm School
A modern guide to creating a charmed life