A bedroom should be a relaxing place to "get away from it all," your sanctuary from the daily grind. Stepping through the bedroom door should mean leaving your problems behind. With that in mind, here are a few tips for decorating a bedroom:

1. Never turn a bedroom into a multi-purpose room.

Avoid keeping items like exercise equipment or hobby supplies in the bedroom. Your bedroom should not remind you of unfinished projects or unpleasant activities. A bedroom desk is not a good idea either. Your bedroom will not feel like a sanctuary if it is also the room where you pay your bills. Even a TV can seem like an intrusion from the outside world. Ideally, a bedroom should only have typical bedroom furniture, with the possible additions of a cozy chair and a bookshelf for your favorite relaxing bedtime reading.

2. Hide any unavoidable clutter.

If you absolutely must use your bedroom to keep something like an exercise bike or a sewing machine, find a way to visually disguise the item. A room divider is an excellent way to hide large items in order to preserve the uncluttered, relaxing appearance of your bedroom. Electronics such as TVs and stereos can be hidden in cabinets. If you have no place other than the bedroom to put a desk, invest in a roll top desk or one that closes. At least then you can close the desk and mentally separate yourself from the papers inside.

3. Invest in quality linens.

Instead of splurging on a designer bedspread or throw, choose a budget bedspread and make your sheets your luxury item instead. After all, sheets are the bedding that you feel against your skin. They are also washed the most often, which means they need extra durability. Look for a set of sheets with as high a thread count as you can afford. They will last longer, feel nicer against your skin, and be a better value in the long run than low cost sheets.

4. Choose room-darkening blinds.

On days when you want to sleep in, room-darkening blinds will help keep the sun from giving you a rude awakening. They also prevent the bedroom from overheating during the summer.

5. Keep artwork and decor items to a minimum.

We all love personal touches, but too many can make a room feel cluttered. To maintain a tranquil ambiance, limit your artwork to one or two appropriately-sized prints and display your collectibles somewhere else, like the dining room china hutch.

Learn more about this author, Raven Lebeau.
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