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Getting a good night's sleep is a top priority for all of us. We don't need the scientists to tell us we can think, move and act with more energy and precision when we have slept well.
The color of the walls, the window treatment and the floor covering play a part in the overall visual impact - the bedroom's aura. How you decorate will change with the times as well as your age and situation. The choices are varied and imaginative.
For those who are looking for a peaceful, tranquil atmosphere in which to wind down, neutral shades and patterns inspired by nature will provide a soothing balance. Pastel floral hues, white and wood tones, simple furniture lines and bare floors allow the room to breathe and the senses to rest.
If you are happiest amid layers of color and pattern, the romance of a traditional bedroom is a joyous mix of fluffy duvets covered in cotton chintz, lavish window treatments and plush carpets. The bed is the special focal point, perhaps an antique brass or wrought-iron frame, a four poster or a bed with a special headboard either padded in luxurious fabric or ornately carved.
A bedroom with a more masculine sensitivity can be a mix of the tranquil and traditional. Fabrics such as flannel, wool and tweed, inspired by men's suits, will create a cozy men's den atmosphere.
Companies are launching more men-focused designs. I've just heard about the first car company-bed collaboration and their hot new bed, the stylish Tonino Lamborghini by Magniflex mattress.
Contemporary bedroom designs are a mix of dramatic and sleek. I designed a small condo bedroom making the most of reflective surfaces to open the space and chose theatrical black and white to set the mood.
The black-painted shadow stripes are broken up by a large mirror against which sits the modern black-and-chrome headboard. Pale-pink walls are reflected in the mirror, and a few bright-red accent cushions and candles are punchy accessories.
Decor is important to us, but it's what lies under the sheets that makes the biggest impact on a good night's sleep. Andrea Mugnai, U.S. general manager of Magniflex mattresses, notes that during the past five years, the demand for better sleeping products has exploded.
Consumers are more educated about what it takes to get a healthy sleep and are looking for good support but with a plush feel. Eco-friendly goes beyond what's in the mattress to how it is manufactured and even how it is transported. Mattress materials now include bamboo, organic wood and cotton, shredded rubber and buckwheat hulls, to name a few.
Aromatherapy continues to be a key trend for promoting relaxation, and now it goes beyond having a scented candle in a safe container by the bed. Using intricate nanotechnology, Magniflex is infusing mattresses with lavender and other essential oils.
Popular in Europe, the Magniflex Lavender Comfort Mattresses have arrived in North America. The scent and therapeutic benefits of the lavender-infused mattress will last for five to seven years, and you can remove the mattress covering and wash it without losing the scent.
Due to the new design of this mattress's foam core, it can be vacuum-packed into a small size, making it easier to deliver and reducing the carbon footprint when delivering. E-mail for U.S. and Canadian retailers: infousa@magniflex.com.
The ambiance is important; however, the best part of your bedroom is not what you see, but what you feel and the surrounding scents. A mattress suited to your body type and sleeping patterns, a good pillow, luxurious smooth sheets and a little aromatherapy are sure to provide sweet dreams.
