Design tips for a relaxing bedroom

Author Rachal HutchesonNational Retail & Direct Manager for the Sharps Furniture GroupWritten 23/05/2025

Bedroom with cream walls, bed with dusky pink headboard, bedding in white and pink patterned cover with cushions with stripes and checks, dressing table and shaped mirror and window dressed with pale red and white striped Roman blind with curtains in white with pale red pinstripe on a rod mounted higher above the window.

There's nothing quite like walking into your bedroom and instantly feeling like you can relax. Having a cosy sanctuary can help you unwind after a long day and goes a long way towards supporting a good night’s sleep. In this article, we’ll explore how to transform your bedroom into a serene retreat.

Ivory bedroom with wall to wall fitted units in mid grey showing racks of clothing, and storage baskets, bed with white bedding and ecru and grey throws, matching bedside table and chest of drawers on opposite wall, wooden floor with cream rug with dark grey linear pattern.

Tidy space, tidy mind

A clutter-free and tidy space goes a long way towards creating a sense of calm that’s so important in any home and especially in a bedroom. Disorganised, messy spaces can overwhelm – they make it difficult to ‘turn off’, which in turn makes it difficult to drift off to sleep.

To help improve the quality of your sleep, get into the habit of cleaning your bedroom on a regular basis, make your bed in the morning everyday and take some time to hang your clothes away properly and not over the arm of a chair. Taking time to declutter is also a good idea.

Pale blue bedroom with opposing sloping walls, white fitted wardrobes and dressing table, bed with pale blue bedding, white freestanding drawer unit with pale blue padded seat, matching unit opposite under skylight, ecru carpet.

A space for everything

Well-designed storage goes a long way towards creating a relaxing bedroom. Having a home for all of your ‘stuff’ means you’ll find it easy to keep everything in the right place. Working with clever designers to create bespoke solutions also maximises storage opportunities and ensures those awkward nooks and crannies that are often neglected are given a purpose, rather than going to waste.

Ivory bedroom with decorative cornice and deep bay window dressed in white wooden venetian blinds, fully lowered and tilted, and ivory pleat curtains, fully open, wooden chair in recess with cream fringed throw, bed with cream bedding and light brown waffle throw.

Get window wise

When it comes to creating a relaxing bedroom, light control is essential, especially during early summer mornings when the sun rises early and can interrupt your sleep. Made to measure blackout Roman, Roller and Pleated blinds help block out light and create a restful atmosphere. To enhance both style and practicality, consider layering blackout blinds with curtains in complementary fabrics, adding a soft, cosy finish to your space. If you prefer a more structured look, shutters are an elegant option. Available in a range of colours and finishes, they can be layered with curtains for softness or left as a standalone feature to bring a timeless calm to your bedroom.

Hi-tech solutions

For a more modern and effortless solution, choose electric blinds, which can be operated with a remote control or integrated with smart home systems for automated schedules. This means your blinds can gently open in the morning to let in natural light and help you wake up more gradually, ideal for supporting your natural sleep-wake rhythm.

Pick your shade

If you're looking to make your bedroom feel like a true sanctuary one of the easiest ways to do this is with colour. Embracing earthy, stone-inspired shades is an excellent first step. Neutral colours such as graphite, brown, beige and soft grey bring a sense of calm and sophistication, ideal if you find vibrant colours overwhelming.

Steer clear of stark white on your walls; instead, select lighter tones with a warm base like cream, vanilla, or almond for a cosier more inviting finish. If a gentle pink appeals, soft floral tones offer delicate warmth, perfect for unwinding at day’s end. Blue and greens are often popular colour choices, due to their links to nature which invokes a sense of calm within us.

Whichever you choose, start with a warm but pale shade as your backdrop, then introduce depth with richer accents in cushions and throws – they’re a great and easy way to add colour no matter your budget and you can get cushions in the same matching fabric as your Roman blind or curtain for a totally co-ordinated look.

White bedroom with tall narrow window dressed in pale wood venentian blind, closed and tilted open, bed with white bedding with ochre throw, small ficus in raffia basket, cream carpet, rug in shades of saffron, umbre and ochre in linear pattern.

Go with the flow

If you need new furniture for your clutter-free styling, look for pieces with soft curves and flowing lines that feel organic. Harsh edges can be too severe for the peaceful setting you’re trying to create. It’s why throws work so well in a bedroom, draped casually over bed ends or chairs, the pooling fabric creates a sense of depth and luxury without seeming untidy.

Tidy tech away

Technostress is real and if you’re trying to make a zen bedroom then it should ideally be a tech-free zone. So no mobiles, no TV, no console games etc The reality is that FOMO is a real thing for some people and not having a phone or TV to hand causes an anxiety that stops them relaxing.

So how about a compromise. Hide your tech away with clever storage solutions like built-in TV units, that give you the option of concealing it whenever it’s not in use. This makes sure that the look of your space isn’t interrupted by technology, but still gives you the option of dipping into your tech when needed.

Cream bedroom with wall to wall fitted units in dark grey with three taupe sliding doors closed, and one mirror door, bed with white bedding and grey and pink throws and cushions, huge leaded window behind bed, with no dressing, multiple lamps in corners and around bed, pale parquet flooring, with dark brown rug.

Get the light right

Light’s a great way to create any atmosphere. Just keep in mind there’s better ways to make your space feel right than just relying on the big light to illuminate your room. Layered lighting offers nuanced illumination for a more relaxed mood. Rather than just turning on your main light, try using softer accent lighting to set the tone for your bedroom.

You can use a mix of floor standing lamps, downlights and bedside table lamps to softly light the room, transforming it into an environment that feels much more cosy and serene. The colour of light you choose can also have a huge effect on how you relaxed you feel - warmer tones will have a natural ‘fireside’ feeling, which always looks wonderfully atmospheric and peaceful, rather than a bright white hue.

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