5 Easy Ways to Create a Calm and Cosy Bedroom This Autumn

When choosing a colour scheme for your bedroom, it is best to opt for soothing hues that will create a sense of calm and tranquillity. Anything too garish will be jarring or disruptive, but that doesn’t mean you can’t opt for dark colours. Choose blue-toned hues and work with neutrals such as creams, greys and pastel shades if you want to play it safe – for slightly bolder shades choose deep grey, inky blues or warm burgundy tones, or you could even add these as accent shades in the form of accessories.

Almost all of us are guilty of the ‘floordrobe’ or laying our clothes over the back of a chair, but this unsightly mess will encourage an unhappy cycle of piling more on top and an ‘i’ll sort it later’ approach. Instead, adopt the five-minute rule of just scanning the bedroom for things on the floor and surfaces that can quickly be dealt with and put away, so that you have a calm, clutter-free space and go to bed feeling relaxed – after all, the saying goes ‘tidy home, tidy mind’.

There’s nothing worse than only having a glaring pendant light hanging over you when you’re getting ready for bed. Give your eyes a chance to adjust and prepare for sleep by installing dimmer switches so you can turn it down low before bedtime. Equally choosing warm ambient lighting and lower-wattage bulbs will help – you can always have reading lamps by your side, but keep the rest of the room lit with only soft pools of warm light. Lighting a fragrant candle, even half an hour before bed, while you’re reading is a pleasant way to unwind before sleep. Also make sure that natural light doesn’t creep in during the early hours of the morning – it’s worth investing in some decent blackout blinds or curtains so your sleep pattern isn’t disturbed.

Our sense of smell is very important and a musty bedroom isn’t going to be very appealing. Make sure that you aerate the room regularly to introduce some fresh air and maybe open the window a notch while you sleep as cooling your body temperature helps you sleep better. It probably goes without saying, but changing your sheets regularly is really important as you’ll shed skin and sweat in your sleep, so fresh sheets are a quick an easy way to ensure a good night’s sleep. For those that find it a little harder to drift off, essential oils, like the ones Pairfum offer, can sometimes help. Lavender is well known for its sleep-inducing properties, so put a few drops on your pillow, or even a little vanilla essence on a light bulb – this will diffuse a pleasant aroma while you sleep.

There aren’t many of us nowadays who aren’t checking our phones right up until our heads hit the pillow, but instead of scrolling through social media, take time out from glaring at screens and try to go gadget-free in the bedroom. Give yourself a screen-free window for your brain to switch off, as the melatonin-disrupting blue light omitted from phones stimulates the brain and will inevitably keep you awake. In fact, reading a book instead is known to help reduce stress and can help create a relaxing bedtime routine.

Looking to try other home improvements? Here’s a handy guide on how to create the perfect home office environment.