Life

How To Make Your Bedroom Super Cozy

by Toria Sheffield

Our bedrooms are our oases. Ideally they're the space in our lives where we can go to feel safe and the most at peace. Which is why knowing how to make our bedrooms the coziest place in our house makes such a big difference to our home life.

I like to think of it this way: my bedroom is the very first thing I see when I wake up each morning, and the very last thing I see before I go to bed. It can help set the tone for my whole day, and how good I feel at the end of it.

And it's not just me. In a piece for Tiny Buddha, Omar Elbaga, wrote that he once started feeling depressed every time he came home each day. He eventually realized it had to do with the way his home was arranged and decorated; it zapped him of energy and simply didn't make him feel at peace. After a major decoration overhaul, his perception of his home completely changed — and so did his mood. Our space really can dramatically affect how we feel.

If you're looking for ways to make your sleep space as cozy as humanely possible, look no further. Here are 11 hacks for the comfiest bedroom ever.

1. Layer Blankets

Interior designer and YouTuber Toni Fairley said that one of the fastest ways to make a space warm and inviting is by layering furniture with blankets and pillows. Fairley recommended layering your bed with a comforter and soft cotton blanket on top so you have options for warmth, and then adding pillows of various shapes and sizes to accommodate different activities, like reading and napping.

Try: Northpoint Oversized Chevron Blanket, $18, Amazon

2. Invest In A Soft Carpet

Safavieh California Cozy Solid Beige Shag Rug, $220, Amazon

According to Nancy Mitchell, Senior Writer at Apartment Therapy, a patterned rug with a texture you want to touch is a great way to add comfort and warmth to a room. Not to mention rugs on bare floors help keep in heat, meaning they are literally warming your space.

3. Grab The Scented Candles

Honest Aromatic Soy Candle, $21, Amazon

A 2009 study published on PubMed.org found that teens who received aromatherapy were significantly less stressed than those who received a placebo, indicating that it could be a very effective treatment for stress management.

4. Get A White Noise Maker

HoMedics Sound Spa, $18, Amazon

White noise machines are absolutely amazing if you have trouble sleeping or sleep by a noisy window. This seriously revolutionized the way I sleep. And tip: overhead fans often work just as well!

5. Maintain Balance

In the same HouseBeautiful piece, designer Sara Scaglione stressed the importance of maintaining color balance when decorating your bedroom. If the walls are dark, for example, a light comforter with lighter furniture can prevent the room from becoming too overwhelming, or "cave-like" she said.

6. Get Some Flowers

In a piece for Houzz.com, celebrity designer Yanic Simard emphasized the importance of fresh plants or flowers in your home space. He noted it instantly makes the space feel more special and keeps it from feeling static. If you have some free space, consider populating it with a vase of your favorites.

7. It's All About The Plush

7 Piece Comforter Set, $81.99, Wayfair.com

An Apartment Therapy piece on creating a calm and cozy bedroom recommended embracing plush when going for a cozy feel. There's nothing like sinking into a plush mattress and getting enveloped in super soft bedding to make you feel comforted and protected at the end of a long day.

8. Keep Some Cozy Accessories On Hand

Minnetonka Chesney Scuff, $39.95, Amazon

For me, a huge part of being cozy is all about the accessories. I like to keep plush slippers by the door to my room, as well as a super soft robe. I also have made it a policy to only buy pajamas that make me feel amazing (as opposed to the t-shirt and sport shorts I used to always wear to bed). Consider it a super simple way to treat yo' self every single day.

9. Think About Lighting

Lighting is an extremely important part of creating ambiance in a space. In an article for WholeLiving, Joseph A. Rey-Barreau, a lighting designer with the American Lighting Association, said to avoid bright or fluorescent overhead lights, instead opting for floor and table lamps with dimmers. "Not using a dimmer is like buying a radio with no volume knob," he noted. You can also switch to a warm-toned or Edison bulb for an added cozy effect.

10. Consider Wall Color Very Carefully

In an article for Better Home and Gardens, professional color consultant Barbara Jacobs said that the importance of room color is often underestimated, and that "the effects of color are subtle and significant; physical and psychological." She said, "for a quieter ambiance, make sure your colors are not extremely bright," and recommended warmer shades like oranges, yellows, and neutral browns for coziest of shades.

11. Get A Reading Lamp

Hold On Clip Lamp, $29.99, LandofNod.com

This last one is a personal tip as well. Absolutely nothing is as nice as being able to cozy into bed with a book, get super sleepy, and not have to get up to turn off an overhead light. As soon as you have one you'll wonder how you ever did without it.

Your bedroom doesn't have to feel boring or sterile. In fact it can be your absolute most favorite space in the world. Just use some or all of the above tips, and be prepared to never want to leave your room again.

Images: Pexels (4); Kelly Sikkema, Nik Lanus/Unsplash