How to Turn Your Master Bedroom into a Peaceful Retreat

When it comes to the design of our homes, one of the last places we often invest in is the design of our master bedrooms. “No one sees it”, “all I do is sleep in there”, are some of the things that we often hear when clients share why they haven’t done anything yet. While they are right on some levels, the master bedroom is primarily a place of sleep, it is also so much more.

Think about it, when you open your eyes in the morning, what is the first thing that you see? A cluttered dresser? Piles of dirty clothes on the floor? A mismatch design? How inspiring is that? Do you wake up then feeling energized or depleted? Our interiors have an impact on the way we function, on the way that we think and feel; and the master bedroom is no exception.

When it comes to your master bedroom, you have the opportunity to create a peaceful retreat - just for you. A place where you can shut the door, light a candle and breath. In a world that is so fast paced, its important to create space for us to just be. Today, we are walking you through how to do that, through the design of your master bedroom!

The first question to ask yourself when designing your master bedroom, is “how do I want to feel? When I walk in, when I open my eyes, what do I want to see?” These questions are so important because they set they set the tone for the design as a whole - furniture arrangement, lighting, color palette - everything. When working to turn your master bedroom into a peaceful retreat, its all about a feeling. You want it to feel soft, cozy and comfortable. A haven, where you can rest in.

The next thing that you’ll what to address is lighting. When it comes to designing any room, lighting is key. For a peaceful retreat, you want a combination of soft, cozy lighting (think table lamps) mixed with tons of natural light. In the evening, when its time to sleep, blackout curtains (to block out the light) might be something to consider.

Something that you can’t invest in enough when designing your master bedroom is your bedding. This is one of the areas many of us skimp despite that fact that it makes the bedroom! So go ahead, invest in some good quality bedding. More often than not, I like to go with white bedding which I then layer with pillows and blankets, to bring in some color and texture. The result is that bedding appears fresh, timeless and relaxing.

A key detail to any master bedroom is ensuring that everything has a home. Instead of waking up and seeing that cluttered dresser or clothes piled up on the floor, imagine seeing a clean, space. The dresser is styled simply, the clothes are in the closet/dresser. How amazing would that feel?? You can achieve this by taking the time to declutter and make sure that clothing, shoes, accessories are provided adequate storage.

The last key to turning your master bedroom into a peaceful retreat is the details. Its all in the details. Once you’ve figured out the overall “look” and “feeling” that your going for (the big picture) its time to bring that to life through your accent pieces. The nice thing about a bedroom, is that you don’t need to much to make it feel special. When creating a cozy _, I often bring in some candles, vases filled with greenery, and shells/rocks. To bring in some color and texture, I’ll layer in some pillows, throws and a beautiful area rug to ground the space. Often, I find that people rather not display family photos in the main living area, so the bedroom is a lovely place to showcase them in. Consider having a couple on your bedside table or hanging them on the wall, gallery wall style.

The main thing to remember when designing your master bedroom is to remember that you are worth it. You are so worth it. Its true, that its an investment to design your home but its also a sign of respect. You deserve to wake up in a space that energizes you and inspires you to go and live your life to the fullest.

INTERIOR DESIGN: Making Room for Peace | PHOTOGRAPHY: Jenna Miller Photography