A Look at Basic Bedroom Design and Layout

When it comes to designing and setting out a bedroom, there are some general ideas that go a long way towards providing you with a bedroom that you would be excited and happy to sleep in. After all, we generally spend a third of our day in that room, so it makes sense to get the feel and decor just right to make that time a happy and meaningful one.

So let's look at the basic design that can be applied to any bedroom.

bedroom designWithout going into specifics on which bedroom in the house, or who will be sleeping in it, there are some really basic layout ideas that will provide a good base to begin with for a generic bedroom. Once the basic specifications have been catered for, then the specific personal extras can be introduced and we'll cover those in separate articles here on this website.

A Place to Sleep

The first item of furniture you should place is the bed. Now, that might sound like a pretty obvious observation but you'd be surprised at how many people don't make that their top priority.

If you put the bed in the wrong place to start with and then decide to move it later, you could end up with a major remodelling job as wardrobes and other storage furniture may have to be moved too. The placement of the bed will be determined by the two major properties of the room itself, and that are the fixed positions of the door(s) and the window(s).

So let's look at that to begin with.

Where to Put the Bed

Starting with a very basic room with a single entrance and a single window, there are two walls that have openings in them and these are not the ones to have a bed up against, especially if the room is small. Assuming the bed will be positioned with the head against a wall, which most people find most comfortable, then you do not really want the bead head underneath a window.

In fact, if possible you want the window on the opposite wall to the bed as this is most aesthetically pleasing. If that is not possible because of the placement of the door, then the window is otherwise better on one side or the other of the bed.

Usually, but not always, the door is situated in one corner of a wall. If that wall is long enough, then the bead head can go against the same wall, allowing for more options in placement of other furniture. Otherwise it is better to have your bed face the same wall as the door (so you can see the door as you lie in bed) but not be in alignment with it, or in other words the door would be off to one side of the bed, not directly in line with the end of the bed.

Plenty of Space

Another important planning feature is to ensure there is plenty of space to walk along each side of the bed and that there is ample room for a bedside table or cabinet on each side of the bed (if it's a double and two people are sleeping in it). With a single bed, of course there is only the need for a single bedside table or cabinet.

Once the bed is placed, then you can work on the other pieces of furniture in the bedroom. You will need storage space for your clothes, so a good solid wardrobe and also a chest of drawers is the least you will need. These can be built-in or free standing as you prefer as long as you don't encroach on the space around the bed!

If the bedroom has an en-suite bathroom, then you will also need to factor in the second door placement into the equation and arrange the bed and furniture so that you have clear access to the bathroom door.

Feng Shui

One point that is often cited in Feng Shui literature is that you should not have any large electrical appliances in your bedroom, and keep smaller ones to the barest minimum. This is not just mumbo jumbo, but has some basis in scientific and medical fact.

Electrical appliances give off harmful EMF (electro-magnetic frequency) waves that in high doses can interfere with our physical bodies and in severe cases bring on certain illnesses. To be on the safe side, you really should not have televisions, computers, WI-FI, stereo systems or the like in a bedroom.

After all, a bedroom is for relaxing and sleeping in and none of the aforementioned appliances have anything to do with relaxing! Even electrical bedside clocks are frowned upon. Better to get a battery powered alarm clock to reduce the harmful EMF to the barest minimum and don't have your cell phone by your bed either!

Do you want to be constantly woken up by that annoying device?

Illumination Consideration

Lighting is important in a bedroom and should be soft, and placed to provide sufficient light without being intrusively bright. Bedside lamps that emit sufficient light to read by but only cast that light out a few feet are ideal. Avoid using harsh fluorescent lighting in a bedroom for this reason, there are much better soft light low energy bulbs on the market that are perfect for bedrooms.

True Hues

The colour of your bedroom walls and flooring is down to personal choice of course. It is best to opt for relaxing colours such as blues or greens while avoiding angry colours such as reds. The idea is to create a calm, relaxed atmosphere where you will be glad to rest, relax and sleep (as well as enjoy intimate togetherness with your partner) which is the main reason for a bedroom, after all!

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