If there’s a room in your house that should feel like your “safe space,” it’s your bedroom. A cozy bedroom can inspire feelings of peace and protection that can lead to better-quality sleep.
“Your bedroom is where you end your day, unwind, and fall asleep,” says Anna Franklin, interior designer and founder of Stone House Collective. “If your bedroom feels cold, uncomfortable, and chaotic in general, you will not be able to relax.”
If you’re not able to relax and unwind from your busy life, then you’re not giving your brain a break.
“As a result, you will likely become more stressed and feel unrested and overwhelmed on a daily basis—meaning your general wellbeing and mental health can begin decreasing,” notes Franklin.
Cozy bedrooms have been trending in recent years, likely due to the higher amounts of stress people are experiencing these days.
Some use the term emotional escape room to describe their bedroom, envisioning it as a place where they can greatly decrease their anxiety.
More people than ever are also turning to hygge to cozy up their bedrooms. The word hygge comes from Danish and Norwegian cultures and reflects feelings of comfortability, coziness, contentment, and wellness when used in the design industry, explains Franklin.
No matter what cozy trend you gravitate toward, there are several ways to make your bedroom feel like a warm, welcoming nest at the end of a long day.
1. Create a soft bed
If you’re wondering how to make a bedroom feel cozy, the best place to start is your bed. Franklin suggests that to make your bed feel “ultra-luxurious,” outfit it with a fluffy
Plush and breathable all-season comforter/duvet insert
or duvet, soft throw pillows, and blankets.
“When selecting these pieces, opt for those that look and feel soft to the touch, with materials such as cotton gauze, velvet, or bouclé,” she says. “These pieces will add softness to the space both visually and physically, furthering the hygge aesthetic.”
2. Warm up the floor
A bedroom can’t possibly feel cozy if the floor is cold under your feet. To remedy this problem, Franklin recommends adding softness to the floor with a plush area rug that reflects the color scheme of your bedroom.
In addition to showing off your personality, the plushness of the rug will add texture and make the floor feel less flat and cold, says Franklin. Also, an area rug can have an anchoring effect if you’re thinking about how to make a big bedroom cozy. (Here’s how to choose a bedroom rug size that works for your sleep space.)
3. Clear the clutter
Clutter is an instant mood-buster in any bedroom—especially in a small bedroom, where clutter can add up fast.
“Clutter is the number one thing I advise removing from a bedroom,” Franklin says. If your bedroom feels disorganized and cluttered, it leads to ‘mental clutter,’ which can make it harder to relax and fall asleep in the space.”
To address the clutter, make sure all clothing is put away and only keep out what is necessary on tabletops, dressers, and bedside tables.
4. Keep the wall decor minimal
Minimal wall decor goes hand-in-hand with clearing clutter.
“Similar to tabletops and closets, you will want the walls to be decluttered as well,” says Franklin. “Instead of adding many pieces to your walls, choose a focal wall or two to display one piece of art or a wall hanging on each. The simplicity will help aid with creating less mental clutter.”
5. Include aromatherapy
Scent can be a powerful thing, particularly if you want to create a cozy ambiance in your bedroom. It can only add to the coziness of a space, “especially when it is in candle form,” Franklin says.
“The glow of a candle creates warm light—and if you select a scent known for relaxation, such as lavender, it will make your bedroom feel like a calming oasis,” adds Franklin.
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6. Use colors that promote relaxation
Colors can be a very powerful tool when it comes to psychology and creating a space that feels safe.
“My go-to color to use when creating a cozy bedroom is blue,” Franklin says. “The color blue has a calming effect and will make a big impact when creating a relaxing bedroom— whether you use it as a wall color or for decor such as bedding.”
7. Determine what kind of sheets work best for you
Sometimes, a cozy bedroom really comes down to the type of sheets you choose. “Most people don’t realize that they can cater their sheet material to their body’s needs,” Franklin notes.
For example: If you’re a hot sleeper, you should consider bamboo or
Airy and elegant linen sheets with a relaxed look
because they allow your body to breathe. On the other hand, if you’re a cold sleeper, you should think about flannel sheets to keep the warmth in.
“Regulating the bed’s temperature through the sheets will help with your overall comfortability both before falling asleep and after,” says Franklin.
8. Keep the lighting low and warm
Harsh lighting will never look right in a truly cozy bedroom—that means no fluorescent lights. Franklin prefers warm, dim light, which can “allow your brain to feel at ease and further drift into relaxation,” she says.
With her clients, she frequently recommends putting lighting on dimmers in the bedroom.
9. Find the right window treatment
Even window treatments can lend themselves to a cozier bedroom atmosphere. “Choosing the wrong window treatments can be detrimental to your sleep and ability to fall asleep,” Franklin observes.
If you need complete darkness to sleep well, Franklin suggests purchasing blackout drapes or shades. Conversely, if your room is dark and doesn’t get much natural light, she recommends privacy drapes or shades that still allow a soft light to trickle through.
10. Bring in nature
Nods to nature are often woven into hygge designs since they’re a wonderful way to cozy up a space. Natural decor absolutely has its place in a bedroom, agrees Franklin.
“Incorporating biophilic design into a bedroom can help with reducing stress and creating a cozy atmosphere,” she says. “For the bedroom, I like to incorporate a hanging pothos plant in a corner and a snake plant on a dresser or beside a bed.”
11. Invest in a quality mattress
Whether you’re mulling over how to make a large bedroom feel cozy or a small bedroom feel cozy, Franklin says the foundation of any cozy bedroom is a good mattress.
Although it can be expensive, she says, your mattress will be used every day for years to come—so it’s worth the investment.
It also serves as your central location to enjoy plenty of cozy endeavors, such as late-night reading marathons, meditation sessions, and afternoons spent sipping tea.
Saatva offers a wide range of mattresses to suit every sleep style. Take our mattress quiz to find your perfect match so you can build the cozy bedroom of your dreams.
