We recently held down the fort this morning on the Today Show (Again!), talking all things interior design and relaxation. So we thought it’d be fun to give you a rundown of our segment – complete with shopping guides and tips on how to transform your spaces into moments of pure relaxation.
Your bedroom is supposed to be the most relaxing place in your house. After all, it’s the single most common place you’d head when a battery recharge is in order. Whether your escaping a houseful of excited relatives or your unwinding at the end of a long day of holiday shopping, it’s important to make sure every inch of it exudes a feeling of total relaxation. There are several easy changes and affordable additions you enlist to enhance the “calm”.
Tips on Creating a Relaxing Bedroom
1. Fabrics: Load in the fabric! Upholster your headboard, ensure your sheets are extra soft, a plush rug underfoot and an upholstered side chair make a world of difference. Fabric is comfortable, cozy and does wonders when it comes to absorbing noise, so if you’re in a loud apartment building it’s a great way to drown out the neighbors or street chatter!
2. Infusing color: It’s always a good idea to start with neutrals, like ivory and cream, for your larger, more expensive pieces (we’re talking bedding, headboards and the like). Once you have the staples down, you can then start to add in pops of colors in calming hues like a deep, rich blue, gentle hues or metallics using throw pillows and accessories. The best part is that you can easily switch them out should you ever grow tired of the same ol’ thing day after day.
3. Patterns: It’s always fun to integrate patterns and color, but make sure to do so with subtlety so it isn’t jarring to your relaxed senses. We really liked this zig-zag pattern, but using it on the bedspread would have been a little much so, instead, we just used it on the bed skirt for an understated look that still feels playful.
4. De-cluttering: Studies prove there’s a correlation between clutter and your mood. With that in mind, keeping your room as organized and de-cluttered as possible is always a good idea. You can build in storage or function into almost every corner to help with keeping your space tidy. Have a tendency to toss todays clothes onto the floor? Hanging cute hooks on the wall will help. Pick up a few trays to corral all those bits & baubles. And storage boxes in closets and under beds can be your very best friend.
5. Creating a sanctuary: It’s always a bonus to have a little corner in which you can curl up in with a favourite book. A lush chair not only looks great but is comfy, without taking up too much room. Cover all of your favourite books in brown paper and elegantly writing the titles on the binding is a great way to create a functional bookshelf that looks fantastic, but doesn’t feel overwhelming.
Fun Gadgets to Help you Relax
A gel pillow: This ingenius invention may be the fix to all of your nighttime temperature issues. If you’re the kind of person that gets too toasty between the sheets, this will be your new best friend. It’s made of a gel that will help you stay crisp and cool all night. No more flipping that pillow around in search for the cold spots! Plus, the layer of memory foam instantly means a better night sleep. We swear by it.
A wireless charging station: This little contraption will literally make your clutter nightmares disappear and all your dreams come true. It’s an easy way to eliminate that cord clutter while charging your devices at once. If you ask us, keep this bad boy on your dresser, away from your bed, for a stress-free, unplugged sleep.
A sleep machine: Everyone needs to discover the simple powers of a sleep machine. Whether it’s soothing music, or calming white noise, we promise it will help you sleep like a baby in no time flat. And now with the help of the iPhone, you can download apps and take your sleep machine with you on the go! I know. Thank you technology.
A pj warmer: This one may fall under the more ridiculous category, but hear us out for a second. Isn’t everything better when it comes out of the dryer? I know that I, personally, always want to wear that just washed sweatshirt! It’s super cozy and calming, perfect to cut the chill out of the air. This PJ warmer looks like a giant heating pad but it’s actually your new favorite relaxation accessory.
Heated slippers: These heated slippers actually have a removable herbal heat or cooling source inside them. You pop the little insertion in the microwave or the freezer then slip it into the slipper and voila, warm and happy feet. Plus the herbs smell kind of nice and seasonal. Cozy AND relaxing.
The bathroom may not be the first place that comes to mind when it comes to relaxation, but we need to change this immediately! While we all know that a long bath will do wonders for those aching, Christmas-shopping-all-day, feet of yours, there are a handful of other things we can all do to transform a ho hum bathroom into a place of sheer and utter zen.
Tips on Creating a Relaxing Bathroom
1. Stay organized: Keep your drawers and cabinets organized by category, and if you share your bathroom, organize it so all your stuff is separate from theirs. This will help when it comes to finding everything with ease and minimal stress. If you don’t have enough storage space, consider a cart or a towel rack. There are several beautiful options out there, that not only look great but are incredibly functional.
2. Pick up a plush bathmat: Ours has a layer of memory foam that your feet, knees and hips will thank you for.
3. Statement mirror: A statement mirror in a neutral color is not only functional, but also a great way to open up the space and make a tiny room feel much brighter and bigger.
4. Colors: When it comes to the color scheme, try to incorporate cool colors like blues, greens or blush tones, which are light and calming. You can do so through your wall color or your towels and bathmats. We always suggest reserving bold colors like red and orange for the more vibrant areas of your home.
5. A TV caddy: You may laugh at this nifty little bathroom caddy which doubles as both a toilet paper holder and an iPad deck — but really, what’s not to love. Place it right in front of the tub when you are ready for a long bath, to turn on some soothing tunes, watch your favorite holiday movie or catch up on your guilty pleasure TV. This little gadget will easily transform your bathroom into a place you’ll NEVER want to leave.
6. A wine sippy cup: It really doesn’t get any better than this. For the girl that tends to bring a glass of wine with her into the tub, a grown up sippy cup is basically genius. This no spill cup ensures that you don’t interrupt your relaxing bath with a broken glass or spilled vino (the worst)!
7. A bath massager: If you love yourself a good hot tub but, like most of us, can’t afford that luxury, we’ve discovered the second best option. This bath mat massager is portable, lightweight and pinpoints the necessary pressure points all over your body giving you a bubbly massage that’s almost as good as the real deal, for significantly cheaper. Think of it as a nightly holiday gift to yourself.
8. Flowers & candles: A no brainer. Such an easy way to breath fresh air into any room of your house, especially the bathroom. Seasonal flowers and subtly scented candles are easy ways to upgrade your bathroom from month to month, and bring the outdoors inside creating a relaxing escape.
9. Massage gloves: For an evening filled with pampering, these gloves are kind of amazing. They’re lined with a mineral oil gel that moisturizes dry, rough skin. The gel actually releases a combination of essential oils that really get under the skin’s surface to make you look as relaxed as you feel.
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Head over here for a quick recap of the last time we made a Today Show appearance! We also featured a DIY rope vase, a DIY wood lamp, a DIY herringbone tray, a DIY Ikea bar cart hack, DIY abstract art, and how to make over an inexpensive X-bench!
Acordion Sidetable: Urban Outfitters | Alarm Clock: Bulova | Armchair: Target | Art: Art.com | Bath Mat: Anthropologie | Bath Towels: Lands' End | Bedskirt: Anthropologie | Body Oil: Sephora | Bookshelf (unpictured): West Elm | Bubble Bath: Anthropologie | Bubble Spa: Wayfair | Candle: Anthropologie | Candles: West Elm | Cart: Target | Dresser: CB2 | Duvet Cover: Pottery Barn | Floor Lamp: Restoration Hardware | Folding Stool: Douglas + Bec | Gel Pillow: Amazon | Glass Cup: Pottery Barn | Glass Jars: Restoration Hardware | Gold Bowl: Up in the Air Somewhere | Gold Pillow: Goods By Grinn | Gold Pillow: Caitlin Wilson Textiles | Gold Tray: West Elm | Hand Soap: Anthropologie | Headboard: Target | Heart Pillow: Goods By Grinn | Ikat Dot Pillow: C Wonder | Ipad Caddy: Bed Bath & Beyond | Jute Rug: West Elm | Lamp: West Elm | Lavender Sachets: Amazon | Leopard Slippers: Amazon | Linen Sheets: RH Baby & Child | Moisturizing Gloves: Hammacher | Navy Quilt: RH Baby & Child | Navy Trellis Pillow: Caitlin Wilson | PJ Warmer: Pajama Warmer | Power Mat: Amazon | Sea Salt Soap: Anthropologie | Sleep Machine (unpictured): Billy Holiday | Sleep Mask: Elizabeth W | Speaker: Horne | Sponge: Amazon | Statement Mirror: West Elm | Throw: Anthropologie | Toothbrushes: Crate & Barrel | Vase: BHLDN | XO Pillow: Society Social
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