Bedrooms: Creating the Perfect Sanctuary

How to Create the Perfect Sanctuary

By Anna Sachse

If all the rooms in your home, the one you probably spend the most time in is your bedroom. Hermès place settings and Waterford goblets may be a bit more glamorous, but you’re more likely to appreciate luxurious sheets, fluffy comforters and the perfect pillow every single day. Here’s what to look for when crafting the ultimate bedroom.

The Scene

“A bedroom should be cozy and welcoming … it should be designed as a place to sleep and a place to entertain each other,” says Maria McBride, wedding style director for Brides magazine and author of “Party Basics for New Nesters” (Collins Living, 2008). To that end, the best boudoirs are designed like a fine hotel suite – the television is behind closed doors, the treadmill resides in the basement and the focus is on superior bedding.

According to a recent survey of more than 12,000 brides by TheKnot.com, 84 percent of couples opt to register for bedding, and it makes for a popular gift pick among guests, says Antonia van der Meer, editor-in-chief of Modern Bride and Elegant Bride magazines. A registry is the perfect time to indulge in luxurious products, but keep your color palette simple so that your basic bedding is never out of fashion. Your sheets probably have a shorter lifespan than your china or your crystal, but it’s still important to think both quality and long-term.

The Essentials

There are, of course, a bevy of things you can register for in the bedroom, but the most important are the comforter/duvet, duvet cover, sheets, blankets and pillows. These core items will build you the cozy nest of your sweet dreams.

Jaimee Zanzinger, deputy editor of special projects for Real Simple magazine, advises registering for at least two sets of everything: one lighter duvet and cover for spring/summer, and a heavier set for fall/winter; two sets of 300-plus thread count sheets and shams; and either two cotton blankets, two wool varieties, or one of each, depending on the climate where you live.

As to pillows, Audrey Stavish, a spokeswoman for Bed, Bath & Beyond, recommends selecting four of your favorite style.

Ins & Outs

Once again, it’s always worth investing in sheets with high thread counts made from respected, high-quality fibers like Egyptian cotton. “Not only will they be more comfortable for sleeping, but they’ll wear well and should last years,” says McBride.

But because a lot of couples often have very different styles, sometimes picking the color or pattern for the bedding can prove a little trickier. Neutral colors are a good way to compromise.

“This is something you will see and use every day, so try to stay away from trends like bright colors or outrageous patterns that could get old really fast,” says Rebecca Dolgin, executive editor at TheKnot.com.

Zanzinger agrees that for enduring style, it’s best to go with classic solid colors, but to give your aesthetic more range, she recommends picking a couple of the basic options and mixing them up, such as pairing a blue fitted sheet with a white flat sheet. Blue and white is a color combination that is always in style, says van der Meer, while McBride loves neutrals and soothing tones like green and gray. If you simply must have pattern, a classic striped ticking pattern is timelessly elegant, adds van der Meer.

“Ultimately you should invest in things that are going to make you happy,” says Leigh Oshirak, spokeswoman for Pottery Barn. “But remember that this is something you’ll hopefully still want to see in five to eight years.”

But Keep in Mind

Playing it safe with neutral linen does not necessitate sacrificing personal style. The easiest way to dress up clean, modern basics is to bring in temporary pieces with the pattern or bright color you were avoiding. “If you do this with a throw and decorative pillows, you won’t feel like you have to commit to it forever,” says Van der Meer. “You can change it up at another point later without having to spend a fortune.”