10/29/08

Master Bedroom - A Retreat or a Retreat

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H .. M a S t E r .. B e D r O o M .. H

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A Retreat or a Retreat

When unexpected guests pull up in the driveway do you make a mad dash to close your bedroom door? That's the first sign that your bedroom is not a welcome retreat. Wouldn't you like to think of your bedroom as a place to retreat TO, and not a place to retreat FROM?


Well, it's not that hard, but it will require a new attitude and a little daily maintenance. Here are a few ideas that will turn your master bedroom (Where you leave the lights OFF and use your arm like a machete' to hack your way in the general direction of the bed.) into a master suite. (Where you hope to turn the light on and linger to admire the beauty as it bids you enter for a restful night's sleep.)

1. It starts first thing in the morning. DON'T leave your bed without making it up - even if you are the only one that will see throughout the day. This is HUGE! The attitude you will have throughout the day as you go in and out of your bedroom is directly associated to the appearance of the main focal point in your room (the bed). If you leave your bed with an inviting appearance then you will enjoy the retreat at bedtime.

2. Keep the room tidy. Like the bed, your room's appearance affects your attitude. If clothes are picked up, shoes put away, clutter managed, etc., even in a little room, it relaxes you every time you enter and will be a welcome site at the end of a busy day.

3. Make it smell nice. My husband loathes strong scents, but I have found that the linen scented plug-ins aren't as offensive to his sense of smell. It smells like fresh sheets and a clean room.

4. Have a night stand on both sides of the bed, preferably the kind with drawers, and a small lamp on each one. I like to do a little reading before going to sleep, so having my own little spot for reading material is a treat. During the day the material can be tucked into the drawer, leaving the nightstand clutter free.

5. Keep your dresser top free of clutter. Don't allow your dresser to be the catch-all for small items that belong elsewhere in the house (rubber bands, paper clips, toys, dishes, etc.) Keep a basket or some other kind of container in your room that will hold these kinds of items until you have time to put them away. Use your dresser top to display things that are enjoyable to look at. I keep a cross-stitched picture that my daughter made me when she was little, my jewelry box, and a picture of my husband and myself on mine. My husband has similar, personal items on his. The key is to evoke a smile every time you walk by.

6. Remember, this is your husband's retreat too. Unless he likes a pink room with a floral spread and frilly pillows, choose a look that will blend both of your tastes. Save the deer head for the game room; or better yet - the garage, where a dead animal can be useful by scaring any would-be intruders away. ;-)

This is step one in creating an inviting master bedroom retreat. I have some wonderful ideas for developing the romantic element in your master suite, but that will have to wait for another post. Stay tuned! H

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