Soft Furnishings For The Bedroom
The bedroom is a room that needs to be comfortable and relaxing because it is where you sleep. A bedroom without soft furnishings isn’t going to achieve that.
Soft furnishings include the window dressing, bed linen and any fabric accessories that you use to finish the room. The sort of look you want to achieve for your bedroom will influence the items you buy, as will your budget (designer furniture comes with a price tag!).
There are several places in the bedroom where soft furnishings are essential. For the windows you need some sort of covering for privacy, unless of course you have the luxury of living in the middle of nowhere. Netting doesn’t have to be anything old fashioned but of course if that is the look you want there’s no reason not to have it. Modern netting can is available in many designs and you should look at a few types to see what you like. There’s everything from voile to lace and embroidered to plain.
Of course simply putting netting at a window may not be enough because it won’t keep out the light and most people need darkened rooms to get proper deep sleep. There are many types of fabric that can be made into curtains and blinds. Heavy velvet will keep out the cold and light but may not suit the look of all rooms. A calico Roman blind could work in some situations because blinds are a different style of window dressing from curtains but you really have to look at different things and see what you like. Home magazines are a great place to get inspiration.
Bedding is really important mainly because you will be in physical contact with it on a regular basis. Try and get the best quality that you can afford. With sheets, pay attention to the thread count. The higher the thread count, the higher the quality of the product. Sheets can be manufactured from man-made fibres, cotton, a combination of polyester and cotton, or silk. Silk is obviously expensive but feels great on the skin.
If possible, buy your bedding as a set, and make sure that you wash it all together to prevent colours mis-matching over time which will happen if one item has been washed more than another. If you want to go for a mis-matched look make sure that it is done well - there is an art to it! The look can be achieved but it’s not easy.
Whilst window dressings and bed linen are necessary for the bedroom, there are optional soft furnishings that can bring a stamp of character or luxury to a room. These are things such as little decorative cushions, bolsters and sequined throws.
If you have enough spare cash, consider getting some seasonal soft furnishings. A velvet throw is lovely in winter with a few Christmas motif cushions to get you in the mood.
It’s the furniture in a room that gives it structure, but it’s the soft furnishings that make it a place that you want to spend time, so choose wisely.
