How do I make my bedroom feel more like a swanky spa waiting room?
November 22, 2019 7:48 AM Subscribe
What steps can I take to make my bedroom/a room of my house feel obscenely comfortable and lush? I'm looking specifically for things that feel a bit extra: things like color-changing, dimmable lights, tastefully flavored waters/teas, nice sound systems for plucky harp garbage, oil diffuses, etc. As winter kicks in, I feel like providing myself with semi-grotesque levels of relaxation and soothe.
(I'm also always open to new plucky harp garbage, or whatever other supremely soothing music people know of.)
(I'm also always open to new plucky harp garbage, or whatever other supremely soothing music people know of.)
I've been consistently putting this into a diffuser by my bed when I want to relax, and it's wonderful. I think you could probably do your own blend of a good-quality lavender and eucalyptus, but the price those folks charge isn't outrageous given what you get. When I'm feeling extra fancy, I put an extra drop or two of this.
And I have one of these, and I love it so much. It is so soft and plush and warm. I put it on and bask in the heat like a giant lizard.
There's even bigger one that comes with massage built in, but I have not tried it.
posted by joyceanmachine at 8:10 AM on November 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
And I have one of these, and I love it so much. It is so soft and plush and warm. I put it on and bask in the heat like a giant lizard.
There's even bigger one that comes with massage built in, but I have not tried it.
posted by joyceanmachine at 8:10 AM on November 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
A tabletop fountain is VERY "spa waiting room" and surprisingly inexpensive.
posted by castlebravo at 8:19 AM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by castlebravo at 8:19 AM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
A larger screen monitor or TV showing a slideshow of professional quality travel photos.
posted by Candleman at 8:20 AM on November 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by Candleman at 8:20 AM on November 22, 2019 [2 favorites]
Natural fiber rug, like braided or woven grass. Giant fluffy robe you only wear in bedroom. Salt lamp or lamp with paper shade. Water feature or just recording of water sounds. Pitcher of cold water with fancy bedroom glass. Essential oils diffuser is great, make sure you change the scents with some frequency, so you don’t end up with nose blindness to your scent. Silly Hotel Slippers. Art prints. Big art prints. No, bigger. Exfoliate before you go in.
posted by bilabial at 9:32 AM on November 22, 2019 [5 favorites]
posted by bilabial at 9:32 AM on November 22, 2019 [5 favorites]
Maybe a little more storage, so the place isn't cluttered? That way your line-of-sight will only be filled with LUXURY.
Cover the windows with some kind of translucent scrim, so you don't see anything outdoors and have your attention wander. Remember, it's all about you while you're in there!
Fabric on the walls, while something of a fire hazard, will soak up sound and help isolate you from the outside world.
posted by wenestvedt at 9:35 AM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
Cover the windows with some kind of translucent scrim, so you don't see anything outdoors and have your attention wander. Remember, it's all about you while you're in there!
Fabric on the walls, while something of a fire hazard, will soak up sound and help isolate you from the outside world.
posted by wenestvedt at 9:35 AM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
Spa Robe is the first thing that popped into my head. Open/airy/bright when you want it to be, plants. Nothing extra (ie everything put away out of sight).
(I don't have any great answer but this is one of my favorite questions I've ever seen on Ask)
posted by jclarkin at 10:22 AM on November 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
(I don't have any great answer but this is one of my favorite questions I've ever seen on Ask)
posted by jclarkin at 10:22 AM on November 22, 2019 [3 favorites]
This takes a commitment to cleaning but I love getting out of bed in my cold bedroom and stepping on to my flotaki rug. Other things: flannel sheets a must, a lamp only for reading so all the other lights are off at night, a humidifier so it's nice and humid for your sinuses, charging cords and a lot of simple nice stuff on a bedside table, a candle that smells terrific, room-darkening shades. I have a beaded curtain that hangs on the inside of my window and for whatever reason I love that damned thing.
posted by jessamyn at 10:37 AM on November 22, 2019
posted by jessamyn at 10:37 AM on November 22, 2019
I can't begin to tell you how much I love my heated mattress pad with six temperature zones.
posted by KleenexMakesaVeryGoodHat at 10:38 AM on November 22, 2019 [8 favorites]
posted by KleenexMakesaVeryGoodHat at 10:38 AM on November 22, 2019 [8 favorites]
What's your budget?
What's the threadcount on your current linens/ bedding? I recently switched up and - wow - it's even harder to get out of bed now.
posted by porpoise at 10:53 AM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
What's the threadcount on your current linens/ bedding? I recently switched up and - wow - it's even harder to get out of bed now.
posted by porpoise at 10:53 AM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
Yeah, heated mattress pad. It's my favorite part of my semi-regular massages.
I personally dislike diffusers and anything made of synthetic fibers, so my idea of luxury is this site full of linen sheets in soothing, earthy colors. Somehow I haven't yet brought myself to paying $600 for a full sheet set, but the colors! The linen/velvet throw pillows! They also have towels.
Keep the decor super simple and restrained, and make the bed super luxurious, that's my suggestion. More throw pillows! More!
posted by Lawn Beaver at 11:11 AM on November 22, 2019
I personally dislike diffusers and anything made of synthetic fibers, so my idea of luxury is this site full of linen sheets in soothing, earthy colors. Somehow I haven't yet brought myself to paying $600 for a full sheet set, but the colors! The linen/velvet throw pillows! They also have towels.
Keep the decor super simple and restrained, and make the bed super luxurious, that's my suggestion. More throw pillows! More!
posted by Lawn Beaver at 11:11 AM on November 22, 2019
I also have a heated mattress pad and I have to concur - it's freaking amazing. When it's 15 degrees out and I can flip a switch and wait a minute and then slip into a perfectly toasty-warm bed? Unfathomably awesome.
posted by showbiz_liz at 11:40 AM on November 22, 2019
posted by showbiz_liz at 11:40 AM on November 22, 2019
Nthing heated mattress pads. Also for some reason I only discovered flannel sheets a few years ago, and I love them. I just got a new set of 5 oz cotton flannel sheets from The Company Store and they are super luxurious - the dog print might not be your thing, but they have lots of solids and prints.
posted by radioamy at 12:07 PM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by radioamy at 12:07 PM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
Succulents, bonsai, crystal lamps, chenille throw blankets, and maybe a forest wall mural.
posted by katra at 12:16 PM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by katra at 12:16 PM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
Plants! Large ones. Small potted trees if you can. If space doesn't allow this, large pictures of plants can also have a similar effect.
And fluffy rugs beside the bed. Mine are sheepskin.
Lamps with warm white dimmable bulbs. Even better if you can put them on some kind of automation, eg dimmer and oranger in the later evening. Or automatically coming on when a person enters the room. Twinkle lights if you like that kind of thing.
A very nice lotion decanted into a tasteful jar next to the bed. An old fashioned washstand with a jug of water and a bowl, if you don't have an ensuite bathroom. Ideally servants to supply the washstand with warm water and empty the bowl but that might be harder to arrange.
Thick heavy drapes in a touchable fabric.
posted by lollusc at 1:22 PM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
And fluffy rugs beside the bed. Mine are sheepskin.
Lamps with warm white dimmable bulbs. Even better if you can put them on some kind of automation, eg dimmer and oranger in the later evening. Or automatically coming on when a person enters the room. Twinkle lights if you like that kind of thing.
A very nice lotion decanted into a tasteful jar next to the bed. An old fashioned washstand with a jug of water and a bowl, if you don't have an ensuite bathroom. Ideally servants to supply the washstand with warm water and empty the bowl but that might be harder to arrange.
Thick heavy drapes in a touchable fabric.
posted by lollusc at 1:22 PM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
A minor thing, but a solid coat rack in a room is weirdly reassuring, especially if you put some potted plants on the lower shelves.
Also recommend a wander around your nearest IKEA to spark some inspiration.
posted by rollick at 2:53 PM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
Also recommend a wander around your nearest IKEA to spark some inspiration.
posted by rollick at 2:53 PM on November 22, 2019 [1 favorite]
I love this question. Have you tried bamboo sheets? They’re amazing and heavy and soft, and I only use them.
Pick a colour palette for your room - mostly neutral with one accent colour for your throw pillows, blanket, etc. Or, pick your favourite colours and do up the whole thing! My walls are celery green, white linens, furniture and floor the same light birch wood, with some blue-tourquise pillows and blanket. It’s so soothing to be surrounded by my favourite colours all the time!
posted by Valancy Rachel at 10:28 AM on November 23, 2019
Pick a colour palette for your room - mostly neutral with one accent colour for your throw pillows, blanket, etc. Or, pick your favourite colours and do up the whole thing! My walls are celery green, white linens, furniture and floor the same light birch wood, with some blue-tourquise pillows and blanket. It’s so soothing to be surrounded by my favourite colours all the time!
posted by Valancy Rachel at 10:28 AM on November 23, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by five_cents at 7:56 AM on November 22, 2019 [2 favorites]