Designing Your Master Bedroom

When it comes time to designing your master bedroom you want to be sure to surround yourself with comfort and convenience, after all you spend a third of your life in your bedroom and no room in your home is more personal. It is important that you integrate key elements like furniture, color scheme and lighting to create a coherent, functional, yet personal space.

Before you begin to design your personal sanctuary, you should assess your needs and wants so that all elements of rest and relaxation can be achieved. Here are some questions you should ask yourself:

• Do you want your bedroom to be a private restful sanctuary?
• If you're sharing this space is there enough room for both of you to enjoy your own private moments?
• Besides sleeping, are there other activities you wish to do like reading, watching TV, working on you computer, talking on the telephone, resting near a warm fireplace or exercising?
• What kind of lighting will you need to perform daily tasks like dressing, make-up or reading?
• Is your storage and closet space large enough for your clothing?
• Do you want to have extra seating for relaxing and reading?
• What kind of color scheme will you need to achieve your own level of comfort and relaxation?

Once you've answered some of these questions you can begin to consider some popular master bedroom design tips & trends:

Separate Spaces: A popular trend for master bedrooms is the desire to cater to both partners. Rather than create one common space, many of the spaces are divided to accommodate the needs and style of each person. This is particularly true when it comes to the bathroom. Most couples would prefer separate bathrooms, but if cost and space are a consideration try adding twin sinks and storage space. Almost considered a necessity are his and hers closets.

Furniture: Most homeowners prefer matched furniture, but now they are looking for a more personalized and eclectic look by mismatching pieces. This trend allows you to cater each piece to your lifestyle. When mixing furniture, try choosing pieces that have some common elements like type of wood, finish or accents.

Lighting: Lighting is an integral part of any interior home design, particularly in the bedroom where lighting is important for function and aesthetics. You'll want to add soft, warm lighting to help encourage relaxation, as well as mimic the sun during the darker winter months. In addition to overhead lights, task lighting is very important for bedside tables (so one partner can read, while the other sleeps), walk-in closets, sitting areas and other traditionally inadequately lit spaces. If creating a romantic night is top on the list, than consider controlling your lighting with a dimmer switch.

Tip for natural lighting: If your bedroom receives too much sunlight in the early morning, you should consider covering your windows with heavy curtains or shutters.

Color: Different color schemes are appropriate for the mood that you wish to inspire. A cool color scheme, for example, is often used to encourage a sense of tranquility, while a warm color scheme, may be desirable if you want to feel more energized when enjoying your master bedroom. If you have one particular element in your master bedroom that you want to emphasize, consider a neutral color scheme that will complement it.

Style: The style of your master bedroom should not compete with the architectural elements and the style of other rooms within your home. If you find that your preferred style does not match the overall theme of your home, try to strike a balance by incorporating different elements of both styles within your bedroom.

Keepsakes/Memorabilia: The bedroom is a great place to display some favorite keepsakes or memorabilia that may be too personal to display in other parts of your home, like your wedding invitation or pressed flowers from your first prom or a baseball your dad caught at your first professional game. Surrounding yourself with these items can only create a positive vibe for you when you're in your private retreat.

Before planning out your new master bedroom design, take some time to look at different bedrooms that inspire you and try to incorporate the "best of" ideas into your own room. It's not a bad idea after you do most of the research to hire an interior designer to pull it all together for you. Just remember — it's your personal room, so you don't have to please anyone but yourself.