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How to Create a Sleep Sanctuary

Incense sticks at the ready… we’ve got home decor ideas to get you honk-shooing in a hurry.


A bad night’s sleep is an experience most wouldn’t wish on their very worst enemy. Yet we’ve all endured a seemingly never-ending night where sleep – for whatever reason – remains just out of reach.

Tossing. Turning. Flipping the pillow for the consolation prize of the cooler side. Flipping yourself. Spreadeagle to fetal position, to Dracula’s coffin pose and back around to your belly. A full three-hundred-and-sixty degrees of sleepless misery. It shouldn’t have to be this way, and the good news is – it really doesn’t.

It seems everyone’s searching for the secret of how to sleep better at night, which means that we’re all likely doing something wrong. We’ve shopped around for expert advice, and we’re sharing it today in the form of 5 decor ideas that’ll make dozing off a doddle.


Switch off
@life_at_number_8 | @awholenewbuild

Struggling to flip the switch and get in a sleepy mood once bedtime rolls around? It could have something to do with your bedroom lighting. The overwhelming advice from sleep experts is that our bedrooms should be simple, quiet spaces that keep any bright lights to an absolute minimum.



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Once you’ve got your lighting setup sorted, it’s time to start thinking about natural light. Our circadian rhythm (often called a ‘biological clock’ or ‘body clock’) can be thrown off – or even completely reset – with too much light exposure near bedtime. If your room gets a lot of sunlight, or you’ve got a fluorescent streetlamp beaming through your window, a pair of blackout curtains might just change your life.

Our blackout velvet curtains will transform any bedroom into a deliciously dark oasis of calm. The ultra-soft velvet fabric is smoothly-strokable and luxuriously thick, guaranteed to block out every last sliver of light that might creep its way in. 

Check out our made to measure curtains buying guide to explore all the finer details of finding the perfect blackout curtains for you.

Dream in decluttering
furn.com | @raineysresidence

We’ve all heard that a cluttered room makes a cluttered mind, but who would have thought that it has an effect on our sleep too? A study from 2015 found that people with cluttered, busy rooms were more likely to suffer from disordered sleeping. It makes perfect sense, and goes back to the central rule that a sleep-friendly bedroom must be quiet, tranquil and free of any stressors.



Do bedding better
furn.com | @my.interior.tales

Your bed is the foundation of your room’s comfort, and it’s important to nail the basics if you want to take your sleep to the next level. No one fabric rules them all in the world of bed sheets, duvets and pillowcases – it’s more a matter of taste, and what type of sleeper you are.


 

A closeup of a cream coloured duvet set with a multicoloured floral design, made on a bed with green and pink scatter cushions, a wooden headboard and a green wall in the background.
Wallflower Duvet Set in Natural

If you’re after something a bit more lively, our Wallflower Duvet Cover Set in Natural from our Wylder range might just do the trick. While colourful and intricately patterned, the soft cream base tone and quaint florals are far from jarring, and the country garden design sets the perfect tranquil scene for a great night’s sleep. 

Made with a soft, durable polycotton blend - this bedding offers the best of both worlds in terms of fabric. Combining the sumptuous softness of cotton with the hard-wearing reliability of polyester, it's the ideal option for those who want a low-maintenance solution that guarantees the perfect slumber.


Tone it down
@nicatnumberfive | @the_interior_lens

So you’ve dimmed the lights, cleared the clutter and got yourself some seriously comfy bedding. If you’re still struggling to conk out, you might want to think about colours. One study has found that the colours in our bedroom – whether on wallpaper, bedding or accessories – have a direct effect on our sleep time and quality.



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When it comes to slumberous shades, blue often seems to comes out on top. The study found that people sleeping in a blue room get an average of seven hours and fifty-two minutes’ sleep per night, and that blue-hued walls can even help to lower your stress levels and heart rate.

Our Symphony Vinyl Wallpaper in Teal offers a stylish metallic sheen finished with soft blue-green, giving the tranquil effect of a still deep sea. It’s paste-the-wall for quick and easy application, and the vinyl coating responds very well to spot cleaning. Add a wallpaper sample to your bag for just £1, and read our helpful wallpaper buying guide for a full rundown of all the finer details.

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However, the title for best sleepy shade isn’t set in stone, and a green room can be just as effective at inducing sleep for many people. The same study found that people with green bedrooms get seven hours and thirty-six minutes of sleep on average, so it’s a close second at the very least. 

Our Palmeria Vinyl Wallpaper in Emerald will transform your bedroom into a serene landscape of nature’s tones, with deep jewel green set in a luxe quilted velvet finish. Green hues – gentle sage and dark emerald tones in particular – have a soothing effect that makes us feel harmonious. So, if you’re wondering how to sleep better at night naturally – green might be the way to go.