LIFESTYLE: 6 Easy Ways to Bring A Touch of Class To The Boudoir

Your bedroom should be a veritable temple of rest and relaxation. It should be a sanctuary within a sanctuary; a place where you can go to relax and unwind and let ourselves be lulled into a deep and restful sleep. However, it’s also a place where we may want to bring a very special guest. If you’re a devoted singleton who wants to wow their new beau with their classy boudoir or simply want to inject a little more style and charm into your sleeping space, here are some great way to bring class, style and sophistication into the bedroom.




Keep it natural


We’ve already talked about the virtues of adding a touch of nature to your home’s aesthetic. Wherever possible you should avoid synthetic fibres and plastics in the bedroom. Avoid bedding that contains synthetic materials like nylon, terylene and polyester as these can make it harder for the skin to breathe and for you to get a good night’s sleep. What’s more, they can look visibly cheaper and detract from the air of class and sophistication you’re trying to project. Opt instead for bed linens that are 100% cotton or made from another naturally derived fabric (I’ve actually heard a lot of wonderful things about bamboo based bed linen). Not only do these make for a more restful night’s sleep, they also make your space look cleaner, tidier and classier. For a little flourish of colour add one of these hotel quality bed runners from Richard Haworth. What better way to sleep classy?


If you can… canopy!


A canopy bed makes a great statement and draws the eye while elevating everything around it. The great thing about canopy beds is that whatever your personal style may be there’s a good chance that there’s a canopy bed out there for you. Whether you’re going for a sense of classical opulence or something more contemporary and minimalist, a canopy bed is a wonderful feature that adds a wow factor to your boudoir. Needless to say, however, you have to know your space before introducing a canopy bed. If it looks like you’ve barely managed to squeeze it into your room it will cheapen the aesthetic and moreover make your bedroom look cramped.


Wall art


Wall art can make for a great statement piece that lends not just class and sophistication but a sense of personality and character to the bedroom. However, it’s important to choose a piece that is personal to you. Avoid the kinds of mass-manufactured prints you see in Ikea and its ilk. It adds little to know personality to your room when you add an over-familiar print of a New York City skyline or a quiet dock to your wall.


Be bold, be provocative, be whoever you want to be through your wall art. You don’t even have to spend a fortune. University campuses and of course good old Etsy are great sources of high quality art that won’t break the bank.


Remember, less is more


There’s no class in clutter! Not only can clutter detract from the creative flourishes and classy fixtures of your bedroom, it is also visually distracting and can add a sense of chaos to even the most carefully honed aesthetic. Moreover, it can be surprisingly damaging to your mental health and prevent you from getting the restful night’s sleep that we all need to maintain our physical and psychological well being.


Smell classy!


Of course, class is not a concept that’s confined to the strictly visual. It’s also something we experience through the nose. Why else do we spend a small fortune on designer perfumed before stepping out for a big night out. The great thing about scent is that it can be used to create virtually any kind of atmosphere without clashing with your decor. Your choice in scents can be fresh and clean, warm and cosy, spicy and sensuous, it all depends on your mood. However, I’d avoid harsh perfumes, sprays or plug-in deodorisers. These are the home equivalent of lynx body spray. Instead use diffusers filled with essential oils. Use mint or citrus oils for a fresh scent (these can also aid concentration if your bedroom doubles as an office), sandalwood and ylang ylang can add a comforting ambience while jasmine, cinnamon and marjoram can add a more exotic and sensual atmosphere.


Minimalise your nightstand


Finally, if your nightstand is cluttered with all manner of cosmetics, makeup, hair products and your other daily armaments to help you in your battle through life, you may find that not only is it tricky to relax in your bedroom, the space’s classy aesthetic is also compromised. Try to keep the items you keep on display to a bare minimum and keep the rest in a storage ottoman.

*Collaborative post

LIFESTYLE: HOW TO KEEP YOUR HOME SAFE WHEN TRAVELLING

Is there anything more enjoyable than setting forth on an adventure, somewhere abroad, somewhere you’ve never been before? If we all had our way, we’d do a lot more than we currently do! And it’s not hard to see why -- life is rarely as enjoyable as when you’re with your loved ones, living a carefree existence. But of course, if you’re going to do that, you need to be carefree, and that can’t happen if you’re worrying about what’s going on back home, and specifically, what’s going on at your house. Below, we take a look at a few ways you can keep your property safe, which will give you one less thing to worry about when you’re travelling.

Source: Pexels.com

Stay Off Social Media

If you don’t post photos of your exotic getaway to Instagram or Facebook, did it even happen? It seems many a person decides to take a trip purely so they can show it off to other people! But if you’re going to share photos -- and why not? -- then it’s best to wait until you’re back home. While you might be hoping to make people back in the office jealous than you’re in the sunshine, you’ll also be advertising the fact that your home is sitting empty to the world. Criminals do take advantage of this fact!

Home Security

Of course, there are no guarantees that just because you haven’t hung a sign over your house saying “we’re away,” that your home will be left alone. You can never be sure when a criminal will attack your home, regardless of whether you’re in the country or not. While you can’t control that aspect, you can control how easy it is for them to succeed. An advanced home security will be an integral part of your defence against would-be criminals. If you’re looking at upgrading your system, take a look at https://budgetboost.co/best-home-security-systems/. They outline a few systems that come with a mobile app that’ll send you notifications when something untoward happens, allowing you to take action no matter how far away from home you are.

Hire a Homesitter

It’s not just criminals who can compromise your home when you’re away. This is a home, where any number of issues can happen! A good way to keep your home in tip-top condition is to have someone stay there while you’re away. There are plenty of housesitter websites that can connect you with reliable people. If you’re going on a more extended trip (say, a couple of months or more), you can also look at renting out your property. It’s an excellent way to keep it safe while also getting some rent money and topping up the travel fund.

Friends Dropping In

If all that sounds too complicated, or you’re only away for a week or so, have a friend or family member drop in every couple of days. They’ll be able to check that everything’s just as it should be, and also pick up the mail -- a pile-up of letters can be a sign that a family is away.

*collaborative post