If you feel like you're stuck in a rut or you just can't find love no matter where you turn, there are a few simple steps you can take to inspire intimacy in your most intimate space — the bedroom.
It's never too late to upgrade your cave to an oasis to encourage romance to flourish. Find out if you're committing one of these five "design crimes" that could be putting a damper on your love life.
1. Believing that size matters.
Size DOESN'T matter. Even a tiny bedroom can be a stylish oasis. Keep it simple with fewer pieces of large artwork and a monochromatic palette of strong blues. Blue, known to be the most soothing and tranquil hue of the color wheel, is also said to visually expand small spaces.
2. Creating a cave.
Just because you use the room to hibernate does not mean that it should look like a cave. Brighten the space with at least two or three table or floor lamps. Lamps are more flattering and create a softer mood than harsh, overhead light fixtures.
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3. Making an Artless Interior.
Every bedroom needs to reflect a bit about the person that sleeps in it. Art is the perfect way to add personality on a budget. At the very least, you should have a piece above the bed and dresser. Keep it sexy and soothing with landscapes, still lives and abstracts.
4. Thinking small.
So many of my clients are afraid to buy big furniture for their small spaces. So as not to fill their space, they get a small dresser that holds what they have now but can't accommodate new purchases. Instead, they need a large chest that will hold all of their clothes and then some. They buy small baskets for their makeup. As their collection grows, they need more baskets, more boxes. Instead, they need a vanity table with plenty of storage.
5. Going headboard-less.
Headboards (and bed frames) are not optional. No matter how small the space/budget, every bed needs a head. Find affordable and lovely headboards at places like Wayfair or Hayneedle for under $200.
Betsy Helmuth helps people find design solutions on a budget at Affordable Interior Design and is the author of Big Design: Small Budget and a weekly design podcast.