Whether it’s in residence or in a house shared between six people, your bedroom is a lot more than the place you sleep. If you’re using the same space to serve as an office, dressing room, storage facility and bedroom, it’s tough to make it feel sexy.
Whether or not you buy into February being the month of love, you deserve to have somewhere you can go to unwind, make a little love or just get a good night’s sleep. Here, the Journal transforms your room into a love nest in 10 easy steps.
1. Invest in some good quality sheets. Nothing compares to 300-count cotton sheets. They’re an investment, but they’re much sexier than the satin sheets of the ’80s and if you make a good colour choice, they’re suitable for everyday use—making your bed subtly sensual, not Night at the Roxbury obvious.
2. Make sure your sheets are clean. This may sound obvious, but there’s no bigger turn-off than lying down in someone else’s dirty sheets. There’s no excuse for it, so if you’re planning on having someone over—or even think it’s a vague possibility—do your laundry.
3. Keep your room tidy. Obviously, because you live there, you’re going to have some clutter. That said, keeping your school stuff on your desk and your dirty laundry in the clothes hamper will make a difference to your room’s overall appearance. If your guest has to wade through clothing and garbage to get to the bed, they’re going to be a lot less likely to make the effort.
4. Create layers with light. Instead of only having one overhead bulb, have one or two lamps with low-watt bulbs at different levels or locations in your room. This creates a soft glow instead of a harsh glare.
5. Beware of fire. Although candles are sexy and do a pretty good job setting the mood, worrying about burning your house down can be kind of distracting. The best way to balance fire safety and sex is to use tea lights in proper candle holders. They have small flames and because they’re short, you’re less likely to knock them over.
6. Family photos shouldn’t overlook the bed. You may not mind waking up to your parents’ smiling faces, but your overnight guest might, so if you’re planning to have someone over for the evening, angle the photos away from the bed.
7. Keep condoms or other forms of protection, out of sight, but near the bed. Scrambling to look for protection can be a mood-killer, so make sure you know where it is. That said, a condom box on your bedside table isn’t exactly sexy, so keep your stash hidden. Also, don’t rely on your partner to be equipped with the necessary protection, so make sure you have your own stash tucked away too.
8. Don’t overdo the perfume. Everyone knows scents can be sexy and trigger good (or bad) memories, but don’t saturate your room with cologne or perfume. Subtlety is the name of the game in the scent department.
9. Know your audience. Music can be both sexy and considerate. Not only will it set the mood, but if you have housemates, music acts as a sound screen between you and them. Word to the wise: avoid anything too corny or sickly sweet—stick to music that can sink into the background.
10. Make sure your room is a space you’re comfortable in. If you’re self conscious or uncomfortable, that will rub off on your partner; plus, because you have to live there, you should like it, regardless of whom you share it with.
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