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Turn Your Bedroom Into a Romantic Retreat

4 easy steps that will transform your boudoir into a cozy little cave built for two.

There’s nothing like the onslaught of Valentine’s Day to remind you that your boudoir has taken on a less than inspiring air. Whether you’re single or coupled, take a look around.

Dirty socks? Check.

“Decorative throw” crumpled up in a heap on the floor? Check.

Nightstand stocked with Kleenex and earplugs instead of feathers and handcuffs? Checkmate.

We all want our bedrooms to be that romantic retreat every interior designer and talk show host tells us we must have. We long to be people who light candles each evening and whose significant others never toss sweaty gym clothes on the bathroom floor. And yet….

(Go ahead, go check your bathroom floor. I’ll wait.)

But all is not lost! Help is on the way! And as it turns out, you don’t have to turn your master suite into a scene from Fifty Shades.

We’ve got a few foolproof tricks to help you dramatically up your amorous ante in plenty of time for those Valentine’s Day plans.

 

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Flameless candles are a great option for ambient lighting. Image credit: Amazon.

Step 1: Mood lighting

It’s trite but true: Candles bring the sexy back. They make everyone look better, create an immediate come-hither vibe, and make it easier to turn off the lights without stubbing your toe on the way back to the bed.

I’m a fan of the new flameless variety, as they’re more conducive to spontaneity. (Your lover quickly flipping a switch is much more likely than locating matches or a lighter.)

Put a trio on each of your nightstands, and a few more on your dresser. Then casually mention that candles make you feel amorous, and watch what happens.

Or, if your partner is a tech freak like mine is, treat him or her to a set of programmable light bulbs (you can create custom lighting schemes or select from a slew of preprogrammed options) and tell ’em you’re looking forward to watching the show.

 

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Nothing says romance like a faux fur throw, so much better than a boring blanket. Image credit: Restoration Hardware.

Step 2: Freshen up

The first step to a sexier bedroom is actually wanting to be in the bed.

So while I’m not suggesting leopard-print silk (no judgment), a fresh set of sheets and a well-dressed bed are so much more inviting than a wadded-up jumble of blankets, don’t you think?

And try ditching that overly precious, scratchy “decorative throw” for something supersoft and inviting to layer over your comforter. Faux fur is fantastic in the winter and ridiculously sexy. When things, erm, heat up, switch it out for something in a silky soft cotton you can’t stop touching.

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Set the mood with a great smelling home fragrance and engage all your senses. Image credit: Nordstrom.

Last, find a fragrance you both enjoy (it can be your perfume or something more neutral) and spritz a bit on the pillows after you get up in the morning. It’ll still be lingering when you hit the sack the next night and is virtually guaranteed to shift your mood from drained to dreamy.

 

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A sexy window treatment can work wonders in a room. Image credit: Macy’s.

Step 3: Change the scenery

Drape a no-sew swath of silk over those tired vertical blinds (dark red or navy will work wonders for creating the mood you’re after). Move the photos of your baby and your parents into the living room (kind of a sexy-time buzzkill) and replace them with photos of the two of you from that supersexy getaway a few years back.

Ditch the bedside laptops, put your iPhone in a drawer, and if you must have a TV in your bedroom, put on a romantic movie you love (just turn off the sound) or tune it to your favorite slow-jam Pandora station.

Your bedroom should be a sanctuary — a cozy little cave built for two. As much as possible, keep the real world on the other side of that door.

Step 4: Get busy

On second thought, I believe you can take it from here.