I admit, I’m not the best sleeper. Within literally 2 minutes of Wayne’s head hitting the pillow, I can hear rhythmic breathing that tells me he’s already in dreamland while I lay wistfully awake at his side increasingly feeling more and more bitter that he has this ability to conk out without any issue and I don’t. For me, the room has to be the perfect temperature, perfectly dark, perfectly quiet, the bedding has to be tucked around my head and neck, my pillow needs to be perfectly fluffed but not too fluffy and even then, my brain becomes that of a mathematician, calculating exactly how many hours and minutes I have before my alarm will go off.

How Good Design Can Make You Sleep Better - see more at www.swoonworthy.co.uk

 

Added to that, I have a rare sleep disorder called Night Terrors (sounds fun, doesn’t it?) where I half-wake in the night, sometimes screaming, always in a panic, heart beating out of my chest, terrified and confused. (You think that sounds bad, try being Wayne.) I’ve had it since I was a teenager and have learned to live with it – as have those I’ve lived with over the years – many times not even remembering that it happened until Wayne tells me about my waking him up the following day, wide-eyed and yelling, sometimes trying to jump out of bed, sometimes fighting him off as he tries to calm me down*. I always thought it was related to stress but to be honest, even when everything is absolutely calm, it still happens with no real consistency – it may be 3 times in one week or it might not occur for a few months at a time.

*He does know that you aren’t really supposed to wake up, touch or console a ‘sleep walker’ but bear in mind, he’s been woken from a peaceful slumber with his bedmate screaming and thrashing around in terror and he’s not firing on all cylinders in that state either – it’s just his natural reaction.

So all this to say that it is really important to me that my bedroom is absolutely optimised for sleep. Of course there are certain things I do to ensure I get my rest. I don’t drink caffeine aside from one cup of coffee in the morning (herbal tea all the way and chamomile at night) and removing processed sugar from my diet has been a lifesaver for me (I do fall alseep so much faster now). But needing certain things to be a certain way in my bedroom led me to make some practical design choices that really, anyone can benefit from to get a better night’s sleep.

How Good Design Can Make You Sleep Better - black bedroom with cat on bed - www.swoonworthy.co.uk

One of the most obvious things we did was paint the bedroom in a dark colour. The current colour is Dulux Night Jewels 1 – a nearly-black slate grey that creates a cave-like space in the evenings, perfect for winding down. I know a lot of people love a light and bright bedroom but for me, the darker colours suit a bedroom so much more, especially when you really want that cocoon effect in the evenings.

Swoon Worthy - bedroom - black walls, bright colours

The total bonus of this is that colours and textures look amazing against a dark colour so not only is it conducive to a better night’s rest, it also looks pretty fantastic. Once the lights are off, the whole room is encased in darkness with little reflection from any wayward light source and you feel totally enveloped – I imagine this harks back to our cave-dwelling ancestors, you can imagine they slept well in total darkness without fear of the exposure they would have had in the open.

Another thing we did was install black out blinds. We live in town and that means we have street lamps as well as light pollution from nearby shops. Ours are a simple white colour and when rolled up, disappear against the white window frames but at bedtime, they block out pretty much all the light coming into the room and help me get to sleep faster.

Swoon Worthy bedroom - vintage dresser with black walls and bright accents - www.swoonworthy.co.uk

I’m also a stickler for keeping a tidy bedroom. I don’t want to see clutter or a mess or a reminder of the following day’s chores before settling down for the evening, there’s nothing that will set my brain off faster. So ensuring clothing is put away or into the laundry basket, keeping our bedside tables free of any paperwork or rubbish and styling them properly means the last thing I see at night is something that makes me feel happy.

Swoon Worthy bedroom - bedside table styling with black walls and bright accents - www.swoonworthy.co.uk

You may not think this has anything to do with getting a proper night’s sleep but consider the last thing your brain processes before it’s lights out – if you have a stack of laundry that needs folding or bills that need paying, those are going to play on your mind. Keep things tidy and organised and your body will thank you for it.

As for bedding, I realised with horror I was a ‘proper adult’ when I purchased my first set of really good quality sheets. You know I’m a stickler for saving money but this is one place where you really should consider splurging. I normally go for as high a thread-count as I can afford.

Swoon Worthy - high quality white bedding

Tightly woven bedding (which is what thread-count refers to – the higher the number, the tighter the weave) gets softer and more comfortable with washing and use. There’s also a certain weight to it that just can’t be matched by cheaper fabrics which allow the bedding to breathe whilst still providing warmth. I know friends that swear by linen as well – it’s both beautifully casual and looks gorgeous. If you find you are often chilly at night during the colder months, you might also want to consider soft flannel sheets for super cosy luxury. Whatever sits right next to your skin, get the best you can afford – of course it looks great but more importantly, it’s an investment that you’ll never regret, I promise you that.

Swoon Worthy bedroom - bedside table styling with black walls and bright accents - www.swoonworthy.co.uk

Finally, consider your lighting. There’s really nothing worse than a huge overhead light blazing away just before you wind down. First of all, put that thing on a dimmer to ‘quiet’ the room or just turn it off altogether and instead, use small table lamps to create little pools of light around a space. I’m also a fan of wall hung arm lamps, I think they look so chic. The important thing with lighting in a bedroom is that overall it’s dim allowing your eyes to adjust and your internal clock to wind down. Of course, if you like to do a little reading at night, it’s important that your lighting is suited for that (ie task lighting which only illuminates the area it needs to, not the whole room) and you don’t have to get out of bed to switch it off.

How Good Design Can Make You Sleep Better - www.swoonworthy.co.uk

One last thought – apparently the whole ‘we should be getting 8 hours a night’ thing is a bit of a myth. A recent extensive study in Current Biology showed that even existing hunter-gatherer tribes (the closest we can get to study our pre-industrialised ancestors) don’t get 8 hours of sleep a night – it’s actually closer 6.4 hours on average, not much more than those in modern societies. So we may be getting stressed out thinking we’re not getting enough sleep and probably needlessly losing sleep over it! Oh the irony. It turns out, sleep is a highly personal thing and some of us can get by on 5 hours while others may need 7 or 8. The important thing is to not stress about it and just chill out – you might find yourself sleeping better knowing it’s quite okay to get less.

The important point to take away is that you can still design your bedroom to be practical for it’s most important function – sleeping – without having to compromise on your design. In fact, the two very much go hand in hand. Working with your own sleep requirements may actually lead to a room that’s entirely unique and speaks as much to your personality as it does to your physicality.

How do you ensure you get a good night’s sleep? Did you make any design decisions in your own bedroom to optimise sleep? Anyone else suffer from bizarre sleep disorders? I’d love to hear if you have!

 

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Disclaimer:  This post is in association with Argos and their Good Night Sleep campaign. Read more tips from the experts on getting a good night sleep here. As always, all opinions, words and images are my own. I only work with companies I really like and think you will too! Thanks for supporting the brands that support Swoon Worthy!


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Swoon Worthy
How Good Design Can Make You Sleep Better - see more at www.swoonworthy.co.uk
How Good Design Can Make You Sleep Better - black bedroom with cat on bed - www.swoonworthy.co.uk
Swoon Worthy - bedroom - black walls, bright colours
Swoon Worthy bedroom - vintage dresser with black walls and bright accents - www.swoonworthy.co.uk
Swoon Worthy bedroom - bedside table styling with black walls and bright accents - www.swoonworthy.co.uk
Swoon Worthy - high quality white bedding
Swoon Worthy bedroom - bedside table styling with black walls and bright accents - www.swoonworthy.co.uk
How Good Design Can Make You Sleep Better - www.swoonworthy.co.uk
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Meet Kimberly
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Amara IBA19 Winner Home Styling
Vuelio Top 10 2020
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Ad (Press Sample) There are few kitchen products that are considered absolute classics but there is one that I have lusted after for YEARS and that is the utterly iconic @lecreusetuk large casserole pot. 🤩

For nearly a century, Le Creuset has been trusted for its superior performance, lasting quality and iconic design and the enamelled cast iron allows incredible versatility - not only can you use it with just about any heat source (from induction, glass, electric etc), you can also do everything from stir-fry to slow cooking to baking a cake in it and more. 

So, imagine my delight when Le Creuset got in touch to ask if I'd like to shoot their brand new colourway 🍑 Pêche 🍑 in my kitchen. I mean, there couldn't be a more perfect colour match with that juicy coral shade which if you've followed my account for any length of time, you'll know is one of my all-time favourites (not to mention that beautiful soft gold knob! 😍). The matching petite casserole dish and mugs are the perfect companions but you could easily mix and match this colourway with Le Creuset's other designs (Might I suggest the Sea Salt, a soft blue-green which would be gorgeous with Pêche). This new juicy summer shade is currently available exclusively at Le Creuset Official. I'd love to know which colourway is your favourite in the range?

#lecreuset #kitchendesign #kitchenstyling #kitchinspo #victorianhome #englishhome
My little neglected makeup/dressing room has had a glow up 🥰

#swoonworthy #beforeandafter #dressingroom #makeupvanity #closetgoals
My new rug can't compete with that belly.

Rug is from @laredoute_uk (not an ad) not that anyone cares 😅

#kitchendesign
I've really loved making these pretty reusable Christmas crackers! I'm still in the process of finding cute bits for filling them but they'll definitely be a centrepiece for my table this year!🎄💕

Suggestions for what to fill them with coming soon!

(By the way, I'm not a skilled seamstress so I'm sure my techniques can be improved but just sharing what worked for me 🤗😅)

Let me know if this is something you'd try? ❤️

#swoonworthy #christmasdecor #christmascraft #diychristmas #diycrafts #easysewingproject
On 22 October 2022, I married my best friend! I can't believe it's been a whole year (and one day) I've been calling @2nilup my husband 🥰 We've been together for 15 years now and I simply can't and wouldn't want to imagine my life without him ❤️ 

#youandmeagainsttheworld #2222 

Photography: @violajayphotography 
Flowers: @primroseavenuefloral 
Dress: @camillawithlove
DIY REFILLABLE CHRISTMAS CRACKERS 🎄🎉

I've been thinking about making refillable crackers for so many years now - I just hate the waste the disposal ones create! So I'm so excited I've finally gotten around to starting this project!

I will be sharing more details on how to make them as well as ideas for what to fill them with too so stay tuned for more but in the meantime, what do you think? 

#swoonworthy #diychristmas #christmasdecor #christmascraft #easysewingproject #sustainableliving #ecofriendlyliving
Just wanted to introduce my latest plant baby in my dining room 🪴

It's from @botanique_shrewsbury and it's a Peparomia (I am probably pronouncing it wrong, I keep wanting to say
GUEST BEDROOM REVEAL 🌟

I decided on a whim, 2 weeks before we were expecting visiting family, that our guest bedroom was in desperate need of a refresh.

Well there's nothing like an impending deadline to light a 🔥 under my 🍑 and I managed to clear out the clutter, repaint the woodwork, ceilings and walls and hang wallpaper as well as restyle the room in one week 😅 (Meisha was zero help 😼)

I'm calling it Boho Vintage Victorian Grandma 😆

This wasn't sponsored in any way but the wallpaper and bedding is from @lauraashleyuk and the paint is @earthbornpaints Peach Baby - everything else I already had!

What do you think of the new look? ❤️

#bedroombeforeandafter #guestroom
#bedroommakeover
#beforeandafter
#bedroomdecor #cottagecore #vintagestyle #victorianhouse #ihavethisthingwithpink #bengalsofinstagram
🔥JOIN US ROUND THE FIRE PIT! 🔥

ad | One of my favorite things to do in summer is sit around the fire pit in the evenings with a cold beer 🍻 There's just something incredibly relaxing watching those flames and embers crackle, warming yourself up and taking the edge off falling temperatures as the sun sets!

Thanks to @homefireuk they've made the whole process incredibly easy and enjoyable with their Handy Firepit Bundle which include 2 bags of kindling, 2 bags of natural firestarters and 3 large bags of kiln-dried logs 🪵 for a really great price! 

No more standing around waiting for things to light properly or billowing smoke from wet wood, everything burns beautifully! ☺️ We literally sat around this for hours as the logs last so long, long after the sun set, just chatting and enjoying ourselves! 🥰🍻🔥

Do you love a good firepit in the summer?

#homefire #readytoburn #smokelessbyhomefire #heartofyourhome #logsbyhomefire #summerideas #firepit #gardenideas
San Sebastian photo dump - just a tiny selection 😄

We have had such a fabulous holiday to Basque Country - our first 4 days spent in the beautiful city of San Sebastian, land of pintxos, stunning architecture and some damn good wine.

#sansebastian #travelgram #photodump
A little kitchen reshuffle today so I thought I'd share 🥰

It's been 4 years since we created this space and it's still one of my favourites ♥️

#kitchendesign #kitchendecor #kitcheninspiration #kitchenideas #openshelvingkitchen #kitchenstyling
Ad 🩷 Before and after Deck makeover! 🩷

This little decked patio was looking worse for wear after a wet winter but @frenchicpaint came to the rescue with their beautiful Dusty Blush Alfresco Paint, perfect for all your outdoor projects!

The deck has been a few colours over the past few years but this is definitely the most fun and gives the whole space such a tropical vibe - even in Shrewsbury! 🏝️ 🦩🍹😄

The paint has incredible coverage and was so nice to use - I loved the tools they provided too, especially the oval brush which got into all the nooks and crannies easily!

Let me know what you think of the new colour! 

#frenchicpaint #beforeandafter #deckmakeover #gardeninspiration #gardeninspo #outdoorproject
So on a whim I decided to paint the bedroom pink yesterday 😅🩷

This room has been neglected for so long as I've wanted to fully redecorate for about 3 years now but there are always other bigger priorities or a lack of time/energy/money so I keep putting it off 🙃🙃🙃 (tell me I'm not the only one) but happily this didn't cost a penny as I used what I already had although it did take me the best part of a day!

I went through my paint stash and found that I had extra @coatpaints Percy from when I did the living room early last year -- well I'm not one to let something this good go to waste (honestly this paint is absolutely wonderful to work with and has amazing coverage) and my goodness it's just so pretty in here 🥰 I also moved my pink curtains from my office into here and the whole room just glows!

I might actually be able to live with the mural a little longer until the room gets the attention it deserves! Let me know if you like the change ♥️

*For those who are wondering, it used to be white walls and I had grey curtains! 😅

#swoonworthy #bedroomdecor #bedroommakeover #bedroomdesign #pinkpinkpink #pinkinteriors
A little photo dump from my recent living room shoot because I still love to dig into the details of a still photo 😄💕

#swoonworthy #swoonworthyscents #livingroominspo #livingroomdesign #photodump
ad How to De-stress at Home in 6 Simple Steps 😊

April has been #stressawarenessmonth and so I've teamed up with the wonderful @frenchbedroom to share a few simple tips in creating a cosy sanctuary at home!

One of my favourite ways to add a feeling of comfort and relaxation is with glorious touchable textures and the stunning Mulberry Silk ruffled cushion from French Bedroom not only looks spectacular but feels incredible too! Pairing this with other feel-good fabrics will add depth to your design and will beg you to sink in and unwind 😍

French Bedroom are also now stocking my own home fragrance brand @swoonworthyscents candles, adding another element of calm with scent to your home. I chose No 02 Sunday Morning for my living room with rejuvenating Jasmine and refreshing pine and lemon notes 🥰

Check out my latest blog post for more tips on creating a relaxing sanctuary in your home via the link in my bio!

#swoonworthy #swoonworthyscents #frenchbedroom #livingroominspo #livingroomdesign #calming #aesthetic #cottagecoreaesthetic
Who needs pancakes when you can have Lemon Drizzle Cake with Lemoncello glaze?! 😉🍋

I've had such a craving for this cake for a while so figured I'd make it today! This is a recipe from @bbcgoodfood and it's rather gorgeous 🥰

#baking #lemondrizzle #lemoncake #bakewithlove #shrovetuesday
Are you lucky enough to be owned by a cat? 🐈🐾

#bengallove #bengalsofinstagram #bengalcat #bengal #catsofinstagram #catlife
Finally managed to get the gallery wall completed in our hallway!

I couldn't have been happier with @violajayphotography capturing our little intimate wedding in October and knew as soon as I saw the photos I had to print them for our home! I admit, I've never been one to hang photos but it's probably because all we ever had after 14 years together was selfies 😂🤷🏽‍♀️ I'm so pleased we finally have some lovely shots of us together 🥰

Do you have photos of you/your partner/your family up around your home?? 🤔

#gallerywall #autumnwedding #hallwaydesign #hallwayinspo
✨These little vintage copper pans needed some TLC! ✨

After searching for a while for vintage copper pans, I found these on eBay - they looked quite grim on the ad but I knew they could be shined up nicely! A little @barkeepersfriend later (not an ad!) and I'm loving how they look in my kitchen 🥰

Let me know if you like the new addition ❤️

#kitcheninspo #kitchendesign #vintagestyle #kitchenstyling
Oh hey living room, nice to have you back ☺️

I always feel very ready to remove the excess of Christmas decor pretty much as soon as the 26th arrives but I've been later than usual this Twixmas as we've both been unwell the last couple weeks 🤦🏽‍♀️ Nevertheless, I've managed to get things packed away and I styled this little faux arrangement today for my coffee table so ya know, small victories 😄🙌🏽

#livingroom #livingroominspo #fauxflowers #coffeetabledecor