Make your bedroom into a place of beauty. - Contributed

When you think of your bedroom, comfort comes first. There is no end to the pampering elements you can add to this room.

This week, we give you several ideas to beautify your bedroom and increase the pleasure of living in this space at home.

The room you sleep in should fit your personality. Whatever decorating style you choose should reflect this. It is also important to include those special touches that make you truly at ease.

The bed is usually the focal point in the room. Before, you might have been in the habit of just throwing some sheets on it and pulling up the spread. But, why don't you indulge yourself? Purchase sheets that come in many fibres and thread counts. The number of threads or square inches shows quality. One hundred and eighty to 200 is standard. Three hundred and fifty means luxury.

Your cotton sheets will soften with washing and add comfort. The choice of cotton also allows the body to breathe. You can mix solid sheets, such as less expensive white, with more costly printed sheets, or purchase pillows with hand-stitched embroidery.

Elegant comforter

Top this off with an elegant comforter set which would include pillows, pillow shams and dust ruffles.

Use colour and pattern to create the mood in your bedroom. Whatever the mood, there is a colour you can choose, whether active, passive or neutral.

Passive or cool colours, however, are usually most ideal for bedroom comfort. These are blues, greens and purples. They pacify, staying in the background to calm and restore depleted spirits. However, if you choose, you can add sunny accents and warmth for contrast.

Spread your patterns around the room or have them clustered or arranged in one area. For example, your comfy bed, covered with an colourful yet elegant comforter will draw the eyes towards it, giving that area of the room prominence.

An area rug is also a good investment. This will also beautify your room, bearing in mind that it can set the palette for the room - enhancing your existing colour scheme or becoming the focal point in the room.

Curtains

Window treatments are also essential in beautifying the bedroom. Gone are the days when the basic rod pockets where good enough for most curtains. To bring beauty to your bedrooms, instead of sliding your curtains or drapes on stretching wire rods or cords - a basic curtain can take on a new-found elegance when hung on decorative rods and finials.

Decorative rods and finials can be purchased at any major outlet. They come in various designs, styles and finishes and will add elegance to the existing bedroom.

Lighting is also essential. Along with general lighting, add a task light which provides illumination for reading. Invest in a reading lamp and, for purely decorative purposes, add some accent lighting to draw attention to the room's most interesting aspect, for example a work of art.

To top it all off, use accessories to pull the room together, whether a mix of collected objects, antiques, contemporary art or personal items.

Information provided by interior decorator Sharon Lowe. Email sharonintdec@yahoo.com.