It's a mad, mad world, designed to boost your stress level to stratospheric. When you close the door on all the demands and chaos, you need a chill-out space, a room that's all about relaxing. Commandeer the guest room, a corner of the attic, an alcove in the family room or bedroom, the empty triangle under the stairs to serve as your recharge and regenerate space where "Peace out" is the order of the day.
Harmonic Convergence
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Sink-into-it color and furniture combine to ease your racing mind and slow your breathing. Cool spectrum hues are calming, so consider soft blues or grays for the walls -- the colors of pale cloudless skies or drifting smoke. Sometimes no color at all is enough visual stimulation for your screen-besieged eyes and scrambled brain. Ivory, cream, off-white, beige, toast and straw are entirely non-intrusive and can help to create a very Zen decor. Limit colors to two or three shades that blend, not contrast, and consider eliminating all or most patterns on window coverings and furniture. Ergonomic and anthropometric furniture is designed for human proportions and safe, comfortable support. You want soft, smooth textures; cushy, stuffed pillows, chairs and mattresses; easy seating and reclining options. That could mean a daybed, chaise, reading chair and ottoman, beanbags, or even a hammock.
Go to the Garden
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Green plants refresh the air and your soul. Give yourself a stress-reducing walk in the garden in your sparsely decorated room. Potted bamboo rustles softly in the corner in the breeze from an overhead fan. Tabletop ferns, bonsai and orchids are low-maintenance and graceful. A framed picture of a scene from nature might transport you to the high desert or that liminal space where a crystal-clear lagoon laps a white sand beach. Increase the cozy factor as you enjoy your dream environment with soft throws to snuggle into and both foam and down pillows to support and pamper your tired bones. Keep a small stack of inspirational and self-help books on hand and consider adding a meditation altar to encourage deep breathing and focus.
Lights, Climate, Inaction
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Lighting sets the scene and your relaxing room is a kind of theater, so pay close attention to illumination. Natural daylight is best -- if your room gets harsh glare at anytime during the day, loose-woven curtains or adjustable wooden slat blinds allow you to control the light. Test dimmable light bulbs to find the color and wattage that create beautiful soft light in the space, based on color choices for paint and furnishings. Low, green light triggers the release of dopamine, a soothing feel-good neurotransmitter in your brain. Ambient light should come from several sources, ideally, no overhead lighting. Candles, safely housed in chimneys, can be mesmerizing and calming. Room temperature in the vicinity of 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit is best for relaxing and sleeping for most people. Those temperatures allow your body heat to gently dissipate, and promote healthy sleep.
Smells and Sounds Divine
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Noise is a major stressor, so sound-proof your chill space and invest in a music system to play ambient sounds -- rainfall, water trickling, small waves, birdcalls and peeping frogs -- and New Age instrumental and carefully chosen classical music. Some people love Japanese flute; others prefer traditional shamanic drumming or the low repetition of an Indian drone. A tabletop waterfall fills a room with tranquilizing natural sound. Incense may take you back to your meditation retreat, but be sure it isn't too strong or too smoky. A better choice might be a scented candle or fragrance diffuser. Lavender, vanilla and rose are soothing scents.
Bedroom as Spa
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Sleep in space as sumptuous as a spa. Retreat to your bedroom and sink into simple luxury that will fortify you to re-enter the fray. Keep colors firmly in the relaxed palette and focus your decor attention on the bed. An upholstered headboard contributes to comfortable reading or enjoying a breakfast tray in bed. Pile European square and king-size pillows on a supportive but soft-enough-to-cradle-you mattress -- a mattress topper, featherbed or memory foam pad could upgrade a standard mattress. Invest in Egyptian cotton or washed linen sheets -- both are durable but very soft. A down duvet is lightweight, adjustable insulation -- better than a heavy blanket. Keep all furnishings spare with clean lines and toss a couple of fluffy flokati or sheepskin rugs bedside. Drape silk scarves over nightstand lamps and gather filmy sheer fabric on top and bottom rods over windows to filter the light.