Any designer worth his or her weight will advise you to first consider the room’s purpose when coming up with a design. You’ll want to think about what the room is for and how people will be using it. And for the most part, the bedroom is all about sleep.

The ideal bedroom will be a beautiful sanctuary that sends soothing vibes as soon as its owners enter.

So, how do you accomplish that?

Fortunately, it’s not so difficult. There’s a lot of room for creativity, but if you follow these basic principles, your bedroom will be a relaxing environment that’s primed to help you get the best night’s rest.

Use basic Feng Shui principles

Feng Shui is a traditional practice that originates in Ancient China, and it’s based on energy flow. The basic idea behind Feng Shui for the bedroom is to allow energy to flow freely around the room. You want to avoid design that will cause energy to stagnate. There’s a lot to learn with Feng Shui, but the basics below will give you enough to get started.

• Position the bed away from the corners of the room, ideally diagonal from the door, so you can see the door while lying in bed
• Avoid furniture with sharp edges that will point towards you while you sleep
• Use a solid headboard and avoid clutter beneath the bed

Choose calming colors

Even if you consider yourself a bold personality, you’re going to want to avoid bold, energizing colors in the bedroom. Since you’re setting the stage for relaxation, the colors in your bedroom should make you feel a sense of tranquility. Lighter colors like light blue, yellow or green work well. Avoid reds, purples and bright yellows as these are energizing colors.

Add plants

In your bedroom sanctuary, plants can help promote relaxation in a few ways. First, they can help clear away any toxins. This is very helpful for anyone with allergies, asthma or trouble breathing. Plants also help absorb noise, so if you live on a noisy street, you may benefit from filling your room with plants. It won’t solve the problem completely, but it will help buffer some of the outside noise. And, lastly, plants are incredibly attractive and add an instant appeal to any room. Just be sure they’re real to get the benefits.

Hang blackout curtains

Blackout curtains or shades can help keep the light out of your room, so you won’t be bothered by morning sunlight while you’re trying to sleep. Darkness is always a good idea when you’re trying to get some rest, and blackout curtains will deliver.

It’s not difficult to design a bedroom that’s perfect for sleep, but there are a few basic principles you’ll want to follow.

As long as you can check off each item on this list, you can design the room to your heart’s content. Just be sure to keep the design elements to a minimum. Less is most definitely more in bedroom design.