Living Your Space: The Bedroom

By Elisabeth Onuoha

 The Bedroom. This word conjures up a picture of a room and a bed. People with very fertile imagination will go a step further to imagine someone sleeping peacefully on a bed after a hard day’s work or maybe two people getting down to some serious quality time together. Whichever way you may choose to look at it, a bedroom is a room with a bed (of course), and also is part of an apartment. It is a place where you let your hair down and generally relax and chill out after the hustle of the day.

A Simple Bedroom!

Growing up as a child those days, I sometimes imagined what took place in my parents’ bedroom. Mum when she was angry and some times out of control always felt better when she and dad went in to the bedroom and after a few hours mum comes out wearing this huge smile on her face. I grew up with this feeling that all problems between adults were settled with a trip into the bedroom. Yeah! Well not until I became an adult myself and realized that a different kind of ‘war’ also was fought and won in the bedroom as well.

Before writing this piece, I had taken the liberty to do a survey of what people felt about the bedroom. I sent inbox messages to some friends on my list to find out what their ideal bedroom space is like. You will be amazed at the responses I got.. The ladies wanted a good night’s sleep after the day’s chores of running a home and doing school run, a small portion of the ladies wanted quality time with their man (I later found out that these category were either in a serious relationship or just recently married) hmmmm.

The men on being asked what their ideal bedroom space is like immediately said “Liz do not start what you cannot finish o”.  Hey guys no one is starting anything here, I merely asked a simple question which deserved a simple answer! Some of the men will make do with a good mattress on the floor and something on the window, also a chair and a table, a television and radio. A few were particular about color scheme, but they all agreed that a bedroom is for sleeping and doing every other thing in between.

For me a bedroom should reflect the kind of person you are. I remember visiting a friend those days in Festac where I grew up. She took me up to her room which she shared with her mum. It was lunch time and she wanted to offer me something to eat. Before I could say “sweet dreams” my friend reached underneath the bed we were sitting on and pulled out a steaming pot of stew!  My hunger disappeared immediately; I looked at her with a puzzled look on my face I wanted to say something but kept my mouth shut.

As mentioned earlier the bedroom is a reflection of the kind of person you are just like your whole apartment and décor also reflects your taste and your personality.

My bedroom is not as big as a football field, but the space is just right for me. I decorated a couple of years back. I wanted a cool pink color on my wall which was to be done in two tones; unfortunately my painter had his own idea which left me with a funny pink wall. I had to get window curtains in brown to do some damage control. Coming home every night for me is cool, I love my bedroom the way it is.

A bedroom should be spacious with very good ventilation. That is one thing I enjoy in my room. The wall should be painted in cool calming colors that are soothing. Colors like a very soft blue, something green, a pale pink, off white, or you could have two shades of colors the options are endless.

It is important to have window curtains that will stand out from the colors on the wall. I love lacy curtains it is famine and romantic. These days there is a wide range of curtains to choose from.

You could also choose to have the floor tiled with an area rug either at the foot of the bed or at both sides of the bed. The bed frame and mattress depends on your preference. Some people would rather have one of those really huge mattresses on the floor and not bother with a bed frame while others will not be caught dead sleeping on a mattress without a bed frame. The choice of a bed sheet and duvet is also relative. People most times do not have time for frivolities; just a mattress on the floor and a sheet over it is cool.

I like a well made bed. Nothing beats that, though most times with the hectic schedule one has to keep up with, am dead to the world before my head even touches the pillow.

The bedroom is never complete without a dressing table. Most times the dressing table comes as a set with the bed frame. It is important to place the dressing table in such a way as to allow the natural light from outside fall on your face while applying your make up.

It is common these days to find a television set complete with DVD in the bedroom. It is also important to have clothes and shoes properly stored and not strewn all over the room. A friend shared her experience with me. She noticed a smell coming from underneath her boyfriend’s bed and decided to investigate, on looking underneath the bed one day with a flash light; she saw a small pile of used boxer shorts! Apparently her man who loved sleeping nude always took off his boxers while in bed and sort of throws it on the floor where it found its way underneath the bed aided by the fan!

We go through our daily life each day with lots of stress, a good part of the day is spent in traffic. Nothing beats coming home to a well apportioned bedroom space. We may not all have state of the art bedrooms, that does not mean that we should not enjoy whatever space we have for a bedroom. Till I come your way next time, do make out time to enjoy your bedroom space either alone or with someone you truly love. Live your space.