::FEATURE ARTICLES::

Style with Substance

By Vishu Magee

In which room do we spend the most time? Which is typically the least seen by visitors? And which room is most intimately associated with the primal passages of birth, sex, and death?

The answer of course is the bedroom, a space that needs to be as comforting as the womb, utterly safe and private yet playful enough (on a very good day) for a sexy afternoon romp. Three primary activities take place in the bedroom—sleep, sex, and dreams. Let’s see how they can be supported with features designed to be both soothing and sensual.

An overarching theme can guide us here: The hours we spend in the bedroom are
distinctly regenerative. In sleep the body takes its deepest rest. Sex is recreation in every sense of the word. And dreams are the essential means for the psyche to reorder and refresh itself, speaking to us through the language of symbols.

We are speaking now of feminine qualities, and indeed the most restful bedroom will in some way hearken all the way back to the womb. Soft is the key word: soft touch…soft light…and soft, muffled sound. Of all rooms in the house, this is where fabric is most persuasive in its capacity to make us feel warm, nurtured, and cuddled. This is the place for thick, cushy carpet or for romantic, diaphanous drapes on the windows or four-poster. Lots of pillows are perfect, and your choice of sheets, comforters, and bedspreads are the elements that will distinguish your ideal nest from a Motel 6.

Photo © Robert Reck

Three primary activities take place in the bedroom– sleep, sex, and dreams. Support them with design that is both soothing and sensual, and just abit unpredictable.

Copyright 2002
Hacienda Press