We spend more time in our bedrooms than any other room, so we should be striving to create a resting, relaxing and revitalising space. Interior designer Rachel Rees gives some expert tips. With the pressures and stresses of modern living and the constant activity that family life can bring, sometimes it's important to escape. In fact, it's vital! We all need a place to chill out and relax but achieving that ideal is not always easy. The emphasis and effort given to interior design today must ensure that we do not compromise on comfort and relaxation, for the sake of style, in our homes. A good interior designer will always assess how a room is to be used. If relaxation is the key element of the design, then that is the feel that should be achieved. Good planning and effective use of colour combined with an appropriate choice of furniture and soft furnishings can create a relaxing space in almost any corner of your home. Your bedroom is the one place where you should be able to shut the door on the world. Ideally, you should be able to enter this room and be able to remove all of the things that remind you of the day's pressures and replace them with things that give you pleasure.
 Photographs of your children should be kept for other rooms - this is your private, escape-the-worries space. And, much as you love them, pictures of your little darlings will not add to the mood of relaxation or romance. Working from home is ideal, but make sure you don't take it to bed with you. If possible keep the office out of your bedroom or hide it with a screen if you are limited on space. Remember that this is a room where we spend one-third of our lives. It should be a space to unwind in. Your bed should be the most important piece of furniture you buy. Spend time shopping for the right bed. Do not feel embarrassed lying on a bed in a store when trying for comfort. The difference between a good and bad night's sleep can depend greatly on the comfort of your bed and should be chosen with the utmost care. A mattress should be replaced at least every seven-10 years. Feng Shui experts believe that the positioning of your bed has a great effect on your well being. As far as possible the bed should be located against a solid wall (inside looking out), with your headboard to your favourable direction. They also believe you should locate your bed sector where there is a good mountain of stars! However large or small a bedroom is, it should be a room concerned with moods. You must be able to fall asleep easily so invest in soft carpeting, scrumptious amounts of soft cushions and fabrics. Choose colours and patterns that you love. Remember that soft colours will create a comforting and restful room. In Feng Shui, beige and cream emulates the earth which governs, amongst others things, marital relationships. Make sure that the lighting is subtle and flattering, as well as practical. Get rid of unwanted or old furniture and arrange the remaining pieces to create a flow with easy access to doors, windows and light switches. Create different zones by clever use of lighting or screens that can be comforting when seeking those private moments. Too often paintings and pictures are hung too high resulting in a rather informal or uncomfortable feel. Group small pictures or paintings together rather than spreading then evenly around the room.
 Soft textures and warm colours can create a gracious ambience in your living space. Blue is not recommended by Feng Shui designers for living rooms because it symbolises your life drowning (a ceiling should never be painted blue). Red is also frowned upon in living rooms as it can symbolise your life being burnt in red-hot flames. Some people may argue that you shouldn't have televisions, electrical goods, pot plants or mirrors in your bedroom. However, we are all individuals and we all have are own way of being able to relax. If television helps you to escape the trials and tribulations of the day then have one in your bedroom. Almost any area, whether small or large, can be transformed into your own personal space with a little thought or imagination. With the stresses and strains of everyday life it's so important to find that space and call it your own. * Rachel Rees is design director of Contemporary & Classic Interior designs Ltd. She can be contacted on (0191) 256-0096 or e-mail rachel@ ccinteriors.freeserve.co.uk | 
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