Homes are often characterized as sanctuaries. A home’s interior spaces can provide a respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life no matter what’s going on in the outside world.

Perhaps no space inside a home should be more relaxing than a bedroom. But bedrooms are not impervious to the hectic pace of life unless homeowners make a concerted effort to transform these spaces into relaxing respites. By implementing a variety of strategies, homeowners can ensure bedrooms embody the notion that homes are sanctuaries for their residents.

-- Install new window treatments. Blinds, curtains, shades, and other window treatments come in a variety of styles and colors, ensuring there’s at least one out there that can match an existing design scheme in a bedroom. Window treatments can be utilized to create a cozy vibe in a bedroom, blocking out lights from outside, including natural light from the sun and moon but also street lamps and decorative lights from neighboring properties. This can ensure bedrooms are a peaceful and welcoming respite when homeowners and residents return home each night.

-- Make the room a device-free zone. If escapism is an end goal, then turning a bedroom into a device-free zone is a must. Televisions, tablets and smartphones ensure the distractions and stressors of everyday life are never too far away, so removing these devices from bedrooms can help to establish a more peaceful bedroom environment. In addition, the National Sleep Foundation reports that using devices in a bedroom tends to reduce sleep duration by delaying the time users go to sleep.

-- Reconsider the lighting. Bedroom lighting is another variable that merits consideration when trying to transform the space into a more relaxing room. Ambient lighting can be utilized to create a soft and welcoming atmosphere in the room. Dimmable lights also allow residents to adjust the amount of light depending on the time of day. Lights can be bright when getting dressed in the morning, and then turned down when residents are going to bed and want to unwind before closing their eyes.

-- Clear out clutter. A cluttered bedroom is more than an eyesore. The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners notes that clutter can contribute to anxiety and adversely affect individuals’ ability to sleep and focus. Examine bedrooms to see if there is any unnecessary or overly bulky furnishings that make the spaces feel cramped and cluttered. Remove those items when possible, or consider working with a contractor to expand the room if budget and space allows.

Bedrooms can be respites within the larger sanctuary that homes are meant to be. That’s especially so when residents implement strategies to transform bedrooms into more relaxing spaces.