Natural light can do wonders for our health, including our mental health. It helps us to improve our sleep patterns and circadian rhythm and it helps us destress and be happier. So making the most of the natural light in your bedroom makes a lot of sense.
If you are lucky enough to have a big window or even two windows, you might be wondering about the best furniture arrangement to maximise your benefits.
Even if you have an average-sized window, placing your furniture in the right places can help to bring in as much natural light as possible and help your bedroom to be a serene and relaxing place.
With this guide from Homes Direct 365 you can make decisions based on research rather than opinion.
Bed placement
Your bed is your largest piece of furniture so when coming up with your bedroom renovation, you should always decide on where your bed goes first.
In interior design, the general rule is to place the bed on the wall opposite the door, facing the door. Failing that, it should be on the longest wall of the room.
This can, of course, become more complicated if you have a bathroom door as well as an entrance door. Usually, you would go by the entrance door when deciding your bedroom layout.
Your window placement can have a big impact on whether this is the best place for your bed, however.
If your window is on the opposite wall to your bedroom door, you could either shift the bed to another wall or you could choose to have your bed underneath the window.
Bed underneath window
It is perfectly fine to place your bed under your window. Especially if you have a small bedroom, sometimes the only way to maximise space is to have the bed directly under the window.
The only real downside of doing this is the risk of drafts through the night. Investing in some curtains that will block the drafts is a good idea.
Another potential downside of a bed under a window is the risk of losing some of the natural light. To avoid this, don’t use a high headboard that will block too much of the window.
On the other hand, making your headboard bold can help to make your bed the focal point rather than the window. Choose one with bold patterns or colours that will catch your eye as soon as you walk into the room.
Try to avoid dark, thick curtains if you are worried about losing light. Sheer curtains can help to give you privacy without darkening the room even more or you could also go the whole way and do without curtains altogether.
Visually, a bed underneath a window can look messy. To avoid this, make the arrangement as obviously intentional as possible.
A great way of achieving this is to create a frame around the window and bed. You can do this by adding symmetrical elements to the walls on either side such as sconces, artwork, drapes, or shelving.
Bed between two windows
If you have two windows in your bedroom, this can constrain your bedroom layout a little but they can also be a great opportunity. If they are symmetrical, they can make for the perfect natural frame for your bed.
Place the bed in the centre point between the two windows and this will create a striking focal point for your bedroom.
Symmetry is a tool that every interior designer is familiar with and highlighting the symmetry even further with window dressings, wall art, bedside tables, and lighting will make this a beautiful focal point.
Mirrors
Mirrors are used in interior design as a clever way of maximising light. Placing a full-length mirror near your window will bounce lots of that natural light back into the room to help the space to feel more bright and airy.
This can be particularly useful if you are dealing with a small space. A small bedroom can start to feel dark and cramped very quickly once you start to arrange furniture so maximising the light can help to overcome this.
Alternatively, placing mirrors on the opposite side wall of the room to your mirror can save floor space but also bounce some extra light around the room.
Desk
For many of us, our bedroom is a multifunctional space and a workspace is a common addition to a bedroom layout.
Placing your desk directly under the window will give you a nice view while you’re working and lots of exposure to natural light, which will help to keep you focused and engaged (and not sleepy!).
A desk is also low enough to not block any light from the outside world so it is a good choice for furniture in front of the window.
Dresser
One of the most common pieces of bedroom furniture is the dresser (dressing table). These can often be difficult to place because they are often bulky and blocky so they can make the space feel a little cramped and dark.
Placing your dresser under your window can help to reduce how cramped it makes the bedroom feel. They are generally low enough to not block too much light and the window will serve to distract from the bulkiness of the furniture.
Window seat
This often isn’t possible in a small bedroom, but if you are lucky enough for it, a window seating area can be a lovely addition. It gives you somewhere to sit that isn’t your bed and it can be such a pleasant spot to sit, relax, read, or socialise.
The bottom line
It is easy to get frustrated when updating or creating a bedroom layout because of the constraints of architectural elements like windows but your window can
