When it comes to re-decorating, bedrooms are amongst the easier rooms to makeover.  Kitchens and bathrooms often require gutting, while living rooms and dining rooms often require large furniture purchases.  Bedrooms generally need a fresh coat of paint and some deliciously rich-looking fabrics to look great!  Your boudoir should be your sanctuary and should express you and your style.  Here are some tips for creating your perfect boudoir:

1. Begin at the beginning.  Start with a great mattress.  The quality of your sleep is absolutely paramount to your overall health, so your mattress should be looked upon as a serious investment.  When looking for a good mattress, you should read reviews and be sure to allot yourself adequate time to spend laying on a variety of different brands and styles while at the store.  A good mattress should be both comfortable and supportive.  Personally, I have a Tempur-Pedic.
2. Choose a fabulous headboard.  Your headboard provides a great way to express your esthetic while also serving a function…your headbord will keep your pillows from falling behind your bed during the night!  When I began shopping around for a headboard, I was shocked by many of the prices that I saw.  I knew that I wanted a beautiful and feminine, upholstered and tufted headboard…but NOT for $1800+!  So I decided to check out that most wonderful of websites Overstock to see what they had available.  Look what I was able to purchase for just $399!  I am OBSESSED!
3. Choose the bedding that you love!  If you should come across bedding that you absolutely adore, buy it because you may not find it again.  Feel free to mix and match different fabrics which fall within complementary color schemes.  Below, you will see that I have done this with the fabrics which make up the various accent pillows for my bedding (and by the way…when I say that I did this myself, I mean to say that I took out my credit card and ordered them out of the Pottery Barn catalogue where some professional designer had already done the work of pairing them for me…this is where buying from a nice catalogue or display really pays off)!
4. Pile up the pillows!  This will make your bed look soft and inviting.  In fact, I am leaning back against my pillows as I write this post.
5. Select your paint color AFTER you have chosen your fabric.  I suggest bringing your fabric along with you to the paint store; paint comes in such an overwhelming multitude of shades and it is necessary to hold the fabric up to a number of potential paint chips in order to find the most flattering match.
6. Don’t forget the lighting.  Personally I am a sucker for chandeliers.  Check out this great one that I found on-line at Home Depot for just $199!  I purchased and painted this ceiling medallion in order to cover a hole in the ceiling from the previous lighting fixture.

All in all, by simply changing out your bedding and painting your room you can create a big impact.  Add lighting and a gorgeous headboard and you will be well on your way to creating your own perfect boudoir!