Bring A Little Romance To Your Bedroom

Valentine's Day has been and gone, but there's no need to say goodbye to romance - check out these stylish and seductive decorating tips and keep the passion burning all year round.

While we often dress our bedrooms up for Valentine's Day, this usually amounts to a temporary change that would be impractical in the long term - rose petals strewn over the bed might be romantic, but it's hardly the kind of thing you can do every day. If you want to bring a lasting romantic atmosphere to your bedroom, you'll need to think of more fundamental ways to jazz up the space.

This room uses co-ordinated fabrics
for a seductive look

Use fabrics to create a sensual, dramatic feel

Flowing fabric is perfect for creating a sense of drama in a bedroom, so why not replace blinds or curtains with floor-length drapes in a soft, flowing material? If you have a four poster bed, then you can twist and drape a matching fabric around the posts and finials, and even hang a white muslin canopy for a really intimate feel. For a really romantic look, co-ordinate all your fabrics from curtains to bed-dressing to scatter-cushions and throws.

Use furniture to set the scene

If your bedroom furniture has seen better days, maybe it's time to pick a whole new set that will help to set a seductive mood. A four poster bed makes a great focal point, and for an extra sensual touch, a chaise-longue really makes an impact, especially when draped with a silky throw and a few scatter cushions. Bedside tables and occasional tables are useful for placing lamps, plants and ornaments on for a rich, opulent effect, while more functional pieces such as wardrobes and dressing tables can take away from the romantic effect, so it might be worth your while to convert a spare room into a dressing room so you can take full control over the style of the bedroom.

This room makes the most of simple touches

Lighting really makes a difference

No matter how romantic your decor is, the wrong lighting can totally kill the mood, so take your time to plan a lighting scheme. Dimmable switches are a must for main lights, and it's a good idea to have several lighting options, at different levels in the room - think a standard lamp in the corner behind a chaise longue, soft lamps on lamp tables in corners and alcoves, and stylish bedside lights that are bright enough to read by but not so bright that they make the room feel stark. It's worth getting a large bedside table, then placing a granite sheet on top so that you can light candles without damaging the wood.

If you want some more inspiration, check out apartmenttherapy.com's Romantic Bedroom Week feature, which has some really innovative ideas.