By Lana Torre

When I think of autumn, I think nesting. I so look forward to getting cozy in the house, cooking up a pot of lentil soup, finding my lost furry flip flops, adding a large bowl of polished red apples to my kitchen table, and preparing the super soft flannel sheets for duty.

Since we spend one third of our lives sleeping, the bed and bedroom should take high precedence in your home.

Let’s talk paint. As many designers believe, the bedroom should be a calming place to rest. Using bright, bold colors could conjure up nightmares or screaming matches with your honey. Softened blues and greens are soothing watery colors, and would be perfect choices for your bedroom wall color. Neutral shades of beige, ivory, natural, and sand with trim painted in a soft off white is a good canvas for adding colors in sheets and duvets. I love an all white bedroom, using white, but in different shades, from creamy to whipped creamy [yes, totally different].

Good quality sheets are a must [no exceptions here]. Buy by the thread count, which translates to how many threads are in one square inch. The more threads, the better the sheet, and usually softer too. I am a huge fan of organic sheets, which means the cotton has not been sprayed with insecticide and the fabric has not been synthetically dyed.

Plan to always purchase sheets of greater than a 300 count, and if you really want to indulge, look for 700 or 800 count, and of course, all cotton. A down comforter is a certain pleasure for good sleeping. Buy one with channels to keep the down in place. If you are allergic to down, some have feathers that are washed and washed again to cleanse all the dirt and debris so some people find these tolerable for their allergies. For the ultimate nest, place a down featherbed over the mattress and under the sheets. It is like sleeping in marshmallow fluff.

Keep your bedroom spacious and simple. Try not to overcrowd furniture here. Have plenty of space to make the bed. I think the perfect bedroom should have only a bed and nightstands and everything else stored in a huge master closet.

Think Feng Shui placement. The bed should greet you when you enter the room, but most people find a pleasing layout of centering the bed between two windows.

Window treatments here are a must. Most people find room darkening shades to be the perfect solution to negotiate natural light and privacy. Imagine simple roller shades made of fabric to match the window trim. Blinds that open and close and move up and down are another choice. Plantation shutters look clean and southern and are available in various slat widths and can be mounted inside the window case and outside.

Use muted patterns for duvet covers and comforters. Remember, go Zen. Use natural leaves and vines, and soft florals. Solid colors upon solids will always give your space a classic look, try charcoal greys and cream.

Give yourself and your honey the gift of a good night sleep. Prepare the nest, close your eyes. Sweet Dreams.