The bedroom is a safe space used for resting and relaxing. As a result, it is common for people to decorate their bedrooms with their interests and comfort in mind. However, interior designers have found that there are major mistakes homeowners and renters make when decorating their bedrooms: including a TV. Many designers agree that including a TV in your room not only disturbs the aesthetic but also your ability to recover from your daily life surrounded by screens.
Designer Jean Liu suggests, “Why not embrace rest to the fullest by unplugging from as many screens as possible here and have [the bedroom] be a sanctuary for reading or sleeping instead of binge-watching your favorite show?” Other designers agree, saying that the bedroom is simply a space to rest and restore. Designer Emilie Munroe even suggests keeping technology out of the bedroom altogether. Though it is difficult to keep technology out of your room, the benefits for your brain are great. Extra screen time keeps the brain active for a more extended period; by removing the distractions from the screen, you are likely to fall asleep sooner and feel better rested in the morning.
This design principle not only applies to TVs and other electronics but athletic equipment as well. Munroe advises against placing fitness machinery in any bedroom, explaining, “I cannot think of a less calming and relaxing view from the bed than onto a piece of machinery.” While exercise is necessary, and including the equipment to do so in the home is important, designers suggest creating a designated space for fitness. Munroe suggests homeowners and renters opt for placing their spin bikes, rowing machines, and treadmills in a garage, den, media room, or playroom.
Overall, many interior designers can agree that TVs and fitness equipment belong outside of your bedroom. However, placing this technology outside of your bedroom can become tricky when your living space is small. If you have no other place for your television, Designer Elyse Petrella suggests placing it inside an armoire or a cabinet so it is out of sight when not in use. She even recommends using a decorative blanket or sheet to camouflage the TV and workout equipment tastefully. Fortunately, the slim TVs of today can easily be concealed in a sleep space to not disrupt the design of the room and your sleep.
