Creating Your Comfort Space

Several years ago, a few years into our empty nest phase, I got divorced after nearly 25 years.  This was a complete shock to everyone who knew us, and I felt emotionally bruised.  I had been married virtually my entire adult life and wasn’t even sure who I was without the defining images of wife, mom, and family.  Of course, I was a career woman, traveler, cook, artist, dancer, singer, musician, all the things that shaped me, but in my mind, that wife word always came first when I thought of myself.

I had never lived alone.  I went straight from my father’s house to my husbands, and although I was able to decorate our homes over the years, they were always set up for a family.  So, I found myself trying to find an apartment that could be a reflection of just me. 

Downsizing

I found the perfect small apartment across the street from the beach.  From the time I was a child, the beach had always been my happy place.  I had always wanted to live where I could take morning walks on the shore and hear the ocean at night.  It took several days of searching, but I found a space I could afford.  It was in the perfect area and had great amenities, but it was very small. 

I moved out of a 5-bedroom house with a yard, to a 725 square foot, 1-bedroom apartment and patio.  Boy was that an adjustment!  I took what little bit of furniture could fit into that space and I did my best to make it look new and “me”.  Each item was reimagined into the new place, and once the anchor elements were placed, I was able to fill in the blanks with some key decorative touches to make it special.

Becoming Me

That was my first foray into developing my own decorating style.  That lovely little condo became my “comfort space”, where I loved to hang out alone, and where I enjoyed inviting friends.  It was beautiful, comfortable, and I felt safe.

Fast forward many years.  I’m long remarried, but now I’m embarking on another major life change.  I recently left my career to become a full-time blogger.  On top of that, we sold our home in California and moved to Arizona.  Once again, I’m redefining who I am and re-imagining my home to reflect my new life.  My method to creating my comfort space remains the same.

Here are 6 key steps when creating your comfort space:

Determine what function the space will serve

Will it be your bedroom, a project room, a den? In my case, our bedroom became my comfort space.  It hasn’t always been my bedroom, but it just turned out that way in this home.  I especially love the open airiness during the day, and the warm lighting and cozy fabrics at night.

Decide which furniture pieces you will use to anchor the space

A bedroom must have a bed, and we each have a nightstand.  We also have a long dresser, a high chest of drawers, and a bench at the foot of the bed.

Move furniture into space and place them where they function best

As an example, our bedroom has several windows, and only one long uninterrupted wall.  I could have put the bed on that wall, but there are two smaller windows on a different wall between which the bed fit perfectly.  I chose that wall to anchor our bed, and ultimately the room.

Once the necessities are in place, decide what else you can use to make the space more comfortable

In our room, we had room to place a comfy velvet chair, ottoman, and reading basket.  I placed them near a window opposite the bed.  The seating area makes the entire space seem like a retreat.

Choose fabrics to beautify the room

It’s important to me to have a high-quality duvet and pillow shams that will also coordinate with the window coverings.  I personally love to use floor to ceiling drapes on the windows to help black out the morning light, and to provide the cozy feeling so important in a bedroom. Floor to ceiling drapes make a room look stately.  I also really enjoy having a soft rug under the bed, both for comfort and to visually soften the large expanse of floor.

Add your final touches

Use accessories such as art, incorporate lamps, candles, photos, books, and other items to round out your look and provide more functionality.

I’m so happy with the way our bedroom came together.  I love to just hang out in there.  I enjoy lingering in bed in the mornings, as well as reclining in the chair when reading, or chatting on the phone with friends.  Our room feels like a beautiful resort.  We do plan to make a couple of other small tweaks such as paint and a ceiling fan, but there are other, more pressing, tasks to conquer before we do that.

What are your “must have” items to us when creating your comfort space?  Let me know in the comments.