rue’s guide to designing your ultimate living space

have you ever dreamed of designing your “ultimate living space”, and not had a clue where to start? look no further than #homewithrue, the very clever, newly launched accessible guide to home decor where rue’s editorial director, kelli lamb, asks readers to visualize what a “functional, joyful home” looks like to them and then she goes room by room offering pointers on how to add “beauty in your everyday routines.” home with rue is a compendium of inspirational and accessible ideas to help anyone imagine, plan, and create their dream living space. 

with a huge thanks to kelli lamb and the #homewithrue team, we’re fortunate to be able to share with our community this special behind-the-scenes “preview” of their bedroom chapter, which focuses on self-care. we spend one third of our lives in our bedrooms, so it is a critical room in the home to prioritize making cozy and perfect for recharging. there are so many great tips and insights shared here (below) and throughout home with rue’s exquisite guide, we highly encourage you to check it out.

please enjoy this wonderful excerpt below, and don’t forget to enter our giveaway!

xo,
gaye.

each day begins and ends in the same place: the bedroom. this space can affect your entire day, for better or worse. i had the realization a few years ago—when laundry was piled up on the chair in the corner and my laptop was perched on my nightstand—that i was setting myself up for extra stress. when “tasks” are the last thing you see before drifting off to sleep and the first thing you see when you open your eyes, you never really feel that sense of accomplishment. the bedroom should be relaxing, and the decor you bring into the space can deeply influence how rested you feel.

did you know that a beautiful, tidy bedroom actually can affect our mental health? when i was a moody teenager, my mom got on my case every single morning, insisting that i needed to make my bed. i’d chirp back, “why would i make it if i’m just going to ruin it again in a few hours?” much to my chagrin, she was right. studies show that making the bed each day can spark joy, improve productivity, and lower stress. by kickstarting your day with this simple chore, you’ll feel accomplished and in control, which in turn can encourage a more-structured routine. a clutter-free space leads to a clutter-free mind. yep. turns out making the bed is a bit of a mind game.

when designing a bedroom, think about the elements of your favorite hotel room. there is a comfortable mattress, cozy bedding, and window coverings that block out everything. if you’re like me and love to stay in bed late on the weekends, multiple types of window coverings are a key; just as in a hotel, you can have blackout shades for your most restful sleep and sheer panels to create a bit of ethereal ambiance.

this room should be grounding, allowing you to fully reconnect with yourself and completely recharge.

to maximize the ocean views beyond the sliding barn doors, designer max humphrey chose to “float” this bed in the center of the room. “logistically i would have put the bed on the wall adjacent to the bathroom, where it would fit, but then you’re waking up and looking at a wall instead of waking up and looking at the ocean,” he says. behind, there’s a slim console table with plenty of convenient plugs.

if you’re in a rental and can’t do a thing about your bedroom’s carpeting, it’s no biggie. a small scatter rug at your bedside achieves the same look as a full-size rug and gives your feet a plush landing pad each morning. if you want to make other changes to your rental, like painting a room or swapping out light fixtures, show your landlords an inspiration image! if your landlords can see your vision, they’re more likely to green light the changes.

this bedroom is composed of similar neutral shades, so it feels as if you’re sleeping in a cloud.

for more ideas and insights, click the link below to purchase home with rue.

reprinted from home with rue by kelli lamb. copyright © 2022 by kelli lamb. published by ten speed press, an imprint of random house, a division of penguin random house llc.

link to purchase: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/688465/home-with-rue-by-kelli-lamb-foreword-by-nate-berkus/