February is the month of LOVE

It’s February, a month that celebrates l’amour! And hand-in-hand with all that is L-O-V-E is the all important ingredient of creating a space that will help spice up your love life.

What do you think when you hear the word sexy? I think of Matthew McConaghy, Will Smith and my husband of course, not always in that order.

But how do you live sexy without packing your things and moving with your besties to New York City? You can start by looking closer to home and checking out the surroundings in your bedroom — the place where you begin and end your day.

‘Sexifying’ Your Bedroom

Who’s kidding who? If done right, the bedroom can be an intrinsically über-sexy space. It’s relaxing, quiet and secretive, a ‘close-the-door-on-the-rat-race-and-noise’ kind of space.

These days ‘sexy’ is an attitude: it’s confident, intelligent and single minded. Most of all, it’s not contrived. Living sexy is a headspace that can be directly affected by your private surroundings. Best of all, it’s guided by individual preferences and moods.

How, then, do you create mood and sexify your space?  Think about the essentials that unconsciously affect your senses: touch, sights, sounds and scents.

Touch

Make your private surroundings relaxing and luxurious with materials that feel good to touch. Smooth leather headboards, warm fur throw pillows, soft silks, and not just good — but great — sheets. Go for the Egyptian cotton, 300 thread count or better.

Sights

Create a clean, uncluttered space strictly for adults. Banish the kids’ stuff and family photos to other rooms. (Keep a few of only you and your beloved, of course.)

Sounds

Spin some sexy tunes, some cool R&B or slow and sultry jazz. (Coincidently, this also helps drown out the screaming children on the other side of the door.) Don’t worry about feeling like a geek. Consider a special iPod speaker system in your bedroom or piping music throughout the house.

Scents

Lighting candles might sound clichéd, but give it a go. Try scents that remind you of your private time: vanilla, lavender, and — dare I say — chocolate. (I’m not sure if there are chocolate scented candles out there, but if there aren’t, well, someone needs to get on that!)

Sexy Room Styles

Is there just one style of sexy room? No way!

Sexy rooms are as individual as the people who occupy them. Have a look in your wardrobe. What do you wear that makes you feel sexy? Let the things you love in your closet guide you in choosing your room style. In fact, sexy can be masculine or feminine; urban or rustic.

Masculine - Think warm grey flannel, leather throw pillows, pinstripe upholstered armchairs, black lacquered furniture, and a sleek and slim wall mounted T.V.

Feminine – Loosen up with a touch of lace, cashmere throw pillows, mirrored furniture, jeweled lampshades, soft white sheers and comfy chaise lounges. Use lots of throw pillows for ultimate comfort!

Urban – Try a smooth black leather bench at the foot of a clean-lined bed (forget the bed skirt), chairs with cool chrome arms, stiletto legged bedside tables, black and white photographs in black frames and lamps with sleek drum shades. Mixtures of dark woods with light fabrics or leather are very Urban sexy!

Rustic – Unwind in antiqued leather, overstuffed down filled armchairs, soft silk duvets, open hearth wood burning fireplaces, warm woolen blankets and sepia- tone photographs.

Most important of all, make sure your bedroom reflects your sexy self. Décor that mirrors your personality and makes your private space relaxing and serene makes it sexy!

Cheers!  Janice