1. A Great Mattress

You could have every item on this list but your bedroom wouldn’t be complete without a perfect mattress. After all, if you’re not getting enough quality sleep, you can’t fully appreciate a beautiful room. You want a mattress that keeps you cool and gives you great lumbar support. And of course, one that looks great in your room. Advice from sales consultants say choosing a mattress and foundation-height based not just on your bed frame and headboard, but also the height of your night tables and window sills. A low-profile headboard may call for an 11.5-inch model, while higher window sills make sense with something higher-up, like a 14.5-inch.

On the hunt for a new mattress? Look at objective measures of comparison when making the call: What type of steel is used? What type of foam? Are the coils individually-wrapped, making the bed responsive to your body? And if you’re hesitant to spend a lot on a new mattress, keep this in mind: A high-quality mattress should last 10-15 years. A cheap one? Half that.

2. A Night Table With Comfort Items

Yes, a nightstand with all the necessities looks lovely but that’s not the only reason you see it so often in magazine spreads and on blogs: The combination of a carafe of water, a great book, a plant or flower, and lamp is essentially a kit for pre-, post-, and interrupted-sleep comfort. So as you’re putting your own “kit” together, don’t feel like it has to be stunning to be perfect. The more idiosyncratic and “you” it feels, the better it will work and the more it wlll be a testament to your personal style.

One more note: This photo shows just one nightstand, but for balance, make sure there’s another one with appropriate creature comforts on the other side of the bed.

3. Things Around You That You Love

It doesn’t have to be an entire étagère-full, but a cluster of pieces that make you smile will go a long way, especially in making a bedroom feel just right. Bonus: This is also a great way to incorporate pieces you’ve acquired over the years but can’t quite figure out where to put them. Make sure they’re in your line of sight upon waking up and their true purpose will be revealed: Making you happy.

4. A Calm Environment

The bedroom is about sleeping. What do you need when you’re sleeping? Well certainly not our Iphones, tablets or TV’s. It will keep you up later than necessary and consequently keep your minding churning longer before you can drift off to sleep. It’s hard, especially in an increasingly-connected world, but if you simplify your environment you’ll be happier. Another pointer- make it so possible to keep as much light out of the room for the best sleep.

5. Somewhere to Sit Other Than the Bed

A good spot to sit down will serve you well when you’re reading something you can’t afford to fall asleep during, or need to have a conversation with your partner that’s best not had in bed. Chairs, benches, ottoman’s are great for putting on shoes, or if you are breaking the no-tech rule, you might as well check email from a chair so it at least stays out of your bed.

6. An Attractive Duvet Cover, Comforter and Décor Pillows

How to figure out the number of toss pillows: It should be enough pillows so that your bed looks sumptuous and inviting when properly made...yet not enough that getting in bed requires 10 minutes of excavating. The sweet spot is usually between 1-6, depending on the size of your bed.

7. A Theme

It’s the first thing a child will consider when putting together their first bedroom, but adults tend to shy away from a decorative theme when envisioning their bedroom. A theme can be not just a unifying device, but a calming one. In this cottage bedroom, stripes are used throughout (even in the motif of the 4-poster bed!) to create a streamlined yet funky touch. Notice how they’re not all the same width, color, or even direction: That’s what keeps it from looking like a bed-in-a-bag.

8. A Comfy Rug to Step On

Nothing can cause you to frown when you first get up (or makes a crabby one worse) like stepping out of the bed onto a cold, hard floor. Do yourself a favor and make sure your first step into the day is cushy and comforting. If you already have carpet in the bedroom but it’s not enough consider layering a smaller rug by the bed.

10. A Little Drama

Even the brightest, most cheerful bedrooms need an element of sexy glamour. This bedroom has them in spades: The moody wall paint, the theatrical chandelier, even an oversized gray headboard does the trick. But notice how clean lines and touches of white keep it from looking like a bordello: That balance is key. Stick with one or two pieces and you'll be golden. Maybe try a flameless candle from Bennett’s?