The key to waking up refreshed might just be a design refresh for your bedroom. It’s possible to style your space for a better night’s sleep, which is exactly the idea behind the Designed to Dream^® properties created by Sleep Inn^®.

“Designed to Dream is a metaphor for the best sleep experience you can get,” says Kade Wane, director of architecture and design for Choice Hotels. “The décor should work in harmony to put all of your senses in a space that’s conducive to sleep. The overall scheme conveys a sense of relaxion, of restfulness, of tranquility. And to accomplish this, you can look to nature for inspiration.”

We talked to Wane to get an inside look at what makes Sleep Inn’s Designed to Dream rooms so dreamy, and to get the design expert’s advice on how you can bring a similarly soothing and stylish feel into your own home.

Keep It Simple and Cozy

The first step toward a serene state of mind is ensuring your space is clutter-free yet filled with inviting furnishings.

“When we designed our guest rooms, we made sure there was no clutter. The lines are clean and simple,” Wane says. This fresh look contributes to a spa-like atmosphere. “This spa-like feel is carried throughout the hotel—there’s nothing that will overstimulate the senses and interfere with the sense of relaxation.”

Cozy furniture and bedding also play a starring role in building a dream space. “Even the lounge chair we chose for our guest rooms is plush, with a natural texture, to give guests a place to wind down before bedtime and relax,” Wane says. “But an inviting bed is where it has to start. A good mattress is paramount to a good night’s sleep.”

Bring the Outside In

Everything in our Sleep Inn guest rooms was selected to recall nature. This theme runs throughout the hotel, from the nature graphics on the lobby wall to the tiny leaves on your room key.

A key to waking up refreshed, according to Wane, is fostering a connection with nature in your space. If you’re looking for design inspiration, you’ll find nature-inspired elements infused into every Designed to Dream guest room, from the patterns on the bedspread to the photography on the walls. And these elements tend to stand the test of time, remaining in style long after flashy trends have come and gone.

“There’s a theory called biophilic design, which is based on the fact that when people connect with nature, it enhances their health and wellbeing. Things in our guest rooms were selected to convey a sense of nature, and the overall theme feels organic.”

Use Calming Colors

The nature theme is also the foundation for the Designed to Dream color scheme.

“Our accent wall colors are rooted in nature,” says Wane. “There is one that evokes a sky, for example, and one that evokes a forest. This scheme is threaded throughout the hotel.”

As you create your own soothing sanctuary, keep in mind that one of Wane’s top bedroom design tips is to opt for soft, neutral colors over more vibrant hues.

“The color scheme is mightily important to sleep,” Wane says. “When you’re using overstimulating colors in your palette, your brain is not relaxing and getting into sleep mode. We stayed with a neutral palette and selected a nature theme and a warm wood tone.”

All of these core principles work together to create a fresh, timeless look and, most importantly, a peaceful space to help you dream better.