Cosmopolitan

You just bought your first home. Congratulations: Youre an adult Now its time to fill it up. But if you were planning to pack up those ratty old beanbag chairs and the bed that awakens you with a morning backache and move them to your new place, we have a few suggestions. Its time for a grown-up upgrade. Heres where to start.

Invest in the important staples

You can scrimp on your mattress because its not something that guests will see, right? Not so fast. A good mattress should be at the top of your list because it affects something more important than the opinions of friends and family: Your health.

"You wouldnt run a marathon or hike a mountain without the right gear. And yet, despite spending a third of our lives sleeping, many of us havent adequately prepared in the bedroom - when it comes to mattresses, that is," said Huffington Post. "You might be tempted to blame your budget for continuing to doze on a less-than-ideal mattress, but considering justa little bit more shut-eyecan help you lose weight, improve your memory and live longer, can you really put a price tag on good sleep? But the wrong mattress - or the mattress thats simply too old - can be the cause of more than that crick in your neck or yourlower back pain. Here are five sneakier ways your mattress affects your sleep -andyour health.

If you just cant bring yourself to spring for that kind of big-ticket item right now, look for opportunities to spread out payments with a zero percent interest deal, which more and more retailers are offering. Go to a place like Rooms to Go and you might be able to get your mattress and a living room set with monthly payments that are right around what you and your honey would pay for a nice lunch.

Measure, measure, measure

Having furniture thats too small or too large for a room can make it function poorly and look "off." Measure ahead of time so you know what to look for. Stores like HomeGoods have stacks of paper measuring sticks laying arouond, but you wont always be that lucky. Measure your space and input everything in your phone, stash a measuring tape in your bag, and you wont have to guess if something will work when youre out shopping.

Dress up the bed

One of the best ways to make a bedroom look pulled together is with a headboard. But many people dont even take a look at options because they assume they will be too expensive. You can get a super chic headboard for a minimal spend if you know where to go. This tufted headboard from Overstock looks like it would cost you about as much as a monthly mortgage payment, but its just 137.

Buy a decent couch

The couch falls squa>Youll hate yourself - and your couch - if you buy super cheap just to get something in the room. And were speaking from experience. Our first cheapie couch purchased online, BTW started falling apart after about a month. Contrast that against what Sothebys-trained home shopping expert Jennifer Litwin, author of Best Furniture Buying Tips Ever, says should be the lifespan of the couch: "The general prognosis isabout 10 to 15 years, she told The Nest. You can scrimp on other, easily replaceable items like side tables and chairs that wont be used often, but when it comes to that couch: Go ahead and splurge a little.

Like and follow influential sites

Speaking of chairs

Just today we learned about this great-looking 43 chair on Amazon that we never would have known about if we werent fans of MyDomaine. And, by fans, we mean we follow them on Facebook. "The midcentury-modern chairs feature velvet upholstering, steel legs, and are available in dusty rose, moss green, gray-green, and teal, to name a few," they said. Theyre sold in a set of two, starting at 85."

Sites like Apartment Therapy and Design Sponge are great places to get interior design ideas, and liking and following a few favorite stores like World Market and HomeGoods and online sites like Wayfair and One Kings Lane is a great way to keep up to date on sales and trends.

Be careful about buying online

When comfort and quality are key, you want to be careful about buying without being able to see, touch, and sit. If you just have to have it, at least you can read what others have to say before producing your credit card. Back to that 43 chair from Amazon: "How do you know if chairs sold on Amazon look and feel as luxe in real life," asked MyDomaine. "Members of the Facebook group purchased the chairs and posted images of the items IRL, confirming that they live up to the hype.Yes, if the long chain of comments, likes, and photos are any indication, this might be one of Amazons best-kept secrets."

Buy some art

Real art, from real actual artists. You can find some surprisingly affordable pieces that will give your home a personal touch. "Collecting art can be an expensive habit, but these days there are plenty of places to get amazing original art for a great price," said POPSUGAR. Like Minted, one of our favorite spots for original art that "discovers talent through ongoing design competitions. Designers submit, the Minted community votes to tell them what to sell, and we end up with seemingly limitless options at super affordable prices," they said.

That doesnt mean you need to give up all your posters although, we adults call them "art prints." Just get them framed nicely. "Luckily, framing has never been easier, now that there are online services like Framebridge," said Refinery29. "And when all else fails, you cant go wrong with the basicIkea RIBBA framesjust make sure the art fits and doesnt slip and slide around when its hanging on the wall."

Dont be afraid to go to IKEA

IKEA is good for more than frames, even though you probably equate grown-up furniture with stuff you dont have to put together yourself. But not everything has to be a permanent fixture when youre just starting out. Concentrating on the big-ticket items may leave limited fuds for available to fill in the rest of your place. Many a new homeowner has hit the big blue-and-yellow warehouse and headed straight for the MALM dresser. Its cheap starting at 54 for a two-drawer version, its functional, and if you have a little bit of creativityor the ability to do some basic research and follow directionsyou can turn it into something that looks far more expensive.

Were also loving this South Shore Cookie 6-Drawer Double Dresser in gray and white from Walmart, which could give you the function in you need in an extra bedroom or guest room with a sleek, modern look. We guarantee your guests will never know where it came fromunless they were savvy enough to purchase on for their own home.

Get a few key housewares

Living like an adult isnt just about what you put stuff on. Its also about the stuff you put on you. Still using the same stiff sheets you bought for your first apartment or ratty towels youd be embarrassed for company to see? "Youll feel more grown-up the second you stop drying off your body with a towel that has a fish in sunglasses on it," said Refinery29."
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Ever notice how you feel especially amorous when youre in a nice hotel with your honey? Everything from the luxury bedding to the clean and orderly nature of the space can add to your desire to get close. You can use some of those ideas as a starting point when creating a sexy bedroom in your own home.

Declutter

The seduction is on. Youre moving toward the bed, locked in an embrace, and thenyou hit the side table and that stack of books and papers tumbles to the ground. Hello, mood killer Decluttering is a recommended strategy throughout the home - one that can lower stress and also keep your home looking neater and cleanerbut it has obvious benefits in the bedroom, like eliminating the possibility that your piles of stuff will interrupt your romantic moment.

Choose the right lighting

Bright lights overhead probably wont make you feel like undressing. Theyre more likely to make you feel like youre being interrogated definitely not sexy. Soft lighting can set the mood, and, even better, install dimmers so you can control the amount of light in the room at all times.

"A lot of men and women grapple with lighting," Ian Kerner, PhD, told Womens Health. "Either its too light or its not enough light for visual stimulation. And according to a recentWomens Healthsurvey, 74 percent of men and 72 percent of women want those lights dimmed during intimate times - but not totally off. The easy solution: a simple dimmer switch."

Be careful with your color choices

"While cool colors are actually better for supporting a good nights sleep, they are are not hot, stimulating colors," said Apartment Therapy. "Aim somewhere in the middle. AVOID red-light district red and go for warm greys, lavender, warm greens, browns, tans, rose if you really want it feminine. Neutral colors rock. Think "spa chic" and raw linen, which is so popular right now. China White is a lovely not too warm white, which goes really well with little warm pops of color in bedding, pillows, rugs, curtains or lampshades."

Make it comfortable

A lumpy bed wont serve anyone well, especially if you have sex on the mind. For the best results, get a mattress that isnt too soft and isnt too firm. A sore back may put an end to your romantic thoughts for the evening, or longer. And dont forget the headboard - for obvious reasons.

Its all about the fabric

"You want to consider all the senses when in the bedroom and softness of touch is a big one," said Apartment Therapy. Think super soft, high-quality bedding, a rug with a soft texture, cushy pillows. Scratchy surfaces are a turnoff in any setting.

Follow the principles of Feng Shui

"Feng shui, often called the art of placement, is an ancient oriental science incorporating astronomy, geography, environment, magnetic fields, physics and natural elements. The Chinese have been using it four thousand years to optimize living and working environments, with an amazing track record of benefits in health, happiness, prosperity and >"The bedroom is especially important in this system, since its the key area of the house where love, intimacy,
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