As my parents start to move into their home, we are taking things slowly day by day. My Dad is a traumatic brain injury patient with dementia, so creating a relaxing bedroom for him was important. He needs his sleep. I was able to partner with west elm on Instagram to help get his bedding essentials. We’re talking about new sheets, duvet cover, the works! I figured since we got to really start from scratch with his bedroom, share my relaxing bedroom ideas!

In recent years, I am focusing on finding fair trade or responsibly sourced bedding essentials. This is something west elm does well and gives me peace of mind about where and how everything is made. Plus, it ensures you have quality fabrics that will do what they are supposed to! For us, we want bedding that is cooling, fluffy and breathable.

1. Start with a good foundation

A sturdy bed frame and a good mattress are two key relaxing bedroom ideas. You don’t want the bed to feel unstable or shaky when you get in. I’m very impressed with this affordable bed and it was packaged very efficiently! If you purchase it and think parts are missing check the back of the headboard, hehe. We got the Charcoal color and it’s a gorgeous dark gray. This bed is very low to the ground, which is perfect for my Dad.

My whole family sleeps on Leesa mattresses and we got the original foam for my Dad. These mattresses are a great investment in your sleep and your body as a whole. They are supportive, help with any back or tailbone pain and I can’t feel when Johnny moves around in the bed. For my full review of these mattresses, check out this post.

2. Layer In Good Textiles

There are so many options when it comes to sheets nowadays! While I typically love a fresh, pressed cotton sheet, I did something different here. I love this responsibly sourced European flax linen because of its natural texture. I don’t have to worry about wrinkles since it already looks lived in. I got classic white sheets for bed since I love how you can just throw them in the washer with some bleach to get everything out!

If you invest anywhere in your bedroom, I recommend getting great bedding essentials. This means your pillows, mattress, duvet insert, the items that will be with you long term! I got my Dad these cooling down-alternative pillow inserts and they are so fluffy! They look incredible in the pillow cases and not sad or lackluster. Keeping in with that, I got this super fluffy cooling down alternative duvet insert. I love how lightweight it is, so it’s not hard for my Dad to pull on top of his body by himself unlike traditional down, which can be heavy.

I typically love all white bedding, but I couldn’t resist this slate striped duvet cover! It’s simple, streamlined and made of the same responsibly sourced European flax linen. I’ve used west elm bedding since 2016 and am always so impressed with the quality and how well everything holds up. I wash and dry everything at home and never used a dry cleaner!

3. Add Functional Decor

To me, a streamlined room can be extremely relaxing. There isn’t clutter, you can easily make your way around the room and there is a lightness to it. To create a relaxing bedroom for my Dad, we only added what we needed. Yes, we’ll add more decor down the line, but nothing that he won’t actually use.

This black steel nightstand is just the right size for him and his bedside essentials. I got a small lamp so it doesn’t overwhelm the space. My Dad loves when things are cozy, so I added a warm-toned round rug.