How to Design the Perfect Living Room for Couch Naps
BWS Marketing • February 15, 2022

Is your living room sleepable? Sleep-worthiness is usually a quality we don't consider in living room design - until it's time to host a teenage slumber party or one holiday guest too many. Coming home exhausted and napping on the couch is one of life's great joys, provided your couch is nappable. The coziness of the living room usually focuses on family time and busy activities, but a perfect living room design can also transform into an extra guest bedroom , nap spot, or the perfect place for friends to build a pillow fort for the night.

Believe it or not, it's easy to design your living room to do double-duty as a social space and a spare guest room. Just a few extra sleep-worthy additions cn make your living room design an home theater, a conversation pit, and a dreamy oasis all based on how you draw the curtains.

 

Blackout Curtains in Your Window Treatments

The first technique is a trick of the light. Mix blackout curtains your layered window treatments. Incorporate blackout shades between your curtains or hang blackout curtains between your filmy and decorative layers of drapes. Being able to draw the shades and block out the sunshine is essential for anyone trying to get a good night's sleep in your living room. As a bonus, blackout curtains also make your living room a better home theater during family entertainment time.

 

Layered and Dimmer-Switch Lights

Everyone likes their own light level when they sleep. Some people like pitch darkness while some can't drift off without a soft nightlight glow. Design your living room lighting for versatility with layered lights and a handy dimmer switch. Dimming the lights is the perfect setting for both watching movies and winding down for bed. Layered lights also make it possible for someone using you living room as a guest room to set just the right amount of light to relax into sleep.

 

The Right Couch for a Good Nap

Some couches are good guest beds, some aren't. In our experience, the best couch style for sleeping is a long couch with a deep seat and flat-top cushions instead of the usual convex puff. Flat cushions are the key, as they can make a comfy palette wide enough for an average adult. If you have the room and are so inclined, you can opt for a pull-out couch as an alternative. However, guests are often more comfortable on a good napping couch with no bedtime and morning transition hassle.

 

Extra Blankets and Throw Pillows

Don't forget the extra blankets! A couch can become instantly more sleep-worthy with just one throw blanket and a squishy throw pillow. Anyone can catch a nap with a few cozy accessories to curl up with, and these items can quickly become bedding if an extra guest finds themselves staying over. Throws are also a great way to decorate during winter months when every seating arrangement should be warm and cozy.

 

Smart TV with Ambient Settings

The best tech for a sleepable living room is a smart TV with soft ambient settings. Not only can you (or your guest) flip on the TV for music or show streaming at any moment, the ambient features can be essential for good sleep. Ambient TV settings dim the light and play soft sounds, similar to white noise, to help create a relaxing environment. Some smart TVs can even act as alarm clocks in the morning.

 

Insulated Doors or Doorway Curtains

Give your living room a little privacy, especially from noise. If you have doors to the living room, install thicker insulated doors that block sound. This is great for not disturbing the house when watching loud movies - and not being disturbed when catching a living room nap. If you don't have doors with a more open-plan home, consider hanging soundproofing curtains that can be drawn back when the living room is open for family activity.

 

A Deep Plush Rug

Last but not least is a decorative, plush rug. A deep rug pile is essential for a sleepable living room because you never know when a sleepover pillow fort will go under construction - especially if there are children and teens in your home. A deep rug makes even the floor more nap-worthy, not to mention a great opportunity to add a splash of color and design to your floor decor.

 

Is your living room sleepable? With the right mixture of fixtures and an ultimately nap-worthy couch, you can catch a few z's in your living room or use your living room as a spare guest room for friends and family when they come to visit. Contact us today for more great insights on how to make your home a cozy escape.

Expert Advice by Just Blinds

What Your Window Treatment Says About You: A Personality-Based Guide

April 23, 2025
Your selection of window treatment products and services is not merely about getting a job done. Rather, if you look hard enough, you can find direct correlations between the type of person that you are and the window treatment that you select. We have created this personality-based guide to help you best discover what kind of window treatment truly matches your spirit. The Dependable Type: Wooden Blinds You are the person that all of your friends can count on. You are the type of person who truly sticks to your plans when you make them, and you are the type of person who will choose wooden blinds for your home. Privacy is important to you when selecting your blinds, and that is why you find yourself pulled into the idea of putting up wooden blinds. Besides that, they happen to be highly functional, and that's not something that you are willing to pass up either. The Planner: Blackout Curtains Those who value truly getting the most value out of their blinds or anything else that they install in their homes will think very carefully about their options. For those people, going with blackout curtains makes a lot of sense. They want to gain as much value as possible out of their options, and they know that they can significantly improve their quality of sleep and so much more when they opt for blackout curtains. These also happen to be a great option for those who work night shifts or other odd hours and yet still want to enjoy their sleep. They need blackout curtains to help increase the quality of that sleep and allow themselves to get their day started right. The Tech Enthusiast: Smart Shades They roam among us: The type of people who are quick to adopt any new technology and get to work figuring out how it can improve their lives. These people are great because they are not afraid to take a risk and because they help to move our society forward. They simply want to get more out of each day, and they often do so by adopting and using the latest technologies. These individuals will gravitate towards smart shades for the following attributes: Innovation - Who wants to stick with the boring old ways of shading one's house? Smarter options are now available, and you better believe that the tech enthusiasts among us are willing to latch on to them. Efficiency - These shades are a more efficient option for those who care about that kind of thing. They can be easily activated and set up to open or close automatically (how cool is that?!). Progressive - The "cool" factor is a big deal for people who fall into this category as well. They might not admit to it right off the bat, but they care deeply about what others think about them. As such, they want window shades that have that cool factor attached to them. The Dreamer: Sheer Curtains Finally, we land upon the dreamer. This is the person who views every day for the possibilities that it can bring. They are not scared off by those with a negative attitude. If anything, they believe that they can change those people! Instead, the dreamer wants sheer curtains because they bring in soft light, open spaces, and bring about a feeling of possibility all throughout the house. Sheer curtains are the ideal option for someone who classifies themselves in this way. They will receive plenty of compliments on their curtains, and they will appreciate how open they are to the world.  Which kind of person are you and which window treatment option makes the most sense for your personality? For more inspiration and ideas, reach out and contact us today.

5 Unexpected Places Homeowners Are Installing Outdoor Shades

March 13, 2025
We all know and understand the concept of installing outdoor shades on a patio. It is the classic way to create a cool and comfortable space for yourself and your friends to spend some quality time together outdoors. There is nothing wrong with that, but it is limiting to think that the patio is the only part of one's property where outdoor shades are appropriate. There are some surprising and unexpected places where homeowners have taken to installing outdoor shades recently. We want to take a look at some of these to provide you with ideas for your next home improvement project. 1) Balconies Some homes are built quite close together, and some homeowners naturally feel like they would like to do more to protect their privacy. Although their neighbors might not intentionally be looking through their balconies, it is easy for the human eye to drift. Thus, some city-dwelling homeowners have made the choice to install outdoor shades in this area. On top of keeping prying eyes off of your property, outdoor shades also block the sun rays from your balcony as well creating a more comfortable space to spend some time. 2) Outdoor Kitchens One of the most delightful social experiences that someone can have is to invite over a large group of friends for a meal cooked outside. It gives everyone the opportunity to share stories, laughes, and a bit of food all at the same time. Of course, this is best done in an outdoor kitchen. Your outdoor kitchen is a space where you should feel comfortable and have the ability to entertain a large group of people all at the same time. This means looking at installing outdoor shades to provide an extra layer of protection from the heat of the sun. Thus, this has become another area where homeowners are quickly installing outdoor shades. 3) Poolside Lounges Now we are really talking! Who doesn't love to kick back with their favorite cold beverage and spend some time relaxing next to the pool? That is what you can enjoy more completely when you set up a poolside lounge with outdoor shades. Poolside lounges are meant to be a place where you can spend several hours at a time. However, it can get pretty hot while doing so if you don't put some outdoor shades in place. Get those shades up so you can let all of your worries melt away as you take in the smell of pool water and sunscreen. 4) Garden Areas Do you enjoy a little gardening in your downtime? You might like it even more after setting up outdoor shades that protect you from the excessive heat of the sun. Gardening is labor-intensive work and can take several hours of diligent labor to do it properly. However, you don't want to overextend yourself and end up getting physically overworked. Keeping some of the sun away is an excellent way to ensure that you don't overdo it. Just make sure that you check up on the sunlight needs of the various plants that you intend to put into your garden before installing outdoor shades. 5) Exterior Windows Did you know that it is possible to reduce your energy bills by installing outdoor shades? It's true! If you place outdoor shades on the exterior windows of your home, you can reduce the strain placed on your air conditioning by naturally reducing the overall temperature within your living space. This means less money out of your pocket and more money for working on your next project.  There are many interesting places where homeowners are installing outdoor shades these days. For more creative ideas on what you can do with yours, reach out and contact us now.