bedroom

The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. (July 2007)

Royal bedroom in the Residenz Palace, Munich, Bavaria

A bedroom is a private room where people usually sleep for the night or relax during the day. About one third of our lives are spent sleeping and most of the time we are asleep, we are sleeping in a bedroom.^[1] To be considered a bedroom the room needs to have a bed. Bedrooms can range from really simple to fairly complex. Other standard furnishings a typical bedroom usually has are, a closet, nightstand, desk, and dresser. Today in richer countries that have houses with multiple bedrooms, a bathroom may be connected to the bedroom. This did not start happening until the mid to late twentieth century. ^[2]

History

Furnishings

Furniture and other items in bedrooms vary greatly, depending on taste and local tradition. For instance, a master bedroom may include a bed of a specific size (double, king or queen-sized); one or more dressers (or perhaps, a wardrobe armoire); a nightstand; one or more closets; and carpeting. Built-in closets are less common in Europe than in North America; thus there is greater use of freestanding wardrobes or armoires in Europe.

An individual’s bedroom is a reflection of one’s personality, as well as social class, and is unique to each person. However there are certain items that are common in most bedrooms. Mattresses and closets are the necessities in a bedroom. Mattresses usually have a bed set to raise the mattress off the ground and it provides some decoration. There are many different types of mattresses, in the 14th century the lower class slept on mattresses that were stuffed with straw. During the 16th century mattresses stuffed with feathers started to gain popularity, with those who could afford them. The common person was doing well if he could buy a mattress after seven years of marriage. ^[3]. In the 18th century cotton and wool started to become more common. The first coil spring mattress wasn’t invented until 1871. ^[4]. Today more expensive mattresses, such as the Sleep Number bed and the Tempurpedic, are becoming more popular for those who can afford them. The Tempurpedic is recommended by medical professionals worldwide.^[5] The Sleep Number bed has become a popular mattress because it allows the individual to adjust the softness or firmness of their mattress to their liking.^[6] With advances in technology the prices also have gone up, a Tempurpedic mattress can cost $1,000 to $4,400^[7] and a Sleep Number bed costs anywhere from $900 to $3,700.^[8] The most common and most purchased mattress is the innerspring mattress.^[9] The variety of choices range from relatively soft to a rather firm mattress. An inner spring mattress can cost from $199 to $1290.^[10] A bedroom may have bunk beds if more than one person share a room. Night stands are also rather popular. They are used to put various items on, such as an alarm clock or a small lamp. Having a television in a bedroom is fairly common as well. 43% of children from ages 3 to 4 have a television in their bedrooms. ^[11] Along with televisions many bedrooms also have computers, video game consoles, which are more popular among teenagers, and a desk to do work. In the late 20th century and early 21st century the bedroom became a more social environment and people started to spend a lot more time in their bedroom than in the past.

Bedding used in northern Europe (especially in Scandinavia) is significantly different from that used in North America and other parts of Europe. In Japan futons are common.

In addition to a bed (or, if shared by two or more children, a bunk bed), a child's bedroom may include a small closet or dressers, a toy box or computer game console, bookcase or other items.

Modern bedrooms

Many houses in America have at least two bedrooms—usually a master bedroom and one or more bedrooms for either the children or guests.

In some jurisdictions there are basic features (such as a closet and a "means of egress") that a room must have in order to legally qualify as a bedroom. In many states, such as Alaska, bedrooms are not required to have closets and must instead meet minimum size requirements.

Closets are a necessity in a bedroom. A closet by definition is a small space used to store things. In a bedroom, a closet is most commonly used for clothes and other small personal items that one may have. Walk in closets are more popular today and vary in size. However, in the past wardrobes have been the most prominent. A wardrobe is a tall rectangular shaped cabinet that clothes can be stored or hung in. Clothes are also kept in a dresser. Typically nicer clothes are kept in the closet because they can be hung up while leisure clothing and undergarments are stored in the dresser.

In buildings with multiple self-contained housing units (e.g., apartments), the number of bedrooms varies widely. While many such units have at least one bedroom—frequently, these units have at least two—some of these units may not have a specific room dedicated for use as a bedroom. (These units may be known by various names, including studio, efficiency, bedsit, and others.)

Sometimes, a master bedroom is connected to a dedicated bathroom, often called an ensuite.

See also

Look up bedroom in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bedrooms

• Cabin (ship)
• Comforter
• Laundry room
• Nursery (room)

References