Romance begins at home

(AFP Relax photo)

 
As Heart’s Day arrives, couples scramble for romantic ideas for February 14th.
 
While dinner out at a fancy, candlelit restaurant or a night at a five-star hotel have always been Valentine’s Day staples, a simple, easy-to-put together Valentine’s Day date at home can be just as romantic. (And you will avoid the mad traffic, queues for tables, and the serious dent going out puts in your wallet!)
 
After a romantic dinner sets the mood, make a beeline for the bedroom but make sure it’s dressed up with these V-Day must-haves.
 
1. Look good under proper lighting
Nobody looks attractive under the glare of fluorescent lights. Switch up your bulbs for softer, subtler shades that cast a perfect glow.
 
If you’ve got a dimmer, use it to your advantage and experiment with intensity to come up with just the right shade.
 
Switch off overhead lights and rely, instead, on table lamps and floor lamps to put you in the best possible light.
 
If you’re willing to go the extra mile, think of installing a sophisticated chandelier to make even overhead lighting attractive and sexy.
 
2. Candles set the mood.
No one can deny the instant romance that candles can bring! Light up some aromatherapy candles in patchouli, lavender, or jasmine to spice things up.
 
Dim lighting with several large, three-wick candles can provide the perfect atmosphere for a lovely night spent at home.
 
Mix up tea lights and pillar candles to create more dimension and depth.
 
3. Go for silk or satin on your bed.
Let go of the fuzzy cottons, just for one night. Try rich silk and satin—make sure you have a set you can pull out for special occasions.
 
Valentine’s Day is a perfect excuse to roll around in absolute luxury, after all.
 
Sateen is a less expensive alternative too, in case you’re on a date night budget, but don’t want to scrimp on feeling special.
 
4. The headboard is a turn-on.
If you’ve still got time to rev up your furniture, consider dressing up your headboard.
 
The bed, after all, is the centerpiece of every bedroom and the headboard you use to dress it up can serve as its crown!
 
Think of creating a romantic canopy over your bead, or upholstering your headboard in a luxurious fabric.
 
5. Abandon, tech!
Even for just one night, move out the TV, unplug the wifi and leave all gadgets out the door.
 
Position a basket or a tray right outside your bedroom door and have your phones set to silent and deposited in your technology bin to keep things stress-free inside the bedroom.
 
6. Don’t underestimate the power of clichés.
A massage table can be a surprising element in the bedroom. Paired with essential oils and some relaxing music, it’s a wonderful way to relax and spend time with your partner.
 
Even the most overused clichés—rose petals strewn on the bed and  floor, aromatherapy bed sprays and a bucket for champagne—have their place on Hearts Day!




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Have any home and organizing questions for the author? Email her at chinggaylabrador@yahoo.com


Chinggay Labrador is a freelance writer and stylist, contributing articles on beauty, lifestyle and design to local magazines. Her background in architecture has her profiling trends and homes throughout the region. A travel junkie who likes to frequent Japan and Korea, Chinggay is the former editor-in-chief of Sparkling, a quarterly K-Pop publication and is also the author of “Popped and Popped, Too,” books based on the fun, frivolity and friendship centered on Korean Pop music.





Slideshow: 12 most romantic bedrooms for Valentine's Day

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