Making your space optimal for intimacy.
When the heat of the moment leads you to the bedroom, that change in scenery should improve your intimacy — but the space where the magic happens isn’t always quite so magical. The bed frame that creeks even when you’re just sleeping and the sheets that overheat when more than one person is under them do nothing good for your sex life. Luckily, these factors are easy to fix.
You don’t have to transform your bedroom into a bonafide pleasure den to make it more amenable to intimate moments. These key changes make for a more pleasant living experience even on nights when you’re not getting it on — and the ones when you do all the better.
Bed frame
Do: Have a bed frame to begin with — lest you fall into the mattress-on-the-floor cliché.
Don’t: End up with one that squeaks so much it ruins the vibe or shake so much that your downstairs neighbors starts hitting their ceiling with a broom in retaliation. Combat any potential noise by removing the mattress, tighten all the bolts with a screwdriver, and lubricate them a little.
Mattress
Don’t: That old coil mattress can also contribute to the noise effect. Meanwhile, some memory foam mattresses can err on the side of being too squishy, which make it even harder to try that position you’ve been considering. On top of all that, they can trap heat, making things a bit steamier than you’d like.
Do: Find the right balance with a firm hybrid mattress (which contains two types of support for just the right comfort) and consider a topper with a cooling surface if you run warm.
Sheets
Don’t: Sure, ’70s pornos and cheesy honeymoon suites may have associated satin sheets with pure romance, but they’re slippery and much harder to clean than other options.
Do: Stick with something simpler: If you love the crispness of hotel sheets, go for percale, and if you like bedding that’s a little more lived-in, try linen, which has the added bonus of being temperature regulating.
Pillows
Do: Have a firm cushion or two are good on hand — essentially, to be used as support for whatever position you choose. You can buy a wedge pillow specially made for the deed, but a DIY stack is perfectly fine, too.
Don’t: Let worn-out cushions get in the way of your comfort, whether you’re sleeping or having a good romp. Generally, pillows should be replaced every one to two years (yes, really).
Lighting
Do: Lights on or off is a personal decision, but if you’re getting to it at night, a warm-toned bulb will make it easier to fall asleep afterward. That, and it will have a much cozier vibe than your overheads — lamps are your friend.
Don’t: Rely on harsh overheads. No one needs that kind of illumination in their life.
Originally published at https://getmaude.com.
