The Goggle Box

After seven years of faithful service, my bedroom television has finally given up on me.  The DVD player no longer works and the picture was terrible (bought before HD so not great to begin with) and so the quest is on to find some new bedroom tech.

Times have evolved greatly in terms of what you can purchase, particularly in terms of size and picture quality.  The typical 19 inch cube like televisions have moved on to larger flat screen versions and the picture quality has improved by leaps and bounds.  From ordinary SDTV we have moved to to HDTV and now, the latest innovation is 4KTV with the likes of the Panasonic Viera range.

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When buying a new television, it is always useful to read to the latest tech blogs and check out the best TVs that you can buy within your budget range.  There are so many different types of television that you can buy, dependent on what you are looking for and the services you want it to provide.

When it comes to buying a television for a bedroom, often, you want it to be a multi tasker.  Are you a gamer?  Are you a Netflix addict?  Will you use it in collaboration with your laptop?  Do you want to connect to the internet?

All of these options can be catered for and given that the price of technology has come down in recent years, the cost of what you want is not going to burden your purse too heavily.

For me, I am a film buff.  I love watching films, either through my Freeview or on DVD.  Netflix will be my next port of call, I can no longer resist its calling.  With this is mind I have gone for a larger television, 32 inches which is the largest that I can have within my space capacities.

HD is a must given the amount of films that I watch and I can only imagine how great some of my old favourites are going to look like on a much larger screen with much better resolution.  Avatar, Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, the Fast & the Furious series; all will be getting a dusting off and a marathon film weekend will be happening soon!

Bedroom Makeovers for Autumn/Winter

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When I get round to sprucing my place up, I often like to start with the bedroom; it's where you start the day, after all, so a beautiful environment to wake up in can only be a good thing! Here's a look at some of this season's trends and ideas for updating your bedroom.

Beds

The bed is a great place to start, especially if yours is feeling a little tired. Most people are aware of the importance of a good night's sleep these days, and a new bed doesn't have to cost the earth. One idea to consider if you're changing colour schemes, leaving you with soft furnishings and other clutter that you don't really want to chuck out, is an ottoman bed. The mattress lifts up to reveal a storage area underneath, useful for extra pillows and the like - or anything else you'd rather not have on public display! Bedstar have a good range with plenty of options in neutral colours.

Colours

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Colour scheme choices are particularly important in the bedroom. For some people, relaxed, calming tones make it easier to get to sleep, while others like a more vibrant palette to help them get going in the morning. Mixing the two doesn't often work! You probably don't want to be redecorating every six months, so it's worth taking a tip from the luxury hotel chains if you're in doubt; neutral, calming tones seem to be most popular with those who run businesses based on keeping sleepy customers happy. You can always jazz the room up with colourful pillows, lampshades and so on. Natural fabrics are always popular; Sainsbury's "Indigo" range, new for autumn, includes bedding and soft furnishings in deep but relaxing blues.

Rustic Schemes

If you fancy a warmer, more rustic scheme, that's another way to go this season while staying fashionable. A couple of items of weathered oak furniture - say a chest of drawers and a nightstand - can look wonderful in a rustic themed bedroom. The Cotswold Company have a nice range of oak storage pieces, including small units that'll fit in an alcove. Tartan is looking like a popular theme this season as well, so a blanket or a few cushions can be deployed to give a splash of colour. Terry's Fabrics have ideas for both bold red tartan styles and more neutral, beige toned versions like "Balmoral Rosso".

Ultimately, the bedroom is perhaps the most personal room in the house, and how you choose to decorate it is down to you; but remember that clean, calm, uncluttered design will generally assist with a better night's sleep, whether you go for bright, "morning-person" colours - or the other way!

*In collaboration with Slap Up Media.