CONTEMPORARY bedrooms, like bathrooms, are now being regarded as refuges from the pressures of everyday life. Colour, texture and indulgence are the cornerstones of contemporary sleep spaces. If your slumber zone isn't the stuff of sweet dreams, now's the time to tackle it with our top tips.

Get creative with colour Vibrant hues of blues, greens, reds and pinks are in keeping with the trend for opulence and glamour, says interior designer, Wendy Doyle. You can introduce a colour hit on a feature wall, and pick it up in cushions, or simply focus on plush fabrics, marrying colour and texture.

Cosy up with carpet

There's very definite evidence of a comeback to carpet, says Keith Hammond, director of Curragh Carpets. He argues that demand for timber flooring has peaked, and that carpet is the clever choice, particularly for bedrooms.

The company's flagship range is luxe pure wool textured loop pile.

Available in neutral shades such as straw and wheat, it costs approximately 50 per sq m.

Bed and bath

Indulgent boudoir bathrooms are all the rage in top international hotels, and it's a look that's taking off in this country. Some homeowners are opting just to put a statement bathtub in the main bedroom while others are completely embracing the open plan bedroom/bathroom trend.

Heads up

Headboards are literally huge. KA International has a range of tall bedheads that can be covered in the latest fabrics, which include taffetas.

Pinks and deep chocolates are modish colours, according to KA general manager, Paula Campbell. Girly gals are loving the pink taffeta with deep buttoning and teaming it with metallic grey footstools.

However, compromising couples are going for the more muted combo of duck egg blue and taupe. For a masculine effect, monochrome materials are available. The headboard can be part of an overall scheme, which generally includes a velvet throw, chair or chaise longue, footstool, Roman blinds or French pleat silk curtains with tiebacks, and cushions.

Spoil yourself with a cool crib

Beds have moved far beyond the functional to incorporate pampering features. The Jensen Supreme Dynamique bed, which will be launched by The Bedroom Studio, Dalkey, at the Interior Design Show in the RDS in May, boasts an in-built massage feature. It has a ventronic climate control system to regulate temperature; an adjustable head and foot; alarm clock and reading light.

Price is on application, but expect it to take a sizeable chunk of your SSIA. A modern four-poster with slimline frames such as those from Habitat, can also put you in an escapist mode. For an organic look, check out the curves on Ikea's round bed.

Make the mattress a priority

"Listen to your body, rather than a salesperson; don't go shopping with preconceived notions and don't compare new products to your existing mattress, " advises Paul Buckley of The Bedroom Studio.

"In a lot of cases, it may be 10 years since someone bought a mattress and there have been a lot of developments since then.

"Traditionally the general consensus was that firm beds were better for your spine and posture and soft beds tended to sag in the middle.

Now you can have a soft filling and comfort layer but still maintain firmness in the spring unit and base in order to give good support, " says Buckley. Many of the better manufacturers will cater for sleeping partners of differing weights, providing mattresses that are firmer on one side than the other. "The only way to know what works and what doesn't, is to take the liedown test. You wouldn't buy a car without test-driving it."

The stuff of dreams

Invest in high thread count bedlinen. If your budget won't stretch to Frette, Paul Costelloe's range for Dunnes Stores is a great budget buy while the Designers' Guild store at Kildare Outlet is also worth checking out.

Streamline your storage

Streamlined storage is the secret of a relaxed but organised bedroom. Separate walkin wardrobes with dedicated storage have become hugely popular. "They can really add to the enjoyment of a bedroom as you can have all your clothes and jewellery laid out, " says Doyle.

Anyone renovating or building should consider providing a walk-in wardrobe alongside an en-suite with twin basins, she recommends. An alternative is to get a carpenter to make floor to ceiling storage, compartmentalised to cater for all your possessions.

Even if you can only squeeze in a standard wardrobe, going for one with a mirrored panel and dressing table nearby can create a mini-version. Watch out too for beds with integral storage such as those by Molteni.

Mirror, mirror

Mirrors are a great way of opening up bijou boudoirs as well as injecting a sense of glamour.

Doyle suggests going for one accent piece . . . scour salvaged yards for characterfilled vintage pieces or paint over the frames of a cheap mirror . . . as well as the basic of a full length mirror for dressing, and other smaller designs. Mirrored screens and deco inspired glass furniture can also star in bedrooms.

Light and easy

Although Eric Jourdan's 'Hyannis Port' desk for Ligne Roset is a covetable piece of kit for homeworkers, Doyle's advice is never to mix business with pleasure, or indeed, sleep.

If you've got a computer in the corner or files on the floor, have a clearout.

USEFUL CONTACTS

The Bedroom Studio, Castle Street, Dalkey, Co Dublin, 01-235 2815; www. bedroomstudio. ie

Curragh Carpets, Newbridge, Co Kildare, 045-431199

Wendy Doyle Interiors, 086-822 0000.

KA International, Jervis Shopping Centre, Dublin 1, 01-878 1066; 17 Rock Hill, Main Street, Blackrock, 01-278 2033; Powerscourt House, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow,01-204 6088; Drawbridge Street, Cork, 021-427 6409; 8 Middle Street, Galway, 091-563 156.

Ligne Roset at Arnotts, Henry Street, Dublin 1, 01-805 0400