Is Your Bedroom Ready for Romance?

Did you know that we spend close to a third of our lives in our bedrooms? It's true, and while this may be great news for your sex life, it's also reason to take a close look at the environment you've created in there. Is your bedroom a sanctuary set up for great sex? If not, it may be time to give that boudoir a better-sex makeover.

The ancient Chinese practice of feng shui can be a fantastic tool for improving the sexual energy in your bedroom. The arrangement of items in a room can either invite a sexual partner in or send him the signal to stay away. This weekend, try using the following principles of feng shui to create an erotically charged romantic refuge.

Furniture arrangement: To improve the flow of energy, feng shui dictates that your bed be placed in the area diagonally opposite the entrance to the room, so you can see the door but your toes do not point directly toward it. Similarly, you should never sleep with your head toward the doorway, and never push one side of your bed up against a wall (both sides should be accessible if you want both sides to be occupied!).

Think in twos: Any items that suggest loneliness — a lone flower in a vase, a single nightstand — have no place in the bedroom! Couplings of objects suggest a union; so have two end tables, two candles on the dresser, and avoid photographs or paintings depicting one person or object.

Color: Warm tones like reds, pinks, yellows, and browns encourage passion and intimacy. If you want to heat things up, stay away from cool blues, grays, and black.

Symbolism: Feng shui suggests that women place a red object beside the bed to increase eroticism, while men should keep something made of copper nearby. Copper represents a man's strength and essence and is thought to awaken his erotic spirit.

Simplify: Get rid of distractions — clutter, a television, a computer – and you'll put the focus back on rest, relaxation, and romance.

After you are done with your feng shui exercise, think a little more along the lines of traditional decorating. Is your quilt or sheet set old, stained, or otherwise lacking in sex appeal? Are there pictures of your mother, grandmother, or children in the bedroom? Sure, they might bring a smile to your face, but in the bedroom, they can also put you in a decidedly un-erotic mood. Keep those family photos in an area such as the living room, where you and all your guests can enjoy them, and make your bedroom a sex-only sanctuary.

Along those lines, banish all work-related material! Not only will seeing it stress you out, but it will also keep you from connecting with your partner on an erotic level. Leave your work papers in your home office and den, and replace them with erotica such as Nancy Friday writings to help get you in the mood.

Remember, nothing complements a bedroom better than great sex!