What about furniture styles for your bedroom?

It's often reported that the average person spends about one third of his or her life sleeping. But add in other activities and we actually spend much more than that in the bedroom. Shouldn't it, then, be a stylish and comfortable place to be?

Fortunately, thanks to modern materials and designs (not to mention what we sometimes don't like to admit: good marketing), any style imaginable can be delivered.

There's the classical American Colonial look. Descended from the days when a four poster was a bed, not a set of large photos of rock bands on the walls, it is still a great choice. Headboards are elegantly carved from woods such as oak or maple and look spectacular. A cloth canopy with draperies is often added.

Ironically, this style appears as the epitome of the upscale, well-to-do bedroom, yet the designs actually go back to the ordinary merchant of post-Revolutionary days. But whether it's a chest containing a down comforter or a chest of drawers that matches the rest, this style says 'solid American values'.

Asian designs became popular around the turn of the 20th century and continued on to the present. For good reason: they incorporate ancient elegance with modern esthetic ideas of efficiency and minimalism. They also make possible a range of colors that few other choices can encompass. Bright reds, sea greens and the colors of the sun and sky are all part of the Asian palette.

An armoire of slick black lacquer, inlaid with mother of pearl is one possibility. But even a simple jade or ceramic bowl on the dresser used to hold jewelry and coins can add a touch of Asia to the bedroom. That's sexy and stylish, cool and hot. This yin and yang effect of Asian bedding and furniture brings into an intimate area all the exotic and stylish attributes that culture is famous for.

What could be more comfortable than a set of pillows in Mandarin red stuffed with goose down? A throw rug in matching design to keep the feet off that cold hardwood floor is both stylish and practical. That's the Asian way.

In the 1950s Scandinavian, Swedish in particular, became all the rage. That choice remains equally popular today. It's not hard to see why. The simple elegance and clean lines of a Swedish bed frame and chest of drawers performs a double service.

It harkens back to an older style such as that of the Shakers, suggesting simplicity and peaceful living. That's always appreciated in these hectic modern times. But it also is an echo of the high-tech look that dominates computers, stereo designs and much more today. That integrates the bedroom style perfectly with other parts of the house while it provides a place of rest and quiet. The best of all possible worlds!

Whatever style suits your taste, and it could even be an eclectic mixture of many, you'll find modern bedding and bedroom furniture or accent designs available to match. Spending over a third of your life in the bedroom makes spending a little money to make it match you a great investment.