Snore rooms: what they are and how to design one

According to the Dreams 2024 Sleep Survey, 51% of us find snoring a nuisance when sharing a bed with a partner. A snore room might be the solution…

Is it finally time that we normalise having a “snore room” in our homes, so we can all get a better night’s sleep? We think so. 

In this blog, we’ll explore what exactly a snore room is, what the benefits are, and how to design your perfect snore room, without it being an eyesore in your home.

Just a mere decade ago, the idea of a separate sleeping room to your partner was considered bizarre. But now, “sleep divorce” is on the rise as more couples resort to creating snore rooms in their homes to tackle snoring issues. 

The Daily Mail recently reported that “one in 20 owners [say] they have re-mortgaged so they can move to a bigger house or expand their own to have separate bedrooms.” Yes, you read that figure right!

We’ve all been there. You’re just drifting off into a lovely slumber after a long day at the office, only to be interrupted by a deafening snore from your partner. It continues. You toss and turn all night, trying every trick in the book: counting sheep, putting in earplugs, spraying lavender pillow mist, (gently) poking your partner… all whilst they blissfully snooze through the night. You wake up irritated and unrested. Sound familiar?

If you’ve experienced this, you’re not alone. Did you know that on average, us Brits have a ‘disrupted or poor night’s sleep’ around 3.3 times a week? (Dreams’ Sleep Survey 2024). No wonder we’re fed up!

In fact, our survey revealed that 16% of people admitted their sleep struggles are directly because of their partner snoring! Even more interestingly, 24% of our respondents said they sleep better when their partner isn’t in bed. See where we’re going with this?

Here’s what Dreams’ respondents find bothersome about sharing a bed with a partner:

• Snoring 51% 
• Taking up too much space 33% 
• Hogging the duvet 32% 
• Fidgeting too much 28% 
• Too much heat 27% 
• Because their partner rolls over and breathes directly onto them 25% 

It appears that now, in 2024, the nation is much more willing to embrace a new norm in order to get a good night’s sleep. As a society, we are far more health conscious than we were a few years ago, and conversations around the health benefits of sleep are everywhere. Perhaps it’s this greater awareness of sleep hygiene, combined with a more open-minded attitude, that’s pushing us towards switching things up.

• Improved sleep hygiene (say hello to an uninterrupted 8 hours!)
• Increased happiness, thanks to a better night’s sleep 
• More flexibility (you can choose when you do or don’t sleep in your snore room)
• Designing a snore room could actually add value to your house (according to the Financial Times!)

Doesn’t sound all that bad now, does it?

A snore room needn’t be an afterthought or a door that stays firmly shut when you host friends for a dinner party. It’s time to change our perception. Instead of viewing a snore room as strange or unnecessary, let’s rebrand it to what it also is: a luxury solution to a restful night’s sleep for both you and your partner. 

Wondering how to create an aesthetic snore room? Here are our top design tips…

Go your own way with “his and hers” bedrooms

The best part about separate bedrooms? The freedom of design choice. Say goodbye to domestics over the master bedroom being “too girly,” “too masculine,” and “all of your stuff and nothing of mine.” When designing a snore room, you can tailor the design to exactly the liking of the person sleeping in it. “His and hers” bedrooms, if you will. 

For a snore room fit for a princess, opt for an upholstered bed, soft furnishings and pastel colours like dusty rose, duck egg blue, mint green or pale yellow. And when it comes to textiles? The limit does not exist. Think layers of fluffy throws, blankets and as many scatter cushions as your heart desires. Sleeping Beauty approves. 

On the flip side, if you’re in need of design inspiration for a man cave-themed snore room, lean into the darker side. Think masculine colours like brown, forest green or navy, and opt for a sophisticated leather bed frame. Consider other materials such as mahogany, marble and black metal fittings. Style the bed with neutral bed linens and accessories such as throw cushions and bedside lamps in colours to match your walls to complete the suave (yet still cosy) look.

Express your creativity with a bold colour scheme

Designing a snore room from scratch also offers an opportunity to experiment with your style. If you were perhaps too nervous to paint your master suite in a bold colour or a funky patterned wallpaper, now’s your chance to get creative with a statement wall! 

We love a bright and beautiful print on the wall behind the bed in a bedroom. Not only does it add bags of character, but it’s a simple and fairly cost-effective way of transforming a room. 

Snore room, meet store room

Your snoring room can be multifunctional, as well! Make use of your secondary bedroom and install some handy bookshelves or storage cupboards to store away your bits and bobs, like spare bedding. You could even create a whole dressing area for your clothes by adding some built-in wardrobes. 

Tight on floor space? Consider an ottoman bed which allows you to store away your things in the cleverly concealed under-bed area.

Meet in the middle with adjoining rooms

If you have the luxury of designing a new house layout from scratch, or you’re browsing Rightmove, consider a floorplan that includes two bedrooms of equal size (or roughly) that can join via a bathroom. 

This way, you and your partner can have your own space when it comes to bedtime but aren’t restricted to separate parts of the house.

It’s time, as a nation, that we stop sleeping on snore rooms!  They’re not just the answer to our slumber struggles, but they also have incredible health and happiness benefits, offer an excuse to express our creativity when it comes to interior design and may even add value to our houses. 

Not sure you can commit to a snore room just yet but need some quick snore-banishing tips? Why not check out our guide on how to increase sleep compatibility with your partner.