In today’s hectic, fast-paced world, home is a refuge from the outside world. It’s a place you can return to at the end of a busy day to relax and recharge. Whether “home” is a one-bedroom apartment, a starter home or the house of your dreams, chances are there’s one room that is your favorite place to spend time.

What makes a room special? “Your home should reflect your style and your personality. Fill it with furniture and accessories that personify you and the things you love,” says Danata Donnerson, marketing communications manager for Tru Vue, a company that specializes in framing glass that protects artwork, photos and other mementos that help personalize a room.

To create an inviting personal retreat, Liz Dreher Howard, FASID, president of Howard Design Grop in Honolulu, says you first have to figure out what you want your retreat to be. Is it a room you’ll go to by yourself to read, meditate or pursue a hobby? Will it be somewhere you can shut the door and be alone, or will it be a place in the middle of the household hubbub where you can pursue your interests while still being with your family? It can be any room in the house, from the bedroom to the living room; or, if space is at a premium, you can carve out a cozy nook in an unused corner.

“Once you know how you will use your retreat and where it will be, you’re ready to put together its parts,” says Howard. That includes furniture and color scheme. For furnishing the room, “look at what you already have,” advises Howard. “See what you can reuse or use in a different way.” When choosing colors, decide if you want a light, airy space or a dark, snuggly feel. Next, add the finishing touches that tie the room together: an area rug, plants, throw pillows. “You have permission to say to heck with styles and rules — it’s your retreat, after all,” says Howard. “Everything will go together by virtue of the fact that you selected it.”

Finally, add accessories that reflect who you are, such as your favorite artwork, family pictures and mementos. A grouping of framed photos can be a fun and interesting way to decorate a wall — mix paintings, vacation snapshots, even framed ticket stubs from a special event. You’ll want to make sure your treasured artwork and photos are properly framed and protected. Conservation glass has been gaining in popularity because of its ability to both block out harmful UV light rays and help preserve images from fading.

“Whether you’re framing something valuable from a monetary standpoint, or something that has sentimental value, if it has color, it will fade if not protected,” says Tru Vue’s Donnerson. The company’s Museum Glass has anti-reflective technology with UV blocking properties. “Ultra violet light is one of the most dangerous elements that your framed art can be exposed to. Its irreversible damage ruins even framed memories by turning them yellow and brittle and making their color less vibrant,” she says.

Another benefit of museum-quality glass is less glare and reflection when you’re looking at the artwork. Anti- reflective glass, proper placement of the artwork and the right lighting can help solve these problems. For example, experts recommend hanging your artwork at the eye level of the average person in the room. If you are hanging the art in a room where more time is spent seated than standing, “eye level” should be lower.

Once you’ve added the finishing touches to your retreat, brew some tea, grab a book and relax.

Tru Vue Museum Glass is available at craft and hobby shops, as well as independent framing stores, throughout the continental United States.

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