LOVE NESTS

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Are you stuck for an idea on how to add romance to your home life? Consider this advice from romance novelist Suzanne Forster: When making the bedroom ready for romance, add a sense of anticipation.

Forster, who trained as a psychologist before penning 20 romance-suspense novels, says your imagination can help you convert a practical bedroom into a fantasy environment that stirs all the senses.

“It’s that anticipation you feel at the beginning of a romance that creates tension,” said the Newport Beach writer, whose latest book is “Hot Chocolate” (1999, Berkeley Jove, $7). “For people who are in long-term relationships, it’s necessary to change the way the bedroom looks to make it more romantic.”

Her suggestions include flowers, music and scented candles--all of which are obvious but often overlooked in a fast-paced schedule.

Don’t stop there. “Buy a new, dramatic bedspread. Try a jungle look or a leopard print to bring out the animal in you. An Oriental screen that can be moved around the room is a good choice. Try undressing behind it.”

Forster also suggests free-standing mirrors or setting up a romantic dinner on a patio or balcony if it adjoins the bedroom.

“In the design of a room, anything Victorian works well. Since that was a time of sexual repression, people had to use their imaginations more,” she said. “Lacy fabrics have a kind of peekaboo effect, and using cream or ivory colors is wonderful. They bring up connotations of brides and wedding nights.”

Beware of red--besides implying passion, it can also mean aggression.

“Black in a bedroom can be very sophisticated and sensual,” Forster said. “There’s an air of mystery about it.”

Comfort is key in the bedroom.

Mindy Neff of Huntington Beach also writes romance novels and has decorated her bedroom with romance in mind.

“I like the idea of a feminine bedroom, because I think a man wants to be invited into a woman’s bedroom,” said Neff, whose next book, “Suddenly a Daddy” (Harlequin American Romance, 1999, $4), will be out in March. “Our whole house is not a masculine one. My husband likes it that way. He’s a contractor, so after a day of being outdoors he likes being somewhere softer and more comfortable.”

The bedroom has a Victorian feel, with soft peach walls, a floral bedspread on the four-poster bed and a large armoire. Behind the bed is a mirrored wall and a fireplace crackles away nearby.

“We remodeled our bedroom and bath eight years ago,” she said. “We made the bedroom larger and added a whirlpool tub built for two, as well as double showers with seats in them.”

Because the master bath is large, they added a hand-carved vanity and mirror to reflect the candlelight she uses for relaxing oil-scented baths.

“I like this room because it touches all the senses. The textures are soft and silky, like skin. I always have scented candles going, so all the different aromas mingle to create a sensuous atmosphere.”

If Neff describes an imaginary romantic modern bedroom in one of her contemporary romances, she includes gauzy curtains around the bed, either hanging from rods or swaged from the ceiling. “See-through fabrics are good, whether they’re gauze or lace,” she said. “Colors should be light and relaxing.”

Shelley Hess of Fullerton writes romantic books on the Internet. Her latest is “Pucker Power: Great Kissers Make Great Lovers” (https: //www.wkpub.com/pucker1.html).

“If you want your dreams to be full of romantic emotions--and who doesn’t want that some of the time?--then having your room reflect feminine touches is essential,” Hess said.

She likes the perfume Shalimar, so she sprinkles the talc of that scent inside her pillowcases when she changes sheets. She also puts talc on top of the bottom sheet at the end of the bed to make her feet feel smoother.

“I use lightly tinted 25-watt and 15-watt bulbs, one light blue and one pale yellow to make my skin look good without makeup,” she said.

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Half of all paperback books sold in U.S. are romance novels. That’s one reason Cynthia Sandler and Sharon Margolis opened their shop, the Hopeless Romantic, five months ago in Huntington Beach.

“We started selling romances and mysteries, and now we sell anything to do with romance,” Margolis said.

The store is arranged as if were a home with an entry, parlor, bedroom-bathroom and dining room.

“To make a bedroom romantic, I would suggest putting hand-painted fans or feather masks on the wall behind the bed,” Margolis said. “They come in lots of different colors, they’re inexpensive and it’s easy to take them down and play with them, if you want to.”

She also suggests Victorian touches, such as a roll-top desk, silver brush and comb set, and perfume bottles in various colors and shapes.

The popularity of the movie “Titanic” has created an interest in parasols made of Battenberg lace. A coat rack in a corner with lace clothes and feather boas adds to the feeling, she said.

“Art Deco is also a good romantic look,” Sandler said. “Bathroom items in frosted glass, silver picture frames and sensuous sculptural candles are good choices.”

The store’s bestselling items are roses, angels and ornate picture frames.