Styling the Bedroom of Your Dreams

Our bedroom is our sanctuary. More than anywhere else in your home, it’s the place where design can have the most immediate impact on our emotional state, as it’s the last thing we see before we go to sleep at night and the first thing we see when we open our eyes to start the day. And let’s face it – today, your bedroom might also double as an office, a movie theater, or a home gym. So now more than ever, your bedroom design should bring your joy and serenity.

Whether you’re giving your current space a little facelift with some new throw pillows, or starting from scratch with a new bed or headboard, these tips will offer inspiration to help transform your bedroom into the place you can’t wait to be – whether that’s to rest your head at night, work from during the day, or anywhere in between.

Getting Started

Getting Inspired

One of the first steps to consider before diving into the design details is gathering inspiration. Whether you use Pinterest (starting a search with “bedroom ideas” is a helpful jumping-off point) or create your own mood board from your favorite interiors magazines, this will serve as your north star throughout the design process and give you a strong feel for what styles you’re most (and least) drawn to. These decorating ideas will help keep you inspired throughout the process and prevent you from getting stuck or distracted.

Taking Stock & Space Planning

Once you’re feeling inspired, start taking stock of what you already have. This will help dictate which items you keep, and which don’t fit the look you’re going for. Then, you will start to get a rough idea of which items you still need and how that fits within your budget.

Once you’ve created that list of items (maybe you need everything, or maybe it’s just a few throw pillows and some window treatments), be sure to do some space planning to be sure that you’re making the most out of your square footage without feeling overcrowded. Your bedroom layout is just as important as the furniture in it, and the bedroom styling process for a small guest room versus your master bedroom will look very different.

The Bed or Headboard

The bed is the centerpiece and visual focal point of any bedroom, so it’s naturally the easiest place to start. To that end, your first decision is easy: are you in the market for a bed or a headboard? While an upholstered bed is more substantial, you may already have a box spring and instead opt for the more budget-friendly headboard option. The other benefit of a headboard is that it’s not as much of a commitment as a bed – you have more freedom to play with different styles should you want to swap styles with your guest room headboard down the line.

The next things to consider are which frames and fabrics you love. When it comes to frames, maybe you gravitate toward the classically versatile Square Back headboard, or perhaps to something with a little more flair like the luxurious hotel-esque Modern Wingback or glamorous vintage-inspired Art Deco. As for headboard upholstery, you’re mainly deciding between color, solid vs. pattern, and material. If you’re aiming for full-on mid-century modern, a Square Back headboard in Navy Velvet may be your vibe, but as a more-is-more maximalist, perhaps it’s an Art Deco headboard in Leopard.

Once you’ve decided on the bed or headboard, now it’s time to think about bedding and throw pillows. These accents should complement whichever fabric you chose for your bed, and the best part is that they’re relatively easy to switch out should you be in the mood for experimentation. If you’re stuck in choosing colors for your bedding, just keep your inspiration in mind – and remember that you can’t go wrong with a classic white duvet cover that allows your bed or headboard to do the talking.

The Accent Furniture

Two of the most important (and functional) accent pieces are the bedside tables and dressers. When it comes to styling these pieces, it’s a delicate balance to find the right amount of personal touches without feeling cluttered. We love coordinating bedside tables with a vase of fresh flowers, a candle, and a reading lamp or sconce. This leaves just enough space to toss your book or journal before hitting that hay. As for the dresser, we’d treat this as a mini changing area – perfect to hang a mirror above and display your jewelry and perfumes.

One other accent that’s oft-overlooked is the bench at the end of the bed. If you have space, an upholstered bench can serve as the perfect decorative accent to put your shoes on and even hold sneaky storage such as the throw pillows and extra blankets when not in use.

The Walls

With the major pieces of furniture taken care of, time to have a little fun with the walls. Your options aren’t just limited to framed artwork – you can also incorporate floating shelves with your favorite books or plants, a decorative (and multi-purpose) room divider, and/or dramatic window treatments.

With the major pieces of furniture taken care of, time to have a little fun with the walls. Your options aren’t just limited to framed artwork – you can also incorporate floating shelves with your favorite books or plants, a decorative (and multi-purpose) room divider, and/or dramatic window treatments.

Painting your walls in a color that compliments your furniture is a great way to make your bedroom really stand out. You can make use of an HVLP Spray Gun to easily paint the walls of your bedroom.

The Lighting

Finish by perfecting the room’s ambiance. Too much reliance on built-in overhead lighting could detract from the cozy aesthetic you so carefully crafted. If you can, consider installing a dimmer on the overheads. And if not, a pair of vintage table lamps for the bedside tables or a well-placed floor lamp with a soft-hued lightbulb can make all the difference.

A Reminder

This was a lot of guidance and should serve to get you started in styling the bedroom of your dreams. But above all, remember – your bedroom should feel totally, uniquely yours. If it’s a place that brings you joy and is a place where you love spending time, then you’re styled the perfect bedroom, all rules aside.

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