So far, I have read and written many guides on different interior styles and designs for your home, and I never got away with the fact that a bedroom is the only place that can have its own style and vibe, regardless of what you choose for the rest of the house. In fact, it always acted as a sanctuary for our habits and choices, like a small visual diary keeping our habits tracked. And this is why we must plan and design our bedroom at any cost, because trust me, a good bedroom embodies serenity and the personal style of our own well-being. It is never a bother to decorate or color scheme our bedrooms in harmony with the rest of the house since it is the most intimate part of our lives where we can finally be ourselves. They are the perfect spots to use your favorite color, patterns, or accessories to trigger the most fond memories of your flowing life. Now to figure out where to begin is tricky, but that’s what I am here for. In this article, I am telling you everything from scratch. From planning to designing and making it according to your habits, I have managed to add every single thing here in this article to make it the most worthy guide on the internet on how to decorate a bedroom. Happy designing!
Quick Planning Before Decorating the Bedroom.
The most important part of designing any space is planning layout. It will help to see the best position for furnishings, letting you discover ways to free up space so that you have options to include more things, which you always wanted. It is like you will make the most of it. To make a floor plan, all you need is a graph paper and a pencil. Now, consider every square of the graph to represent a unit of distance in your room. For instance, if you choose to take a scale of 1:10, then 1 cm or inch on your graph paper will represent 20 cm or inch, and so on. You can of course change the scale as per your needs. Now, measure everything using an extended metal tape and include electrical points and even the windows of your bedroom. Once you have done that, it’s time to draw an outline of the room and cut out templates of items like beds, wardrobes, or any other input, that you already have in your room. Make sure that these templates have a similar scale to the floorplan, you decided on earlier. Or you can take colored papers to represent different furnishings, but the scale remains the same. Furthermore, if you have arches, elevation, or sloping ceilings in your bedroom, then subtract the area they are taking from that particular side by simply depicting it as in colored template cuts on the layout. Once this is done, you can do some permutations and combinations to arrange the existing furniture to determine a better space option. And don’t forget to allow doors or wardrobes to open in your room sufficiently. Once you have a suitable plan, it is time to check the style box, which will help you understand how to decorate a bedroom and align it with your preferred vibe.
Checking the Style Box and Decision-Making.
1. Contemporary Style.
Before I delve into the contemporary style, let me first tell you its meaning. It simply means of the same age or era, something which is current. A lot of styles can be contemporary, like Minimalist, Bohemian, Wabi Sabi, or Scandinavian. However, with the internet trends, I have seen that if not a proper style, neutral shades of being or cream with textured linens are hot selling right now.
And, if you are going into proper styles, remember that it is not necessary to pursue the exact style if that’s not what you want. For example, I like the Japanese style, but the lower furniture is not something I prefer. So, I have united Japandi and Minimalism to create a look for my bedroom. You can do the same but please no more than 2 styles must be reunited. Contemporary simply means an influence of other cultures so you have all the freedom to choose among affordable options.
One of the most common styles of contemporary which is easier to rearrange as per your needs is shaker interiors, which is an approach to produce a functional range of furniture and furnishing without decorating much. If you adore simplicity, then you can choose Shaker style in a design sense. Some of the elements for the Shaker style are plain walls, natural fabrics like linen or cotton, natural wood furnishings, minimum floral prints, a soft color scheme, and a simple off-white blind or curtains.
Next, if you are into art or culture too much, then you can choose to have traditional fabrics with the chinoiserie wall coverings to form a classic experience of a contemporary-style bedroom.
2. Traditional Style.
Most people among us find comfort in traditional bedrooms as if there is a familiarity with the past, unwinding our true selves in the cozy place. Traditional bedrooms are like the purist style, which has mixed themes of romanticism, feminine or homespun comfort, and even masculine. The best traditional coordination for a bedroom is through the use of warm colors and detailed layering of soft furnishings in the high ceilings, floor-length windows, and abundant natural light bedrooms.
There is always a pronounced effect of gold color when we talk about traditional-style bedrooms. Some of the clever tricks to decorating a bedroom in such style are using warm gold in a comforting spectrum, plain cream curtains or drapes to add softness, and extra layering of the bed to make it as cozy as possible.
Further, the bed will always have a headboard of soft color padding and scattered cushions to attract attention with bed valance and classic highlighting lights for different areas like dressing tables or sitting areas. On extras, you can always create a French-style bedroom with a careful blend of antique simple furniture, neutral shades, linen press, and simple cream curtaining to soften the hard edge of windows.
3. Tranquil Bedrooms.
Calm, pleasant, and serene are a few words to describe these kinds of bedrooms. The best way to create such spaces is to have peace of mind and then plan how to decorate a bedroom based on what you want for your space. The core of the Tranquil style bedrooms lies in choosing cool and relaxing colors like greens, aquamarines, and neutral creams. If you like to add patterns, then you can do it as well. There is no boldness in this style, rather the soft and smudge designs are key to tranquil bedrooms. As the colors are soft, the detailing through curtains, rugs, and pillows is textured.
These types of bedrooms are often opposite to the traditional and contemporary elements, creating a very individual and restful environment.
For instance, a stylist wrought iron bed with soft furnishings of patterned and textured fabrics, a practical quilt, and floral valance will make the most of the bed area. The people whose rooms are particularly small or have high and shapely ceilings can use this type of style to give a look of designer appeal.
However, make sure you don’t add an exaggerated effect in doing so. The key is to make the bedroom look as comfortable as it can be. Also, I have made a dedicated guide on making your bed comfortable, which will help you in this step.
4. Opulent Style.
If you are looking for lavishly rich bedrooms with a bit of formalism, then you can choose to have an Opulent style. The key to this style is to use rich texture and color with heavy dressing of windows and beds with extra detailing like fringing, lace, or braiding. Now, it is not necessary to always give a look of frill and fussy to the opulent rooms as they must carry a grandeur and elegance in them.
Silk and lace furnishings, antique furniture, detailed bed drapes, and a great pile of pillows are the basic ideas of this style. Now, the most common style used in this type is the Regency style. This style formulates a darker red glaze with a cream base to create a woodgrain paint effect, arched windows with ruched drapes, french doors, slightly frilled bed cushions, and buttoned damask bedspread. The style is luxurious but comfortable at the same time with a more dark feminine touch.
5. Country and Cottage.
If the mellow tones and pines with a lighty atmosphere appeal to you, then this style is for you. The principle behind country and cottage bedroom decor is the welcoming and inviting aura with a softness in the decor. Patchwork quilts, home-spun accessories, pretty wall coverings, and faded or eclectic scheme is combined to create this unique style.
There is a feeling of traditional values, reminiscing the time past as the furnishings are hand-made, painstaking every moment, and pride. To go for modern country-style rooms, you can always choose to have printed fabrics with fresh contrast against warmer and light-painted walls and ceilings.
A country-style room doesn’t appear dusty, but it is more rustic with all these modern color schemes and frills or patterns. The secret to creating such bedroom decoration is using vibrant colors or designs with soft furnishings like contemporary quilts or cover dresses for the bed. You can always choose yellows with tints of blue to accompany coolness in the atmosphere.
Now, that you know some of the possible styles for your bedroom, let’s now focus on how to decorate a bedroom and attain the look. All you have to do is follow the easy step guide and at the end of the article, I will give you a quick layout to choose the best design fit for your bedroom to complete this article.
How to Decorate a Bedroom in No Time?
There are numerous reasons for not opting for a complete makeover for a bedroom as they really are exhausting when it comes to time, budget, and even convenience. So, for those who want a fresh look at minimum time and cost, I am giving you a few ideas for minor alterations that will make a big difference, I promise. All you need to do is a fresh coat of paint, new bed linens, a collection of colorful decorative pillows, and rearranging the furnishings. But to do so, you have to think deeply about the ambiance you would like to achieve and then use lighting, color, and accessories to convert your room into the best fit.
For instance, a pink bedroom with different shades throughout the room and picking fabric prints and comforting duvet covers or sheets subtly. You can always add a comfortable touch to your bed and even different arrangements of pillows can make wonders for executing a minor redecoration of your bedroom.
Now, when you choose to have soft furnishings in accordance with your color scheme, it is significant to add some unique touches to the room through some special finds. Like, you can always add a weathered bedside table or a small chest to hold your reading material while mounting a lamp above your bed if you like bedside reading. Or you can add a small vintage radio if you love listening to music during nighttime and a candlestand with aromatic candles to set a good mood.
If you wish to change things a bit through dramatic fabric use, then adding a backdrop beside your bed is the best idea to give it a romantic sweep. Now if you simply love old-fashioned comfort, which most people do, pair a wooden rocker with the chandelier and sleek Roman blinds to get a modern yet old-fashioned bedroom decor.
One of the most important elements in a quick makeover is sorting out light. Now, light is essentially to create ambiance and you can create a custom lighting plan for your bedroom by just understanding the principles of light. There are three kinds of light- Ambient, Task, and Accent. Let me explain them to you briefly.
Ambient light is generally the overall light of a space. In daylight hours, it is usually the natural light, and in the evening an overhead fixture works. Now, a lot of people choose a boring ambient light source. The best you can do is use an attractive ambient light solution like a romantic chandelier, romantic pendants, or other wall-based lights.
Task lighting shines brightly on specific areas used for work. If you love to read in bed then you can use table lamps or wall-mounted reading lamps. If you have a good dressing table and you love to do your skincare routine in front of it, you can use task lighting here too. It must not be too bright to fool your mind into thinking that it’s daytime but must be enough illuminating.
Accent lights are just spotlights, that highlight a particular feature in your room like artwork, your particular vacation pictures, and even plants. In this option, recessed downlights, spotlights, or uplights are the perfect choice.
The proper lights can create any mood, which you want to have in your bedroom and is the most effective way to lift up the space without making much mess. For people, whose bedrooms are really a jumble, let me give you an entire step guide to give it a complete makeover.
5 Steps to Attaining the Perfect Bedroom Decor.
1. Transforming With Color.
The first step to attaining a perfect bedroom decor is the change of color as it influences eras, seasons, and moods most effectively and quickly. When choosing a wall color, you have to first decide if you want your bedroom to be soothing or stimulating. If you want a stimulating color to help you just to sleep, then you can use vivid red boudoir, dark navy, or French green shades and give an effect with lighting. Or if you wish to have a tranquil side, then use pastels or neutral shades.
Next, if you have a different architectural aspect in your bedroom unlike regular, like it’s unusually large or small or has a slanted ceiling, then there is a scope for visually improving it through color. Like, for small or dark rooms, you can use a brightened light color, and for a large room, use a darker shade to make it more intimate. Similar to this, if your room has higher ceilings, then paint the walls only three-quarters to the ceiling line, giving a cozier atmosphere and if you paint the wall up to the ceiling line, you can make a low ceiling look a little higher.
Since I have already given you style catalogs earlier, you can now choose the optimum color accordingly. Some of the common ideas of a well-coordinated bedroom can be:
- A neutral walled bedroom with a terrific backdrop of textiles with dark fabric quilts and bedspreads. To complete the look, add a modern-black chandelier and dark log wood furnishings.
- If you have a south-facing room, then add sunny yellow walls to add natural warmth and brightness to your bedroom. Add layering through soft fabrics to further make it more comforting.
In addition to this, I am giving you a few color options to use on your walls according to mood.
| Stimulating | Red, Purple, Gold, or Rust |
| Neutral | Brown, Dark Green, Dark Blue, and Beige |
| Soothing | Pale Yellow, Soft Blue, Lavender, and Ivory |
To add more creativity with paint, you can always use a faux finish to add pattern or texture to flat or boring walls through sponging or ragging. Also, amid coloring walls, do not forget the ceilings. If you choose to have the same colors on walls and ceilings, then your room will have a cozy and enclosed feeling. Whereas for something fun and playful, you can always choose murals or penciled patterns on the ceiling.
2. Keeping Peace With Things.
Sometimes, after a long and hectic day, all you need is a clutter-free space offering tranquility, simplicity, and peacefulness. Well, transforming a bedroom into a clutter-free zone is a task because we have so many things to arrange and store. Further to make it more peaceful, some of you might change the use of fabrics or invite more plants to emphasize views.
However, amid all these things, two of the significant things are sometimes left behind- lighting and storage. I will explain storage or furnishing options in the next step. For now, let’s just talk more about adding softness to your room through lights and their affected elements.
If you choose soft and indirect lights, then you will definitely add a more gentle touch to your room. If your room has abundant natural light, sometimes difficult to carry, then you can always add sheers to filter this daylight and provide privacy to your bedrooms.
I see that many people use overhead lighting at extreme and they are tensed by the intensity of light at night. So, for them, I have one quick tip. Add a gentle layer of light through lamps and sconces, which will reduce the rough intensity and will give you a calm atmosphere within. I have already given a quick introduction to lighting in the above section.
To make it more direct, all you need is a primary source of light like a chandelier or wall light (clear white), a soft shade light like a table lamp or overhead lamp also acting as a task light, and a downlight or uplight acting as an accent light which will display an artwork or a plant. Remember that only proper lighting can make your room peaceful but please don’t overdo it.
Before we go on to the next step, let me first give an example of a peaceful bedroom on a neutral palette. Many of you have experimented with the neutral palette look but trust me there is much more to do in the style. It is not dull but rather a decorative palette, which doesn’t limit itself to variations of beige.
To create a perfect neutral palette bedroom, use warm shades like yellow, apricot, pink undertones, or gray and blue to lend coolness. Choose whatever you want. Then, once you choose a perfect bedroom, use lush textures and trims to touch up your space. Don’t be afraid to use voluptuous fringes, plump tassels, or draperies of brighter shades or patterned fabrics, which will lift your space. Finally, finish up with a neutral fabric layering like wool wheat colored carpet or multi-tone bedside runner. For furnishing, you can go for warm white-colored or dark-toned minimalist furniture.
To add more peace and coziness to the space, you can use canopies in the bedroom for your grand bed. This will also make sure that no extra light is reflected in your room, which is overdoing your interior style. Use shades of off-white, beige, tan, or cream to add more color and proper reflection of light to your space. I have made a separate article on the arrangement of pillows and layering of the bed, which will help you to give good layering of soft furnishing of the bedroom to make it cozy.
One excellent idea to give a dramatic touch to your bedroom is using towers of light on either side of your bed, creating a romantic mood. All you need to do is a standing light beam which you can keep on your bedside table and cover it with a woven long shade of natural material. The light will only follow the wall, making your bedroom glow amazing. Make sure that the entire lamp is covered with a particular shade like a vertical column up to your bedroom ceiling to get the desirable effect.
3. Furnishing and Bed-Layering goes hand in hand.
Now the furnishing of your bedroom is solely up to a purpose. If your bedroom is solely for sleeping, then all you need to buy is a good bed (refer to this guide for the best bed frame), an open wardrobe or closet for storing your clothes and personal belongings, and a side table. However, if you have a master bedroom, then you might need a dressing table, a desk with drawers, bedside tables, an armchair, or a sofa.
Built-in furniture is always a good option which can be fitted into odd corners or angles. Before you choose to buy furniture, shop for sizes and shapes to suit your bedroom. By now, you have already chosen a particular design and color scheme. So it is not much to get a good furnishing.
To achieve a cozy cottage bedroom, you can choose stripped or varnished pine wood for furnishing; simply masculine rooms can have cool white melamine or pale blonde ash furnishing; large Victorian homes can include rich polished mahogany and for romantic feminine air, use pastel drag painted wood.
A quick wardrobe and storage solution can be incorporated through high cabinets or headboards with tables. But don’t add too much to it.
Talking about layering, it is the most significant step to add a gentle touch to your bed. Some of the clever layering ideas are-
- Add a layer of fringed or patterned blanket under the bed’s mattress so that the blanket’s fringe is clean and hangs nicely on the bed as a crisp tailored bedskirt.
- Mix the blankets, comforters, bedspreads, duvets, throws, and quilts complementing one another through layering. For instance, use a bedspread or duvet as the main covering, then fold a blanket or quilt at the end, finally finishing the look with a throw. You can always add a bench at the foot of the bed to hold some throws or coverlets, which you are not using.
- Try different pillow arrangements to create a dramatic look for your bedroom. And for extra cosiness add draperies to the bed.
4. Updating the Look.
In most cases, I have seen that there are few things from our past and we are overwhelmed by them. We don’t want them to get departed by us. This might be an antique almirah or even a storage box. So, for the people who don’t want their beloved things to go away, I would suggest you combine vintage and antique elements with modern furnishing for a more up-to-date spirit.
The contrast to the antique elements can go well with the bright and patterned fabrics. Like, you can have handmade quilts and shams, which are cotton-made and reversible, carefully articulated with the satin sheets of Egyptian cotton and the simplest edging of rickrack handled with the old storage box or rustic wood cabinet.
For an old bed, you can always choose to fill it with a modern slipcover headboard, complementing the entire bed. Finally, add a table at the foot of the bed to complete the bed layout. If you don’t want to change anything and leave it as it is, then try a Shabby Chic Interior Design.
For the dead chairs, you can try using floral splash as their seat covering. Similarly, a storage box can have golden or silverish handles to make it look stunning. For instance, you can pair this storage box as the table at the foot of the bed with the vintage lamp, a bedside table, and a modern bed minimalist layering.
5. Finishing Up With Last-Minute Detailing.
In this final step, we are doing last-minute finishing of the bedroom. So far, we have decided on color, furnishing, and other elements of your room. Finally, it’s time when we add plants for your well-being and end your bedroom decor with a few accessories.
The best houseplants you can use for your bedroom are areca palm, button palm, bamboo palm, rubber plant, snakes, and english-ivy. To further decorate your bedroom and infuse your bedroom with your own unique spirit, you can use a personal touch. For instance, if you love needleworking, then you can add an afghan quilt, or you can decorate your walls with your favorite books or vacation pictures. Even a simple floral arrangement can work wonders in your bedroom.
Put some air spray in your bedroom and add bedroom essentials to complete the bedroom decor.
Final Words.
I hope I have told you everything in this bedroom decorating guide. Meanwhile, if you wish to know more things, keep tuned for my next articles, which will revolve around basic queries like how to decorate a bedroom. Besides, it’s the weekend already and I think you must plan to give a new look to our bedroom and feel the change!
Resources.
- Design and Decorate Bedrooms by Lesley Taylor.
- Country Living Easy Transformations: Bedrooms by Janice Easton-Epner.
- Featured Image by Heidi Caillier Design.
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