So the first thing I notice is the clutter which IMHO is always bad in a bedroom. I like the wardrobe and the dresser under the T.V. if you do not have enough storage for the stuff I see everywhere then that would be the 1st thing I would address.. Bedding usually starts the color scheme so find something you love and then work with that.

Perhaps a soft deep blue (Sherwin Williams Distance is shown below). If you feel it's too dark for whole room, use on a focal wall and paint the rest cream. I would add bamboo blinds if you can or new drapery and lots of wicker baskets for storage. Would remove the white cabinet and add a mirror instead. Remove as much as you can and store in boxes in the cupboard. Layer your bedding - you could use cream and then add pops of color with a quilt and/or pillows. Find the bedding first and then try to find the tone of paint that compliments and add a fun poster for the walls.

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Can the hutch/shelves above the desk be moved? Are the cars staying?

First thing I would do would be painting ALL the wood and the walls in white except one you could ulterly think of making it an accent wall (color). Just pick your color palette and play down the tones and don't forget to pick a nice personal accessory. As I noticed the pink bedroom in front of yours has tiled floor and so I thought maybe you could change that carpet floor too? If so you should definitely go for wood. Good luck! and don't forget to ask us if you need anything :)

Don't paint your furniture. It looks like a nice wood, which will be elegant in a different setting. I'd go for blue and white

https://www.houzz.com/photos/crisp-architects-traditional-bedroom-new-york-phvw-vp~185051

Get a rug and bedding as a place to start with the shade. Get some art. Cheap art is pictures you took yourself, nicely framed. Ikea has some attractive frames. You can be arty or just take great pictures of your friends and family having fun.

Change out the bedding, wall color and put in a great floor rug. Also, if everything can't fit into the amount of storage available, its time to get rid of stuff.

I so agee that you need storage containers and storage baskets to be all the same with name tags on them to add structure and harmony and declutter the room.

This room below is all white and all wood tones with woven woods on windows and printed pillows in a print, stripe, and texture. Simple fan, rattan chairs done natural. Black framed simple pictures. Easy to find bedding and paint a neutral and go brown.

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This wall paper would definitely up the wow factor in the room. Do one wall only behind cabinets then everything else a cream that matches the paper and bedding in a solid that again matches the wall paper, maybe sage green, light gold, pale tan. Find fan or wow light too.

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Clean lines in a pow print on chairs, office chair too, and a solid color taken from the print for the bedding. Concealed storage and wooden 2 inch blinds completes the look.

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Your room has great bones, just needs tweeking.

I like the wood and the wall color. I'd look for cobalt and white bedding with some solid terracotta solid decorative pillows. Buy colored baskets or wicker cubes to store games/DVDs and other things on the bookshelf to tidy it up. Everything will still be easily accessible, but neater.

Get some underbed storage boxes as well - they are great for out-of-season clothes and bulky, seldom-used items. Get some shelves to display your cars on. More concealed storage too. New bedding will work wonders.

The furniture has a very mid-century modern feel. If you're comfortable with that look (which I find super cool) I vote for painting walls a bright white, leaving the furniture unpainted as is (maybe wood polish just for fun and luster) get rid of all clutter, add a fern or two in a pot with a simple graphic with color (orange or blue would be my picks), find simple clean bedding (white with color border, or blue maybe) and keep the car shadow box- it's got a classic futurist look. A few shiny accessories (small silver box on a shelf here, picture frame there) will stand out nicely. Replace desk chair with something cleaner if you can. This will be cheap to do (so if gazing at the white inspires a new idea you won't be out much!) and make things bright and clean. Good luck - it's a very cool space!

What have you done so far....

Agatha Cremona, have you made any changes yet?

Gosh I like it for what it is - a bit mid-century modern, kind of retro! I think I would play up all of that wood with a cool textured grasscloth wallcovering, in a light tan. Then I would attack everything in those shelves, purging and rearranging to make it look less cluttered. Get rid of those hooks - you can display purses on the shelves in a boutique kind of way. Not sure why there are two desk chairs but maybe get one that fits in better. Hang a large piece of artwork over the bed that fits the scale of the room better, and get some calming bedding that all matches. You could also give that bed a more daybed kind of look with bolsters and other throw pillows - perhaps some groovy Jonathan Adler ones like this: https://www.houzz.com/products/jonathan-adler-bargello-zig-zag-in-bargello-pillows-prvw-vr~157179

carlislewoodward, beckyharris and quiciettajane have the right ideas! Keep the midcentury look, don't paint the furniture. If you can't afford to paper like becky suggests, paint walls white. very simple bedding, white duvet with a pop of color in a throw at the end of the bed. If you can't get rid of the carpet, layer something organic and simple over it. Keep everything really simple and clean lines.

I agree with many notes above. In addition, I see lots of stuff piled around but it looks like many empty shelves. Measure the height and depth of the shelves and then buy the pretty storage boxes to fit so "lots" of stuff can go in the labeled boxes on the shelves. If you have Ikea or use their online, look for the boxes that hold magazines. That stack of papers on the desk could be divided up and stored on the shelves in the boxes. Can you move the bed and turn it out into the room. Best would be if you could create a sleeping nook and a separate study area by rearranging some furniture also giveing access to more shelves. I wish we could see the floor plan it would be easier to help. I hope you can show us how it works out for you.

I would completely let a specialty designer like Ginger Gilmour turn this room into a sanctuary of Light with Angels while keeping it practical for use. It takes a step of faith to venture into alternative environments unique unto themselves outside of traditional. off the grid

I would replace carpet with something pale and neutral, ditto the curtains, although a blind might go better. replace bedlinen ( plain white or ivory, matching, would be my choice) and tidy up, that's all. Maybe some large and pale coloured bit of artwork aboce the bed, too. Agree with all the comments about the empty sheves etc. and the good ideas re baskets. Don't paint the furniture; it is pleasingly retro to my eye.

Does anyone else ever wonder why someone that needs URGENT HELP, never replies to the help offered? Do you think they lose the thread and don't have emails set up to received replies?

Quick solution…. Unless you're replacing the rug I would think about painting the walls a lighter shade of the rug colour. The shelving, etc. is retro, which is fine, but a pale wall behind it will give it more definition. Bedding could then be basic white with accents in blue and the furniture colour, which you're stuck with to some extent because of the door. Perhaps you could find a nice printed fabric (retro?) with these colours for cushions and curtains, then add a pop of something vibrant (a piece of art). Definitely look into storage options to keep things tucked away and out of sight. Those shelves offer a lot of opportunity to use fun/trendy matching storage boxes to keep things cleaner visually. Good luck.

What is on the other wall? Can you move the head of the bed there? If you cannot add shelving or a hanging bar to the existing storage unit, get inexpensive free standing shelves to place in them for more storage space. Purge, than use boxes you cover, bins or totes to store your items. Hide it all with curtains made of flat sheets. Make sure to secure the shelving units. I agree with rocksmom47 about everything else.

Sorry, I thought the shelving was a whole unit because of the color.

Biggest need is to get rid of the clutter, buy a new bedspread with colour/texture/pattern and make your bed properly so it looks finished and fresh. Don't hang stuff on wall hooks, get rid of things you aren't using. Might be surprised at how great it all looks with these few changes.

I found this on houzz it looks perfect for your room, [https://www.houzz.com/magazine/room-of-the-day-white-paint-and-gold-polka-dots-save-a-rental-bedroom-stsetivw-vs~48284335?utm_source=Houzz[(https://www.houzz.com/magazine/room-of-the-day-white-paint-and-gold-polka-dots-save-a-rental-bedroom-stsetivw-vs~48284335?utm_source=Houzz&utm_campaign=u1280&utm_medium=email&utm_content=gallery18)

I like quincietta jane's ideas and using bed as a daybed. I wonder if perhaps we are out of your price range? I know I often find people's suggestions expensive, but you can still take the gist of what they are saying. I found West Elm to be expensive, but IKEA often has bedding for $20. I have found cool bed skirts and even daybed covers, along with everything else you can think of in thrift stores. They also have wonderful inexpensive glues nowadays or iron on if you want to go to the fabric store instead. When I have had to cover large windows, I have gone to walmart and gotten their cheapest twin flat sheets, I doubt they are $2.50 anymore but I don't think they are over $5.

Your local Habitat Store often has cheap shelving or cabinets and paint. Just do as the Europeans do and go up. Need to hide the stuff? use fabric on the shelving. Or just take a wall, or part of one and turn it into a closet with curtains or sheets or bamboo, fake is ok, roller shades. Paint can also be gotten on the oops rack of Home Depot and Lowes. If you like an expensive shade you can get a small one then have the opposite store make it up in a less expensive brand using the formula you bring in. $1 store has painting supplies and numerous bins in every color of the rainbow. $5 Store has even more.

The sources are almost as endless as our ideas, you have Craigs list, or your local paper. You just have to have your idea of what you want first. Otherwise you will have a horrible mish mash. Start with the bedding as suggested or the wall color or even the curtains or rug if your love for them is strong and they are imposing.

Good Luck and for heavens sake, tell us you got it all. Thanks

That furniture is awesome. Please don't paint it. Paint the walls, change out the bedding, address the clutter.

biggest dorm room i've ever seen, if that is what this is. don't paint. get a bedside table lamp. matching pillowcases. if those are dvds in original cases, get a leather album for them, and throw away the boxes.

Your biggest bang for the buck is going to come from paint. Your furniture is def retro, so have fun with it. Keep it bright and cheery. If you MUST paint a piece of furniture, choose one item and make it a pop color, like tangerine if you go with blue, or if you prefer a more harmonic blend, an olive or moss if you go with blue. Don't be afraid of color. Whichever colors you choose they must work with your flooring which is why a lot of us have suggested Blue. It also looks like someone collects replica cars? If these are a must keep, I would choose a couple of your most important ones and display, storing the rest away as keepsakes. Repurpose the white shelf.

Hello there. I would suggest you to paint furniture in white, walls in warm gray, some king of sand color for carpet and go nuts with cheerful cushions! Hope you like the idea ;)

rethinking this project, I would vote for simplest answers before painting anything which is a big job. I would try to rearrange the furniture... no cost... and then paint only the orange walls as the orange doesn't help the mid century wood which is very popular now. Then buy nice storage boxes or baskets to fit all the shelves. See how things look when all is nicely organized. Then if still want change can do more painting and go on from there. Since you don't mention a budget I've tried to suggest a step by step approach. I have organized and rearranged many rooms. I wish you were in Philadelphia so I could come by to suggest in person. It is difficult without a floor plan view. Good Luck, do let us all know how things look as you proceed. :-)

Decluttering is absolutely the first step. I would not paint the furniture as it appears to be in good shape. Remove the desk and shelves. Paint the walls a light neutral, use light bedding and get a pop of color in pillows and a piece of art.

DO NOT PAINT that furniture!! That would be a travesty. Instead, play with contrasting colors to enhance the wood. If you absolutely want painted furniture, sell what you have and buy what you want. Someone will appreciate the beautiful pieces as they are. While I think white/cream is an excellent suggestion, go for an accent wall still. I would do the wall behind the desk and headboard. In the spaces of the bookshelf there, find a coordinating wallpaper and apply it (stripes, Moroccan, etc.) Be sure it matches or compliments the other choices you make for bedding. Don't forget to paint the ceiling...!

I like the configuration you have going on, and it looks like it works. Baskets for some of the clutter in a style that goes with the wood and your color scheme would be attractive and useful. Ikea boxes and magazine holders are great! Try The Container Store too. Get some texture in there with seagrass baskets. Be sure to measure first before you go anywhere to shop, particularly for depth. Add a window blind (2") in white/cream. This would be easy to care for and enlarge the space visually. If you can't change out the flooring and have to live with it for the time being, add an area rug... use neutrals and limit the pattern to not take away from color and bedding selections. Maybe clean the carpet first too... Definitely would encourage you to use the storage in the room and purge if necessary. It looks as though there is plenty of space to put things way and display others. I am in agreement with others that suggest the daybed approach to your linens. I would use color and pattern, not too much white so that it contrasts and adds that pop of color. Is there built-in storage under the bed?

I notice white moulding along the floor. I know this is a lot of work, but painting the window and door trim, as well as the back of the door, might also enlarge the space. Would be very cohesive. Be sure to prep the wood to take the paint - no one did that in the house we bought and now its peeling off. >: { Great suggestion to include large art around the bed area, especially above the bed on the now yellow wall. If you have something you like, use it. If you have something else you want, find it, especially if it has meaning to you. Go with the car theme maybe, if those collectibles are staying. Pick up colors from the cars for bedding and accent pieces even. You might try moving the hanging display case to the space above the headboard (right side of the desk shelf). Don't center it, but place it closer to upright shelf, leaving room to add some framed prints or photos. Hang it at a height that people can enjoy the display easily. Stain it to match the wood you have. Or if that can't be done, use the light color, as long as the desk wall is your accent color. In its place, hang a decorative mirror on left side of desk, maybe some personal photos. Use the upper shelves to display, and the lower ones to organize yourself. Definitely choose one chair for the desk portion, and if you need a relaxing chair, try a big bean bag over by the window.

The portion of the angled door wall where the light switch is could be painted with blackboard paint in the matching color and be very useful, for what appears to be a very busy person! If you use the light color same as the walls, get colored chalks to have fun with! If you choose a color, stay lighter - pick something from the bedding. Yes - floor to ceiling (draw the line straight up from moulding to ceiling)! (There is also magnetic paint and/or dries paint, which might be a better option.) I vote to keep the coat hooks, but paint out the wood portion to match (again) and maybe update the hooks. Use this for coats, hats and the like only. Find a place for your bags and purses that will be out of sight. You'll be able to see the rack and appreciate it more. If possible or desired, update the light fixture too. Very easy to do and usually inexpensive (depending on your taste!)

You've got a lot to do - so start now! Keep us updated Agatha and let us see pictures along the way. Good luck and enjoy the process.

There's a lot of good suggestions here, maybe some you've already tried so far. The wood furniture is beautiful but the layout looks like it could be better. Also you have a lot of furniture pieces. If possible, I would suggest removing the shelving unit that wraps around the bed, as it is hard to fill so that it looks neat and keeps well. It also looks uncomfortable.

I would try different layouts with furniture first and declutter. What could work is to turn the bed so that the headboard would be on the yellow wall and not against the corner. Then either wallpaper (yes!) with a funky 1950's style light design or paint the walls with warm white for softness, cool white for crisp. Feature your cars on the walls for pop of color, they could drive around the "headboard" wall! Pick a color from them to use in new beadspread &cushions and curtains or go for fun colors that you enjoy. You could go 1950's, pop art or the beachy indigo/worn jeans/grey linen style, what ever works for you!

If you can remove the rug, fine, if not, just work with what you can do. The grey can be levelled up with other grey toned soft and luxorius fabrics in the bedding/ over all textile scheme.

And finally just curate your new space with what you have, add beautiful & purposeful lightning and a big framed mirror close to door and maybe cool framed posters (or hanged with clippers) for a feature wall. Have fun and enjoy the challenge!

Yes, I agree totally with this note. Hope Agatha will be able to start this way.