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wai1016

HELP arranging my bedroom! Should I put my bed in front of the window?

6 years ago

Hello! So our bed is currently on the only big wall without a window. I thought it was the obvious choice, but it has since proven to be a little cumbersome and disrupts the flow of the room. My husband hates how he has too avoid the door to get to his nightstand and his side of the bed. I dislike how when you open the door you don't see the bed. It's not very welcoming. So, we were thinking of moving our bed to a wall with a window.


I've attached pictures from the original listing of the house (ignore the pink walls! I've since painted them greige), which puts the bed in the same location we have it, and some floors plans I drew up. The bed from the original listing was a full size and I'm trying to get a king in there.







Floorplan: The top is the current layout. Purple is bed, blue is nightstand. I'm leaning towards option A, but it puts our bed in front of the window, which I hear is a big no-no. But, I do like how option A gives this nice big open area at the foot of the bed where I can put a small bench and sitting area.


Thoughts?? Has anyone successfully put a bed in front of the window? Will I block too much light??


THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE HELP I APPRECIATE IT SO MUCH!



Comments (27)

  • 6 years ago

    A is the obvious choice because of the closet placement. Question is, do you have a dresser? Also, in B, if person closes to the closet is sleeping, it's a little disturbing to see the door open and you may feel a little uncomfortable. I don't like being able to see people sleep from the hallway.

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    Solution A is the best especially with respect to the windows. Moreover the person near the closet will not be disturbed by its opening! Are your dimensions accurate on your sketch? I feel, compared to your photos, that the bed is disproportionate? What is the size of the room?

  • 6 years ago

    Do you have enough clearance for the dresser in option A?

  • 6 years ago

    What's your weather?

    I never like a bed in front of a window as so much of the year it's cold here and the cold draft from the window onto my head would bother me.

  • 6 years ago

    I like the symmetry of A. With either option, you could do a curtain "headboard". It can look quite elegant if you want it to.


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  • 6 years ago

    A without a doubt you are right about the current position being off. Feng Shui and common sense tells you to orient the bed so that when lying in it, you can see whomever might enter the room. This rule is for office desks too.

    The idea is that you will relax, knowing someone cannot come over your shoulder. Some people have to sit in a restaurant so as to see the front door for the same reason.

    It will also be the most attractive to look at when you enter the room.

    There is nothing wrong with a bed against a window. You need never open that window absent a heat wave as you have two other windows in the room. Draping the window the full width of your headboard is the way to go. If you don't like the look of heavy draperies, you could do sheers with a privacy roll down or up shade behind the sheers. There are probably thousands of pictures on this site of beds against windows for ideas. Go go into Photos and search 'bed in front of window' or some such.

    And know the proportions of your layout don't look correct. I would redo A with the precise measurements.

  • 6 years ago

    Agree with Emily and Romona. The choice of drapes makes a huge difference, to me, on whether the room works or not. It can work very well with drapes behind your headboard to hide the window there or emphasize the window - whatever your preference.

  • PRO
    6 years ago

    I'm not a fan of beds in front of the window. You have plenty of room to move the bed toward the window wall enough so that your husband's nightstand is not competing for space with the door to the room. I frankly prefer not having a bed face the door - a bit more privacy.

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    given the way the door opens into the room on the angled wall, you will not sacrifice privacy.

    more importantly: even hardcore rationalists will tell you that for safety reasons, the bed should face the door.

    personally, I couldn't sleep in a room arranged the way yours is.

    I'm pretty sensitive to watching out as best I can when I am compromised in bed.

    Privacy? leave the door cracked if you want it open. If is is daytime and you are not dressing, what is the need for privacy?

    be safe first.

  • PRO
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I like the bed where it is. It appears that your floor plan drawings are not exactly to scale, as you appear to have more space than they indicate.

    I would change the door swing on your door so that it swings toward the closet rather than toward the nightstand, providing it is in a 45° wall, as in the drawing. Or you could just move the bed further away from the door, as Anglophilia suggests. I also do not like beds in front of windows - that is bad feng shui in my book. You want to be able to look at the windows, not have them at your back. The view of the closet doors is not pretty. I also agree that it is not ideal to have a bed facing the bedroom door.

    It's okay to have a bed between two windows (that's what I have), but best to avoid putting the bed right in front of the window, if that is an option.

    My brother had to put his bed partially in front of one of his windows, and we had to made an upholstered headboard for his bed to keep out the cold, and we live in a very mild climate - rarely below 50°F. A window behind a bed is very difficult to access, and the bed usually interferes with window treatments, unless you only have blinds or shades.

    According to feng shui:

    2. Avoid Door Facing the Bed

    You’ve probably also heard this a thousand times, and some of you may refer to this as the renowned “coffin position”.

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I think the dimensions look off because the bed in the photo is a full and she said she will be putting a king in the room.

    Also, this is a tricky room if you are going purely off of feng shui. Every angle seems wrong for one reason or another because of the angled entrance. So, do whatever you want with it.

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Agree, Emily...I believe her plans are made with a king size bed, too.

    To me, it makes sense to have it facing the window...it just "feels" correct. I think the first photo that Emily posted is perfect. I love a wall of drapes as a backdrop.

    Ramona, I can think of one very legit reason for privacy during the daytime.

  • 6 years ago

    Wal, what other furniture will you have in the bedroom, besides King bed and two nightstands? Chest of drawers? Dresser? Chair? Something else?

    Our bed is in front of the window because otherwise you'd roll over and look right into the bathroom. I love being in front of the window, it's like sleeping in a treehouse. (In winter I have the 3M film on all the windows in the house, they are so leaky. That stuff makes a big difference.) But, we have two windows ganged together, not just one. You can use some creative artwork to make it work.

  • 6 years ago

    Out of all options I like the current setup. I have a blocked window in my guest room for it was the only option but I would not do it by choice. I hate the idea of the door way looking straight onto the bed. I feel uncomfortably exposed not safe all. I also love to sit in bed and look out the windows. I would pull the bed to the left a bit and if being able to see someone enter put a mirror on the wall opposit the bed?

  • 6 years ago

    Looking at the room floorplan again, I changed my mind. Now I think "B" is the way to go:

    If you go with B, you have a long wall for a dresser if you need it and a place for a chair or a lamp. You have visibility from the bed to the door. You still have a window issue but it is easily handled with window treatments on both windows. Both people have access to the nightstands. And I think the idea of changing the door swing on the entry door is a good one.

  • 6 years ago

    Thank you everyone for your wonderful responses! Seems like the bed against the window is quite a personal opinion. I remeasured the room and drew up new plans. Emily is right about why the dimensions look off. The reason why the plans look so different from the pictures is that the bed in the pictures is a full and I'm trying to fit a king in the room. Option A still gives me space for a dresser. I'm just still so torn.

    I want to avoid changing the swing of the door since I looked up how to do it and it seems quite complicated. Our house is from the 30s and the doors are original wood and very heavy.

  • 6 years ago

    I would prefer not to block a window like in option B, but the window placements aren't symmetrical and annoys me. Only one nightstand would be in front of a window

  • 6 years ago

    Totally wrote the wrong response, before...I didn't mean facing the window, I meant against the window. I love that look with a wall of drapes, but that might not work with the style of furniture/bedding you have.

    Anyway, wall of drapes or not it makes sense to me. I am not influenced at all by how it feels to face the door...that's a new one to me.

  • 6 years ago

    If you want symmetry, plan A is your choice. However, A or B allow for dressers along two walls. Also remember window treatments, especially whole wall drapery can mask asymmetry. Personally, I like asymmetry, but not in this case.

    I would go with A and look at the many different alternatives for making this a feature, not a flaw. I will be back with some pics from Houzz.

  • 6 years ago

    look at all these beauties



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  • 6 years ago

    I like waking up to look out the east facing bedroom window. The door is over my shoulder, but I am only in bed to sleep so I would not see somebody entering anyway. My dogs, however, would alert on the sound. I do agree that there is something creeping about soles of feet facing the doorway. That is how the PO had the master bed set up and it just felt wrong. "Coffin position" now explains my aversion. You have a nice room to play with and unless you treasure the view, I agree that a bed under the window should not be a problem.

  • PRO
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    My grandmother always said it was proper for a bed / your feet to face the door or entrance - anyways cool room :)

  • 6 years ago
    Wai, nice diagrams but what are the actual dimensions of that room? I prefer the original layout myself; would avoid putting the bed in front of the window if at all possible. It’s too bad the windows on the opposite wall are off centered! You do appear to have a bit of wiggle room in the original placement and it gives you the most balanced, usable spaceIMO.
  • 4 years ago

    Hi everyone! Thank you so much again for your help and guidance. I thought I should pop in here for a quick update (I just hate when people post a question and never update their resolution!). It took almost 2 years but I'm finally at a good place with the bedroom decor. We ended up putting the bed up against the window because of symmetry and it also opened up a big space at the foot of the bed where we can play with our dog. We also ended up with a queen bed instead of a king. We don't mind the bed in front of the window at all. The bed has a wire headframe and barely blocks the light. We just need to hang some pictures or paintings and I think I can call the bedroom done! Thank you again for all of your wonderful suggestions and advice!




  • 2 years ago

    i like A because it settles the way i would put my room and i like it because i like alot of room in my bedroom

  • last year

    B is your best option in terms of flow of energy in the bedroom. You can see the door and that gives you control of your life. It would be ideal if you could center the bed between the windows, but if you cant, there are ways to balance with art and or a plant. The colour is perfect for a bedroom.