Decorating Guides
10 Easy Ways to Refresh Your Bedroom
Follow these tips to create the bedroom of your dreams without breaking the bank — or breaking a sweat
We spend roughly a third of our lives in our bedrooms, yet they tend to get short shrift when it comes to remodeling budgets. Fortunately, whether your bedroom is big or small, these 10 relatively easy, inexpensive changes can make a big difference in how it looks and feels — and might even help you get better shut-eye.
2. Rearrange Your Furniture
Do you want your bedroom to look totally different without spending a dime? Simply switch up your furniture arrangement.
Try using a dresser as a nightstand or placing it diagonally in a corner. If you have a gorgeous view, orient the bed or a chair so you can soak it in. Maybe your headboard could go on a different wall. Create a scaled drawing so you can experiment with different layouts before rolling up your sleeves.
There’s no single “right way” to place your bed or dresser. But there are some practical tips worth keeping in mind:
How to Create a Calm and Relaxing Bedroom
Do you want your bedroom to look totally different without spending a dime? Simply switch up your furniture arrangement.
Try using a dresser as a nightstand or placing it diagonally in a corner. If you have a gorgeous view, orient the bed or a chair so you can soak it in. Maybe your headboard could go on a different wall. Create a scaled drawing so you can experiment with different layouts before rolling up your sleeves.
There’s no single “right way” to place your bed or dresser. But there are some practical tips worth keeping in mind:
- For good circulation, allow 2½ to 3 feet of clearance on each side of the bed and at its foot.
- To minimize sleep interruptions, avoid placing the headboard next to the entrance to the room, below a drafty window or on the same wall as your bathroom plumbing.
- Invest in blackout curtains if your bed faces a window (more on window treatments later).
How to Create a Calm and Relaxing Bedroom
3. Restyle Your Bed
The bed is the focal point of a bedroom and usually the largest furniture piece, so updating your bedding will make a big impact on the room’s overall look.
If you have the budget for a total bedding makeover, you can take cues from your favorite hotel and pair a lofty down comforter with a crisp white percale duvet cover and sheets. Or layer different colors, patterns and textures to create a cozy, cottage-y bedscape. If you prefer more streamlined bedding, cover the bed entirely with a single handmade quilt or a coverlet in a gorgeous color and material that makes you smile whenever you walk in the room. But you don’t need to buy all new bedding to refresh your bed’s style. Just adding a cozy throw blanket and coordinating new shams or throw pillows will perk it up.
Whatever your top bedding choice, the foundation should be good-quality, 100% cotton or linen sheets and new pillows. These may not make a big difference in the look of your bedroom, but you’ll appreciate them every time you slip under the covers.
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8 Steps to Finding Your Design Style Using Ideabooks
The bed is the focal point of a bedroom and usually the largest furniture piece, so updating your bedding will make a big impact on the room’s overall look.
If you have the budget for a total bedding makeover, you can take cues from your favorite hotel and pair a lofty down comforter with a crisp white percale duvet cover and sheets. Or layer different colors, patterns and textures to create a cozy, cottage-y bedscape. If you prefer more streamlined bedding, cover the bed entirely with a single handmade quilt or a coverlet in a gorgeous color and material that makes you smile whenever you walk in the room. But you don’t need to buy all new bedding to refresh your bed’s style. Just adding a cozy throw blanket and coordinating new shams or throw pillows will perk it up.
Whatever your top bedding choice, the foundation should be good-quality, 100% cotton or linen sheets and new pillows. These may not make a big difference in the look of your bedroom, but you’ll appreciate them every time you slip under the covers.
10 Bedroom Design Features Pros Always Recommend
8 Steps to Finding Your Design Style Using Ideabooks
4. Be Strategic With Artwork and Mirrors
The artwork in your bedroom should reinforce the mood you want to set. Soft and cool colors, gentle abstract shapes, repetitive patterns and natural themes like seascapes and landscapes are all good choices if you’re aiming to create a sense of tranquillity. Many experts recommend avoiding artwork with bright colors and busy patterns if you struggle with falling asleep.
You don’t need to buy new art if you simply want a new look — you can rearrange your current pieces, cluster them gallery-style or reduce the number to allow for more breathing room on your walls.
Adding a mirror can be a budget-friendly and practical alternative or addition to purchasing new artwork. Not only is a big mirror in the bedroom great for checking out your outfit, but it also can make the room look larger, bounce around light and help you see the door from your bed, which puts some people at ease.
7 Ways to Arrange Artwork
The artwork in your bedroom should reinforce the mood you want to set. Soft and cool colors, gentle abstract shapes, repetitive patterns and natural themes like seascapes and landscapes are all good choices if you’re aiming to create a sense of tranquillity. Many experts recommend avoiding artwork with bright colors and busy patterns if you struggle with falling asleep.
You don’t need to buy new art if you simply want a new look — you can rearrange your current pieces, cluster them gallery-style or reduce the number to allow for more breathing room on your walls.
Adding a mirror can be a budget-friendly and practical alternative or addition to purchasing new artwork. Not only is a big mirror in the bedroom great for checking out your outfit, but it also can make the room look larger, bounce around light and help you see the door from your bed, which puts some people at ease.
7 Ways to Arrange Artwork
5. Lay Down a Rug
A well-placed rug will ensure that your bare feet are warm and cozy when they hit the floor in the morning. Even if you have wall-to-wall carpeting, layering on an area rug is an easy way to add texture, color and pattern to the room.
Style options are limitless, but softness should be a top consideration. Bedrooms aren’t high-traffic rooms, so here you’re safer splurging on a plush, high-pile design or a more luxurious, delicate material, such as viscose and silk, than you would be elsewhere in the house. A sheepskin (real or faux) on either side of the bed creates an extra-soft landing spot.
In a medium-sized bedroom, choose a rug that will start after the bedside tables and continue at least 20 inches all around. A 6-by-9-foot rug is usually about right. In a larger bedroom, you can size up to a 10-by-12 or larger, and it can extend under the nightstands and a bench at the foot of the bed.
11 Area Rug Rules and How to Break Them
Shop for an area rug
A well-placed rug will ensure that your bare feet are warm and cozy when they hit the floor in the morning. Even if you have wall-to-wall carpeting, layering on an area rug is an easy way to add texture, color and pattern to the room.
Style options are limitless, but softness should be a top consideration. Bedrooms aren’t high-traffic rooms, so here you’re safer splurging on a plush, high-pile design or a more luxurious, delicate material, such as viscose and silk, than you would be elsewhere in the house. A sheepskin (real or faux) on either side of the bed creates an extra-soft landing spot.
In a medium-sized bedroom, choose a rug that will start after the bedside tables and continue at least 20 inches all around. A 6-by-9-foot rug is usually about right. In a larger bedroom, you can size up to a 10-by-12 or larger, and it can extend under the nightstands and a bench at the foot of the bed.
11 Area Rug Rules and How to Break Them
Shop for an area rug
6. Pop In Plants and Fresh Flowers
If you’re looking for one addition to your bedroom that has multiple aesthetic and wellness benefits and is inexpensive to boot, make it a houseplant. Houseplants can clean the air, add color and texture to a room, increase humidity in dry environments, make you feel more connected with nature and help reduce stress and anxiety levels — all in return for a little water and sunshine. Some popular bedroom-friendly plants include snake plant (Sansevieria), English ivy (hedera helix) and peace lily (Spathiphyllum).
Freshly cut flowers are an instant bedroom pick-me-up too. Some, including lavender and jasmine, might even help you sleep. Other heavily fragrant flowers may have the opposite effect, however, so choose your blooms carefully if you’re sensitive to smells.
How to Organize Your Bedroom on Nearly Any Budget
If you’re looking for one addition to your bedroom that has multiple aesthetic and wellness benefits and is inexpensive to boot, make it a houseplant. Houseplants can clean the air, add color and texture to a room, increase humidity in dry environments, make you feel more connected with nature and help reduce stress and anxiety levels — all in return for a little water and sunshine. Some popular bedroom-friendly plants include snake plant (Sansevieria), English ivy (hedera helix) and peace lily (Spathiphyllum).
Freshly cut flowers are an instant bedroom pick-me-up too. Some, including lavender and jasmine, might even help you sleep. Other heavily fragrant flowers may have the opposite effect, however, so choose your blooms carefully if you’re sensitive to smells.
How to Organize Your Bedroom on Nearly Any Budget
7. Add a Bench
Look through the bedrooms in Houzz’s photo feed and you’ll see that a bench at the foot of the bed is a designer staple. But they aren’t just there for good looks. A bench gives you a place to sit when putting on shoes, as well as a spot for packing a suitcase or setting down a laundry basket. Some designs offer storage too. If you have the space — and can resist piling on clothes and papers — adding one could be a real boon.
Measure the distance between your footboard and the opposite wall or dresser, then, when shopping, deduct the depth of the bench that’s caught your eye. You’ll need about 3 feet of clearance left over for circulation. Also aim for the bench to be chair-height and slightly shorter than the width of your bed.
Shop for bedroom benches on Houzz
Look through the bedrooms in Houzz’s photo feed and you’ll see that a bench at the foot of the bed is a designer staple. But they aren’t just there for good looks. A bench gives you a place to sit when putting on shoes, as well as a spot for packing a suitcase or setting down a laundry basket. Some designs offer storage too. If you have the space — and can resist piling on clothes and papers — adding one could be a real boon.
Measure the distance between your footboard and the opposite wall or dresser, then, when shopping, deduct the depth of the bench that’s caught your eye. You’ll need about 3 feet of clearance left over for circulation. Also aim for the bench to be chair-height and slightly shorter than the width of your bed.
Shop for bedroom benches on Houzz
8. Carve Out a Sitting Area
A bench has many practical purposes, but for reading a book or sinking into a phone conversation, you’ll want another, more comfortable setup. If you’re lucky enough to have a big bedroom, you may be able to accommodate a sofa and coffee table, but all you really need is a comfy chair, a reading light, a small drinks table and room to maneuver around them.
Having a sitting area in your room might seem like a luxury, but it can help you preserve your bed solely for sleeping and connecting with your partner, which many experts recommend, especially for anyone who has insomnia.
Is Your Bedroom Designed for a Good Night’s Sleep?
A bench has many practical purposes, but for reading a book or sinking into a phone conversation, you’ll want another, more comfortable setup. If you’re lucky enough to have a big bedroom, you may be able to accommodate a sofa and coffee table, but all you really need is a comfy chair, a reading light, a small drinks table and room to maneuver around them.
Having a sitting area in your room might seem like a luxury, but it can help you preserve your bed solely for sleeping and connecting with your partner, which many experts recommend, especially for anyone who has insomnia.
Is Your Bedroom Designed for a Good Night’s Sleep?
9. Upgrade Your Window Treatments
Replacing bland window treatments with elegant draperies or shades makes any room look finished. But the right window treatments can do much more, including dampen sound, provide insulation, block light and enhance privacy — all critical in a bedroom. If yours are failing in any of these regards, think of an upgrade as an investment in your well-being.
Sheer curtains can be layered over a roller or cellular shade for privacy and light control. Thick or lined draperies don’t necessarily need to be layered, but if you go without, swap your straight rod and finials for a French return curtain rod, which bends all the way to the wall, to block more light. Similarly, if choosing Roman shades, you’ll have less light leakage if you select an outside mount shade than an inside-mount design.
That said, while we need darkness to fall (and stay) asleep, the morning sun is helpful for waking us up. Blackout shades can disrupt that natural cue. If you need them, one solution is to install smart shades that are raised automatically at a designated time in the morning.
Which Window Treatment Should You Choose?
What to Know About Curtains and Drapes
Replacing bland window treatments with elegant draperies or shades makes any room look finished. But the right window treatments can do much more, including dampen sound, provide insulation, block light and enhance privacy — all critical in a bedroom. If yours are failing in any of these regards, think of an upgrade as an investment in your well-being.
Sheer curtains can be layered over a roller or cellular shade for privacy and light control. Thick or lined draperies don’t necessarily need to be layered, but if you go without, swap your straight rod and finials for a French return curtain rod, which bends all the way to the wall, to block more light. Similarly, if choosing Roman shades, you’ll have less light leakage if you select an outside mount shade than an inside-mount design.
That said, while we need darkness to fall (and stay) asleep, the morning sun is helpful for waking us up. Blackout shades can disrupt that natural cue. If you need them, one solution is to install smart shades that are raised automatically at a designated time in the morning.
Which Window Treatment Should You Choose?
What to Know About Curtains and Drapes
10. Adjust Your Lighting
If you don’t love the design of your decorative light fixtures, or if they have clear glass shades or bare bulbs that create glare, upgrading them will both boost your room’s style and be better for your sleep hygiene. When replacing chandeliers, semiflush mounts and bedside lamps, look for fabric or opaque glass shades that softly diffuse the light. And speaking of bedside lamps, replacing yours with wall-mounted sconces (hardwired or with a cord) will free up space on your nightstand. A designated reading light that shines only on your book is a nice-to-have supplement. (Your partner and your eyes will thank you.)
Even if you don’t replace any fixtures, putting your lighting on dimmers and opting for warm bulbs (2700 kelvin or lower) will help you wind down in the evening and add ambiance to your room.
How to Light Your Bedroom Right
If you don’t love the design of your decorative light fixtures, or if they have clear glass shades or bare bulbs that create glare, upgrading them will both boost your room’s style and be better for your sleep hygiene. When replacing chandeliers, semiflush mounts and bedside lamps, look for fabric or opaque glass shades that softly diffuse the light. And speaking of bedside lamps, replacing yours with wall-mounted sconces (hardwired or with a cord) will free up space on your nightstand. A designated reading light that shines only on your book is a nice-to-have supplement. (Your partner and your eyes will thank you.)
Even if you don’t replace any fixtures, putting your lighting on dimmers and opting for warm bulbs (2700 kelvin or lower) will help you wind down in the evening and add ambiance to your room.
How to Light Your Bedroom Right
Tell us: What small updates have made a big difference in your bedroom? Share in the Comments.
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More on Houzz
Read more decorating stories
Find decorators, designers and other home pros near you
Shop for furniture and decor
A bedroom should be a sanctuary where you relax and recharge. But lying in bed looking at dust bunnies and piles of laundry tends to have the opposite effect.
To create a soothing and sleep-inducing room, start by banishing the clutter and busting the dust. Go through your drawers and shelves and discard or donate anything that’s outlived its purpose or your taste. If you have a workstation in your bedroom, try to tuck away electronics and papers. (A secretary desk can help.)
Once surfaces are clear and laundry’s neatly put away, thoroughly clean the room, remove and wash all of your bedding and open the window to fill the space with fresh air.
How to Create a Joyful, Clutter-Free Bedroom
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