How to Make Your Boring Bedroom Beautiful (in 5 Steps)
An interior designer reveals how to make your bedroom a standout, from first to final touches
If your bedroom is less than dreamy, here are my quick and easy tips to make this room a style standout. Whether you have a compact space or a grand suite, the room is all about the bed, so make it the focus of the room.
Traditional button-back or tufted bedheads offer the comfort and warmth of fabric and suit traditional or French-inspired decorating styles. A neutral colour is best to start with, then add accents with your accessories. This bedhead has the added feature of wingback sides.
Tip: Have fabric bedheads treated with a stain protection for easy cleaning.
Tip: Have fabric bedheads treated with a stain protection for easy cleaning.
Ready-made bedheads in a limited range of colours are available for the budget conscious, or stamp your individual style with a custom-made design created by an interior designer or decorator. Add details such as piping or metal studs to give your design interest.
Tip: Choose a fabric with a suitable width to minimise joins.
Tip: Choose a fabric with a suitable width to minimise joins.
Get the retro look with a low height for a minimalist mid-century look.
Tip: Consider the right height for the style. Low bedheads range from 110-120 centimetres high, while a high bedhead can extend to 150 centimetres high – these are great for high-ceilinged rooms.
Picture Perfect: 60 Blissful Bedheads From Around the World
Tip: Consider the right height for the style. Low bedheads range from 110-120 centimetres high, while a high bedhead can extend to 150 centimetres high – these are great for high-ceilinged rooms.
Picture Perfect: 60 Blissful Bedheads From Around the World
Use your imagination and think outside the box. This bedhead has been created with shiplap timber panelling and a coat of paint. Bedheads don’t have to be limited to the bed width. Extend your design past the bed and include the bedside tables.
Tip: For large bedheads, make sure power points are still accessible.
Tip: For large bedheads, make sure power points are still accessible.
A stylish and beautiful fretwork screen makes the perfect boho-style bedhead. Pair with a rustic nest of side tables and a wire-base table lamp for a cool, casual style.
2. Dress the bed
Now you have determined the style, it’s time to consider ‘furnishing’ the bed. This means the selection of fabrics and designs for your sheets, quilt cover, throws and stacks of cushions.
Tip: With traditional styles, have three to four banks of pillows or cushions to create a luxurious look.
Now you have determined the style, it’s time to consider ‘furnishing’ the bed. This means the selection of fabrics and designs for your sheets, quilt cover, throws and stacks of cushions.
Tip: With traditional styles, have three to four banks of pillows or cushions to create a luxurious look.
Mix printed and plain cushions, and add a in contrast colour and fabric to hit the right style notes. A yellow velvet cushion freshens this colour and pattern combination.
Use a sheet in a contrasting colour and roll back the quilt cover. Here, a navy quilt cover is rolled back to reveal the white sheets beneath.
Tip: Add throw at the end of the bed for a luxe hotel-style touch.
Tip: Add throw at the end of the bed for a luxe hotel-style touch.
Select fabrics that have interesting textures to add layers of softness and interest to the decorating scheme.
Tip: Use an assortment of sizes and shapes for cushions. Larger European-size pillows at the back, standard pillows in the middle then small scatters in front.
Tip: Use an assortment of sizes and shapes for cushions. Larger European-size pillows at the back, standard pillows in the middle then small scatters in front.
White on white, this bedhead adds elements of softness and hotel sophistication to the room, with a simple upholstered bedhead and the green stripe that visually connects the quilt and pillows.
Browse more white-on-white bedrooms for inspiration
Browse more white-on-white bedrooms for inspiration
3. Light up your style
Lighting is a key element to create function and mood in a beautiful bedroom. If you have a small room, free up space by suspending a pendant over a bedside table.
Lighting is a key element to create function and mood in a beautiful bedroom. If you have a small room, free up space by suspending a pendant over a bedside table.
Glass pendants allow the light to illuminate the surrounding area as well as the space directly below them. Consider whether you need light for reading in bed when selecting your light fittings.
Table lamps are an easy way to add illumination for reading. Choose a lamp height that is around eye level when you are sitting up in bed.
Tip: Make sure the lamp switch is within easy reach.
Tip: Make sure the lamp switch is within easy reach.
A floor lamp can also be used as a bedside light, as long as it’s adjusted to the right angle for reading.
Wall-mounted lights are great space savers, allowing more room on your bedside tables.
4. Bedside edit
Declutter your bedside table storage, keeping only a few items such as a stack of your favourite books, a bunch of flowers or a stylish storage box or two to hide away clutter.
Declutter your bedside table storage, keeping only a few items such as a stack of your favourite books, a bunch of flowers or a stylish storage box or two to hide away clutter.
Be bold with bedside table choices. Other objects can be utilised for this job, such as stools and side tables. Here, a drum gives this bedroom global style as well as a pop of colour.
Consider the height of your bed when choosing your bedside table. The most convenient height is the same height as the mattress.
Consider the height of your bed when choosing your bedside table. The most convenient height is the same height as the mattress.
Use your bedside table to create a decorating vignette. Here, a medley of vases with blue blooms makes a beautiful bedside arrangement and adds to the blue bedlinen selections.
Tip: Use clusters of small vases to make an impact.
Tip: Use clusters of small vases to make an impact.
Bedside storage can be custom made and built into the room. A long wall-mounted shelf uses the space more effectively than freestanding furniture.
Get the Best From Your Bedside
Get the Best From Your Bedside
5. Add a final feature
Artwork, accessories or a wall treatment behind the bed will complete your beautiful bedroom look. Here, a palm tree print, fresh greenery and a timber stool make a lovely Scandi style statement.
Artwork, accessories or a wall treatment behind the bed will complete your beautiful bedroom look. Here, a palm tree print, fresh greenery and a timber stool make a lovely Scandi style statement.
Here, a strong, bold contrasting wall colour creates a feature to showcase the artwork and the contemporary bed and light fittings.
Add some vertical panelling to the wall and paint it in a soft colour for a casual beach-inspired style.
Be creative with artwork placement. An asymmetrical arrangement of artwork effectively highlights the casual style of this relaxed bedroom.
Tip: To ensure a grouping works well together, use the same picture frame colour or material.
Tip: To ensure a grouping works well together, use the same picture frame colour or material.
Personal collections of favourite objects add to the charmingly eclectic style achieved using antique metal bedheads. Crisp white bedlinen completes the look.
Looking for something bold? Wallpaper the wall behind your bed in a classic black-and-white stripe to feature the bedhead fabric pattern and interesting bedhead shape.
Tell us
How have you made your bedroom beautiful? Tell us in the Comments. And don’t forget to like, share or save this story. Join the conversation.
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Tell us
How have you made your bedroom beautiful? Tell us in the Comments. And don’t forget to like, share or save this story. Join the conversation.
More
Find an interior designer on Houzz
You may not want to invest in a new bed or furniture suite, but a new or revamped bedhead can transform your room. With many styles available, it’s important to choose a look you really love to kickstart your decorating theme.
In this room, a retro cane bedhead has been given an industrial twist by pairing it with charcoal walls and industrial lighting. A splash of colour with cushions adds vibrancy against the dark wall.