10 Easy Ways to Refresh Your Bedroom
Follow these tips to create the bedroom of your dreams without breaking the bank
We spend roughly a third of our lives in our bedrooms, yet they tend to get short shrift when it comes to renovating budgets. Fortunately, whether your bedroom is big or small, these 10 relatively easy, inexpensive changes can make a big difference to 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 any money? Simply change your furniture arrangement.
Try using a dresser as a bedside table 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 bed could sit against a different wall. Create a scale 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:
Do you want your bedroom to look totally different without spending any money? Simply change your furniture arrangement.
Try using a dresser as a bedside table 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 bed could sit against a different wall. Create a scale 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 75cm to 90cm of clearance on each side of the bed and at its foot.
- To minimise sleep interruptions, avoid placing the headboard right next to the entrance to the room, beneath a draughty 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).
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 luxurious throw with a crisp white percale duvet cover and sheets. Or layer different colours, patterns and textures to create a cosy, cottagey bedscape.
If you prefer more streamlined bedding, cover the bed entirely with a single handmade quilt or a throw in a gorgeous colour 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 cosy blanket and coordinating new pillowcases or cushions 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 to the look of your bedroom, but you’ll appreciate them every time you slip under the covers.
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 luxurious throw with a crisp white percale duvet cover and sheets. Or layer different colours, patterns and textures to create a cosy, cottagey bedscape.
If you prefer more streamlined bedding, cover the bed entirely with a single handmade quilt or a throw in a gorgeous colour 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 cosy blanket and coordinating new pillowcases or cushions 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 to the look of your bedroom, but you’ll appreciate them every time you slip under the covers.
4. Be strategic with artwork and mirrors
The artwork in your bedroom should reinforce the mood you want to set. Soft and cool colours, gentle abstract shapes, repetitive patterns and natural themes such as seascapes and landscapes are all good choices if you’re aiming to create a sense of tranquillity. Many experts recommend avoiding artwork with bright colours 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 assessing your outfit, it can also make the room look larger, bounce around light, and help you see the door from your bed, which puts some people at ease.
Discover why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software.
The artwork in your bedroom should reinforce the mood you want to set. Soft and cool colours, gentle abstract shapes, repetitive patterns and natural themes such as seascapes and landscapes are all good choices if you’re aiming to create a sense of tranquillity. Many experts recommend avoiding artwork with bright colours 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 assessing your outfit, it can also make the room look larger, bounce around light, and help you see the door from your bed, which puts some people at ease.
Discover why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software.
5. Lay down a rug
A well-placed rug will ensure that your bare feet are warm and cosy when they hit the floor in the morning. Even if you have wall-to-wall carpeting, layering on a rug is an easy way to add texture, colour 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 faux sheepskin 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 50cm all round. A 180cm x 270cm rug is usually about right.
In a larger bedroom, you can size up to a 300cm x 365cm or bigger, and it can extend under the bedside tables and a bench at the foot of the bed.
A well-placed rug will ensure that your bare feet are warm and cosy when they hit the floor in the morning. Even if you have wall-to-wall carpeting, layering on a rug is an easy way to add texture, colour 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 faux sheepskin 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 50cm all round. A 180cm x 270cm rug is usually about right.
In a larger bedroom, you can size up to a 300cm x 365cm or bigger, and it can extend under the bedside tables and a bench at the foot of the bed.
6. Include 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 colour 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), common 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.
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 colour 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), common 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.
7. Add a bench
Look through the bedrooms in Houzz’s photo feed and you’ll see a bench at the foot of the bed in numerous designs. 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 the foot of your bed and the opposite wall or wardrobe to see whether one would fit – you’ll need about 90cm of clearance left over for circulation. Also aim for the bench to be chair height and slightly shorter than the width of your bed.
Look through the bedrooms in Houzz’s photo feed and you’ll see a bench at the foot of the bed in numerous designs. 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 the foot of your bed and the opposite wall or wardrobe to see whether one would fit – you’ll need about 90cm of clearance left over for circulation. Also aim for the bench to be chair height and slightly shorter than the width of your bed.
8. Carve out a seating 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 a coffee table, but all you really need is a comfy chair, a reading light, a small side table and room to manoeuvre 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 experiences insomnia.
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 a coffee table, but all you really need is a comfy chair, a reading light, a small side table and room to manoeuvre 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 experiences insomnia.
9. Upgrade your window treatments
Replacing bland window treatments with elegant curtains or blinds 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 wellbeing.
Sheer curtains can be layered over a roller or Roman blind for privacy and light control. Thick or lined curtains don’t necessarily need to be layered, but if you go without, swap your straight curtain pole and finials for a French return curtain pole, which bends all the way to the wall, to block more light. Similarly, if choosing Roman blinds, you’ll have less light leakage if you select an outside-mount rather than an inside-mount design.
That said, while we need darkness in order to fall (and stay) asleep, the morning sun is helpful for waking us up. Blackout blinds can disrupt that natural cue. If you need them, one solution is to install smart blinds that are raised automatically at a designated time in the morning. Alternatively, invest in a sunrise alarm clock.
More: How to Choose the Perfect Curtains
Replacing bland window treatments with elegant curtains or blinds 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 wellbeing.
Sheer curtains can be layered over a roller or Roman blind for privacy and light control. Thick or lined curtains don’t necessarily need to be layered, but if you go without, swap your straight curtain pole and finials for a French return curtain pole, which bends all the way to the wall, to block more light. Similarly, if choosing Roman blinds, you’ll have less light leakage if you select an outside-mount rather than an inside-mount design.
That said, while we need darkness in order to fall (and stay) asleep, the morning sun is helpful for waking us up. Blackout blinds can disrupt that natural cue. If you need them, one solution is to install smart blinds that are raised automatically at a designated time in the morning. Alternatively, invest in a sunrise alarm clock.
More: How to Choose the Perfect Curtains
10. Adjust the 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, semi-flush 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 bedside table. 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 ambience to your room.
More: What Happens When You Hire a Lighting Designer?
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, semi-flush 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 bedside table. 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 ambience to your room.
More: What Happens When You Hire a Lighting Designer?
Tell us…
Which small updates have made a big difference in your bedroom? Share your ideas in the Comments.
Which small updates have made a big difference in your bedroom? Share your ideas in the Comments.
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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 is 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.
More: How to Declutter Your Home and Keep it Tidy