The bedroom is your very own personal space, made for dreaming, relaxing, and a little bit of ‘me’ or ‘we’ time.
So, of course, it can be an overwhelming task searching for bedroom ideas or even coming up with your own dream bedroom design.
Whether you’re flipping through bedroom images in magazines, creating your ‘bedroom design photo gallery’ on Pinterest, or scrolling through endless beautiful bedroom photos on Instagram, finding inspiration is not a trying task.
But where we often get stuck is figuring out how to translate that inspiration into reality. To help you create your dream space, we spoke to some interior designers for their advice on how to style bedroom, starting with one key home decor piece to inspire the rest of the room.
Here are nine bedroom ideas with tips and videos to help you create the perfect bedroom for yourself.
1. Style bedroom around the artwork
“Artwork helps to anchor a bedroom and ultimately creates the overall style and feel of the room,” explains Noël Coughlan, interior stylist at Greenhouse Interiors.
Tips on bedroom styling with art
- “This beautiful artwork [in the bedroom image above] by Brent Rosenberg is destined to be the focal point in this dreamy bedroom,” says Noël. Due to the placement of the bed, the artwork could not be hung directly above, she explains – if you have the same issue, “Hanging the artwork off to the side creates balance within the room and the side tables below the artwork help to connect all the elements together”.
- Finally, the soft pink bed linen “complements the artwork and helps in creating a cohesive, soft and calming bedroom”, says Noël.
2. Group art together
The second, colourful bedroom photo above features the works of Morgan Jamieson. “Artwork should always be hung at eye level so you will need to factor this in when considering the placement,” explains Noël.
Here, she’s grouped two smaller artworks off-centre, to create balance.
“The colour palette within the artworks is quite vibrant so it was important to keep the additional furnishings soft,” she adds. “I have selected different tones of blues to balance out the boldness within the artwork – however, throwing in a pop of colour in one feature cushion helps to tie it all together.”
3. Hang sculptural objects in the bedroom
“Artwork does not always have to be a print or painting”, says Noël. Try using objects or sculptural elements, either hung on a wall or arranged on a shelf above the bed.
“The use of taxidermy and a statement bedhead in this bedroom offers an understated presence without being too obstructive,” she explains, while “the addition of colour and print in the bed linen brightens and lifts the space”.
4. Let beautiful bed linen be the art
When it comes to designing a dreamy bedroom, says interior stylist Julia Green of Greenhouse Interiors, she usually starts with an artwork: “It is always the grounding force that allows me to pull a palette together from, with indicative hues, mood and focal points.”
But in the beautiful bedroom image above, Julia was styling a bed linen campaign for Sage and Clare – who specialise in vibrant, bohemian, hand-crafted homewares – “and so I decided to let the bed linen be our actual artwork”, she says.
The trick here was to use “a number of styles and patterns that complement one another, rather than a prescription packet of linen.”
5. Play with bed linen that clashes
No need to go all matchy-matchy with your bedroom furniture when it comes to the rest of the bedroom either, says Julia: “Rather, pattern play and colour clashes make for heightened visual impact.”
6. Master bedroom design ideas: The bed
A feature bed, such as one showcasing a beautiful bedhead, can set the tone for the bedroom by serving as the centrepiece of the room.
7. Bedhead design inspiration
Georgie Leckey, director of Heatherly Design Bedheads, says the striking ‘Sibella’ bedhead, with its blue Ikat print, “was our starting point for creating this Bohemian-inspired luxe vibe bedroom”.
The deep indigo wall allows “the bedhead and stunning Klaylife pendant light to ‘pop’!”; while a timber ‘Oxley’ side table with a leather handle and a footstool with a tan leather top and timber frame help to pull this bedroom look together, giving it a “modern but luxurious feel”, says Georgie.
Heatherly Designs’ opulent ‘Alice’ bedhead forms the basis for a contemporary modern bedroom, says Georgie.
The clean lines of the lamp, frame and bedside tables allow the bed to be the hero, while charcoal velvet cushions and a throw “brings the luxurious look together”.
8. Nature-inspired bedroom ideas: Greenery
“Greenery in the bedroom is always a good idea, and when used in the right way, has the ability to elevate the design of your space”, says Alana Langan, co-founder of Ivy Muse, who says plants lend themselves to a great range of bedroom design styles.
“Team a gang of wild and shapely plants en masse (e.g Boston fern, kentia palm plus varieties of hoya) to create a ‘boho’ or ‘maximalist’ vibe, or for a more pared-back ‘minimalistic’ look, focus on one or two large plants that have dramatic effect (e.g monstera deliciosa or spath sensation).”
Alongside their wellbeing benefits, Alana says, “plants can help create a sanctuary; a place to relax, unwind and recharge after a long day on the clock.”
Bedroom decorating tips using greenery:
- Even in a small bedroom, greenery can still be an overarching feature.
- “Trailing cascading Devil’s ivy along the bedroom makes a real feature of its beautiful long tendrils, whilst the trio of plants in the foreground helps greenify the space and connect the scene,” explains Jacqui Vidal, co-founder of Ivy Muse, of the bedroom pictured above.
- Light, contrasting walls (think neutrals, white, light grey, beige, pale pinks or even terracotta) will allow your plants to shine, says Jacqui.
- You can then add contrast with darker décor items such as rugs, linen and even plant pots. Additional furnishings “should complement the greenery rather than draw attention away from it (too many elements vying for attention within a space will end up feeling very busy and unsettling),” she adds.
9. Use rugs to zone your space
When it comes to bedroom styling ideas, “People often overlook how much a rug can set the tone for the bedroom”, says Alexandra Tanya, co-founder and stylist at online rug retailer Miss Amara.
This bedroom image below illustrates how the right rug can dictate the feel of your bedroom: “I often find that people are afraid of dark rugs, but you need not be,” says Alexandra.
With this cleverly selected black felted wool rug, “the effect is twofold – blanketing the floors with a deep colour palette creates drama and space.”
Here, the impact of the rug is offset in multiple ways: “The artwork that hangs above the bedhead brings in pink and blue tones in a gorgeous ethereal print,” explains Alexandra. In addition, the wooden bedside tables add warmth, and the copper pendant lights bring symmetry and sophistication in a warm metal tone.
Soft furnishings in complementary tones add the final layer, “weaving this look together to perfection.”
Bedroom styling tips with rugs:
- “If you have used a contrasting dark rug as your base it’s likely that you’ve already made a big impact, so complement this by carefully selecting some softer, beautiful elements,” suggests Alexandra.
- Don’t forget, adds Alexandra, “the size of the rug – often overlooked – is of equal importance to the actual rug selected.” An overspill of rug “creates the illusion of more space, excess, and luxury” and, of course, “it’s always nice to be able to sink your toes into a plush wool rug first thing in the morning!”