Our formerly “pretty and cosy but ho-hum” bedroom now has a boutique hotel vibe, thanks to a bit of inspiration, some decorating expertise and a few chic upgrades. If you are thinking of elevating your space, I have some great bedroom decorating ideas to share!
These are “before” photos of our bedroom. The photo at the top was taken by Terry Joshi.
Before and After
Before
I will share the after shots at the end of the post!
Bedroom Decorating Ideas and Advice
Think about what you want to change
Spend some time considering the things you love, and equally the things you are not happy with. Make notes and spend some time really thinking about the things you want in the bedroom as well as how you want the space to look and feel.
Neutrals were in fashion the last time we redecorated, so our bedroom decorating ideas featured neutral textured wallpaper and pale oak French provincial style furniture. We had included a pop of colour with a beautiful painting by Danielle O’Connor Akiyama but this time we felt like we needed to bring even more colour back into the room. We also wanted to elevate the plain white wardrobes and add some pizazz to the lighting to give us the cool, relaxing, boutique hotel vibe we were looking for.
Decide what you want to keep
It is a great idea to incorporate elements from your current design or even from elsewhere in your home. When it comes to bedroom decorating ideas, do not allow yourself to be persuaded to part with things you love or significantly change something you would prefer remained the same. At the end of the day, your bedroom – and indeed your whole home – should to reflect you and your personality. It is important to have the things you love around you whether they are fashionable or not.
Make a wish list of bedroom decorating ideas
Make a list of the things you want to add/purchase, in order of importance. I also suggest having a lower cost back up choice for as many things as you can. This can help you balance practicality with passion when you start to get quotes for work and choose furniture, wallpaper or paint and soft furnishings. Decorating can be an emotional process, especially when not everything fits in the budget, and having readily available options can make things much less stressful.
Lighting is incredibly important
Layering the lighting with different types of lights makes a huge difference to how your bedroom looks and feels. Consider scones or wall lights, recessed ceiling light fixtures, ceiling light fittings, and lamps both large and small.
Think about your needs as how things will look, and do not forget to consider the size of the room. Is it square or are there nooks and crannies that may need a little more light? If you read in bed you may want the option of bright bedside lighting. Ask yourself if you would you prefer lamps on your side table or wall mounted directional lights. Do you want dimmable lighting to create a relaxed mood? Would you like an oversized light that is a focal point with complementary lamps, or would you prefer wall lighting and floor lamps?
Remember to consider the temperature of your lighting as well. Do you want lightbulbs that shed cool light or warm light? Cool light has more blue in it so it is great for rooms like studies and offices where you are carrying out tasks that require you to see well. I prefer warm light in most rooms, particularly the bedroom. In fact, our whole house is lit with warm light.
Consider hiring a professional interior designer
On the whole, my husband and I knew what we wanted, but using an interior designer is a great way to get a professional eye on the project, clarify your ideas, and help with sourcing materials.
We hired Holly Scott of Holly Scott Interior Design to help us redesign much of our home last year. It was an investment, but the results are worth it. In addition to bringing our ideas together into beautiful room layouts and designs, Holly pulled together options for everything from wallpaper and flooring to lighting and furniture and shortlisted them for us. This saved us hours of work.
While the total room design packages we bought can be expensive, many interior designers, including Holly, also offer one-off consultations at a lower price which can be very helpful if you do not want to invest in a complete room design.
Photo above by Terry Joshi
Have the room styled post renovation
Many designers offer a service to help you style the room after it is decorated. A professional will have bedroom decorating ideas you may not have thought of and can help you style soft furnishings and shelves, add ornaments and more. I hired Holly to do this for us after our whole redecoration project was finished and I am so glad I did.
When it came to the bedroom, we dressed the shelves with books and a few of my designer handbags as well as some treasured pieces of china and glass. I had a beautiful pink antique glass bowl tucked away in a cupboard, and Holly suggested using it as a decoration on one of the open wardrobe shelves. I love that it is no longer lost in a cupboard; it makes me smile every time I look at it.
We both took some photographs and video on the day Holly came to do the styling, and as a result, some of the photographs in this post were also taken by her.
Bedroom Decorating Ideas From Our Bedroom Redesign
Redecorating our bedroom presented a few challenges because we needed it to include excellent storage options as well as look great. Holly had bedroom decorating ideas that we had not even thought of and combined them with our wish list to pull together a beautiful, functional design.
Walls
We wanted to bring out the blue in our Danielle O’Connor Akiyama painting and Holly suggested using a wallpaper that had a similar shade of blue as part of the design. With her help, we chose Milan Metallic Wallpaper in Navy and Gold from I Love Wallpaper to create a dramatic effect.
Wardrobes
Holly suggested a style of wardrobe doors with fretwork designs (ornamental wooden designs laid over glass) that we loved. She proposed sourcing closet interiors from IKEA which is a really cost-effective way to create functional wardrobes. However, we wanted something a bit higher end so we chose Neville Johnson to carry out the work. The wardrobes they installed for us look beautiful and we are pleased with them. However, I must say the process of working with Neville Johnson was very frustrating. We had delays to the start of work with very short notice, which was extra challenging because sticking to our scheduling was crucial due to the other works we had being carried out at the same time. We did receive a small amount of financial compensation for the inconvenience, but the stress it caused means I would avoid working with Neville Johnson in future.
Curtains and Soft Furnishings
Our curtains and the two patterned throw pillows on the bed are from a previous redecoration, but the fabric is still available. It’s Flores Damson/Viola/Blush Fabric by Harlequin.
Ceilings, Skirting Boards and Doors
Holly suggested a neutral called Slaked Lime from Little Green for our ceilings, skirting boards and doors. We used the original version of this colour (the mid and deep tones of this shade have more pigment to them) so the lime colour in this case is reminiscent of limestone, not the fruit. This beautiful neutral on the paintwork gave a chic edge to our bedroom and indeed, we used it throughout the whole house.
Floor
I knew I wanted to go with a deep blue carpet throughout the house, despite Holly’s preference for something more neutral. I believe a more colourful carpet adds a warmth, is easier to clean and lasts longer. Also, I have had lots of oatmeal and beige carpets throughout the years and I am kind of bored with them. Holly rose to the occasion and helped us choose a slightly lighter shade than I had chosen – Westex Azure Blue – and I really love it.
Lighting
I knew I wanted a large chandelier over the bed for ‘wow factor’ but I also wanted side lights both to make it cosy and to make it easy to read in bed.
We included lighting in the display portion of our wardrobes to make things feel warm and Holly helped us find a beautiful chandelier for above the bed. The lamps she helped us chose for our side tables add a nice layer to the lighting and make it cosy.
Our Bedroom After
We are so pleased with how our bedroom turned out!
We replaced our French provincial furniture with beige shagreen side tables with fairly large drawers. (The old furniture gave another bedroom in our house a bit of a lift.) We also chose a new bed with a dark blue headboard, keeping the bedding neutral to offset all the other colour. I really like the mirrored shelves on the wardrobes.
The fretwork wardrobes really elevate the design and the warmth and contrast of the patterned curtains, the carpet and the wallpaper make things feel cosy but elegant.
You can see the pink antique glass bowl I mentioned earlier on the middle shelf. The watercolour on the left hand side was painted by my late cousin Noel and is hugely sentimental. The bedside lamps make it cosy and help when we want to read in bed.
We are so pleased by how our bedroom redesign turned out. I hope these bedroom decorating ideas help inspire your next decorating project!
Comments & Reviews
What a change. Lovely.