Our bedroom should be our sanctuary — it is after all where most of us spend the majority of time — yet it’s often the room we pay least attention. Being out of sight from guests shouldn’t be reason to let our bedrooms become drab or uninspiring spaces.
Today we’re sharing 10 instant updates to refresh your bedroom. We’ve included no-cost, low-cost and medium-cost solutions so there are no excuses. Which of these tips to refresh your bedroom will you use?
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1. Declutter
Yes friends, this dreaded task has made number 1 on our list because it’s free, requires no preplanning (aka that long weekend that just hasn’t come around yet) and the impact of decluttering your bedroom is HUGE.
Anything that isn’t beautiful or needed on a regular basis (we’re talking at least fortnightly) should be stored away. Take a look at your bedside table, on top of your dresser, or (worse yet) your floor and put away all that stuff you just don’t need. Decluttering is also a great opportunity to simplify what you own — look at what you can donate, gift, sell or throw away. We’ve got expert tips on how to declutter here.
2. Add greenery
We believe in adding life to every room of the home — and that also includes the bedroom! Whether you’ve got space for a plant in a stand in an empty corner of your room or can only fit a small indoor plant on your bedside table, find plenty of plant styling inspo here.
Why stop at one? A cluster of indoor plants creates a connection to nature and achieves a balanced and grounded atmosphere. And if you think you can’t keep indoor plants alive, we’ve got 20 of the hardest to kill plants here 😉
Plants can also help regulate the temperature of your home and make it more comfortable. They are like a natural HVAC contractor, without the price tag.
3. Lay a rug
Rugs almost have magical powers with the way they can create the sense of warmth and zones in a space. A simple rug can dramatically change the feel of the room. Depending on your budget, you could add a larger rug that your bed rests on or a small area rug to the side of the bed for a more decorative look. You might like to check out our top tips on selecting the right rug.
Alternatively, investing in new luxury carpet can be another perfect way to add cosiness and warmth to your bedroom. According to UK online retailer Carpet Warehouse, the top area to upgrade flooring is the main bedroom. With a smaller space you can often splash out on a more luxury, saxony carpet that your feet will definitely thank you for!
4. Refresh your window treatments
You’ve heard us say it before and we’ll say it again — window treatments make a dramatic difference to any space. Not only can they modernise a room, they can also soften a space with their beautiful texture or add a decorative element with pattern or colour. New window treatments also offer functional benefits — helping to control light and privacy.
There’s a huge range of do it yourself window covering solutions on the market now, or for a tailored look, it’s hard to beat custom made window treatments.
5. Brighten your lighting
Good lighting will create a welcoming, more peaceful and possibly even romantic feeling in your bedroom. If all the lighting in your bedroom is from ceiling lights, look at adding at least one or two lamps on your bedside tables, desk or dresser.
Lamps offer a softer and warmer light and let you adjust the amount of light in the room depending on your mood and needs. Heck, if you really want to go all out and it works in your room, you may want to consider hiring an electrician to install wall lights or pendant lights on one or both sides of your bed.
6. Invest in artwork
With all the artists we feature on SC, you’ve probably already worked out how much we love art! We believe a beautiful piece of art (whether an original piece, print or even photography) can make you feel happier. We also often use artwork as the starting point to style a room, drawing out colours or textures to repeat across the space through bedding and other decor.
Check out plenty of artists and top places to buy art for your home here.
7. Add a lovely scent
All our senses determine how we feel in a space — meaning if something looks beautiful but doesn’t smell that way, we won’t feel that it’s a beautiful space. We suggest investing in a quality candle or oil diffuser to make your bedroom please your nose as well as your eyes 😉
There are so many incredible Australian candles available on the market now, and we’ve got a round up of our favourite summer scent candles here and winter scent candles here. If you have carpet in your bedroom, it’s also worthwhile having it professionally cleaned to remove any odours.
8. Level up your bed
The hero piece of any bedroom is the bed. In our books, a bed NEEDS to look and feel beautiful. Get the basics right by buying a mattress that supports your sleep needs. This may mean doing a bit of research to understand all the latest terms, such as adjustable firmness mattresses or hybrid mattresses. Many online mattress companies also offer a hassle-free return policy if you don’t love it, helping you to shop online with confidence.
Once you’ve got the perfect base, it’s time to style it up — of course! We believe in investing in high quality bedding that will last the distance and adding seasonal accents with cushions and throws. Check out our round up of the top places to buy bedding online.
9. Paint
Yep, we know, this is another of those tasks many of us would rather not touch but repainting your bedroom is one of the most affordable and relatively quick updates we can do to completely transform our bedroom. If you put your mind to it, you can repaint your bedroom in just one day… and one day of pain for long term gain doesn’t sound that bad, does it?
You also don’t have to paint the entire space. Just check out how Gina created a black, square panel feature wall in this bedroom makeover to dramatically change the space.
10. Work towards a theme
This isn’t about creating a matchy-matchy bedroom but rather a room that has a clear sense of style and personality. Knowing your style and reflecting this through your colour choices, furnishings, accessories and artwork will create a room that even you’ll be impressed with! You may find these tips to help you define your style or how to create a mood board helpful.
Bonus tip: Hang a mirror
Hanging a mirror or standing a large mirror against a wall is an extra tip to instantly refresh your bedroom. Mirrors help to bounce light and make a space feel brighter and larger. There are mirrors out there for every style of interior, from modern and sleek to earthy and boho. Just be sure to take a read of these Feng Shui tips before placing a mirror in your bedroom.
Have you got any more tips to refresh your bedroom? Share them in the comments below!
Yay, love to hear that we have inspired you! So many bedrooms we see only have ceiling lights and you’ll be amazed what difference lamps can make. Have fun restyling! x