Your bedroom should be a sanctuary. Think inviting, neutral (or bold and patterned if that’s your taste), comfortable, and clear from any messes, work-related or other. Avoid bringing your phone or computer into bed at night or stacking up loads of laundry on your bedside table. Your bedroom is primarily for sleeping, so leave the yoga mat, guitar, thought-provoking art, pet supplies, or distracting tech for other rooms.
While these may seem like simple tips, seven interior designers have shared their top advice for crafting a bedroom you’ll not only love but be able to enjoy sweet slumber in.
Clothing Clutter and Gym Equipment
This soothing neutral bedroom from Le Jean Designs hits the mark. As designer Jean Parker notes, avoid piling surfaces or accent chairs with clothing. “A bedroom should be serene, tranquil, and a place where you can truly recharge and reset,” says designer Jean Parker. “Your bedroom is not a gym so I would refrain from storing any exercise equipment there.”
Office Equipment
There are certain things that just don’t belong in bedrooms like printers, shredders, or office equipment. Designer Amity Worrel even cautions against desks, unless it’s a simple writing desk that doesn’t remind you of work, a keyboard or other music instruments, or bright lighting.
“When creating a space that is supposed to be a relaxing and an escape from the demands of work and effort and tasks, it is important consider carefully what to keep and what to cut,” she says.
Utilitarian Blinds
Everyone has had blinds at one point or another, but it’s time to throw them in the trash.
“Those dreary, utilitarian floor-to-ceiling slat blinds we’ve all undoubtedly encountered in rental apartments have no place in the bedroom,” say Lily Spindle co-founders and principal designers Rebecca Cox and Debra Vigna. “Toss them and go for custom drapery instead.”
Cox and Vigna recommend patterned, custom drapery to add warmth to a bedroom.
Visual Clutter
Bedrooms should feel calming and relaxing, so designer Emma Montgomery prefers to remove as much visual clutter as possible. Instead of hanging a grouping of prints on the walls, she opted for focusing her attention on the walls themselves.
“I designed this bedroom to feel cocoon-like and peaceful with beautiful terracotta colored plaster walls. The walls have a soothing texture and eliminate the need for art,” she says.
Simple furnishings, a small piece of art, and monotone bedding continues the restful look.
Too Much Shelving
“I’m not a fan of excess open shelving in a bedroom. This can lead to unwanted clutter,” says California designer Abbie Naber. “If you have open shelving, try and keep items to a minimal amount and in the decorative vein. Here, open shelving is used for display only, not everyday items.”
Pick a few things that make you smile like decorative vessels to put on your shelves, like this Japandi-style bedroom which instantly sets the tone for a good night’s sleep.