After moving into my new home and going through the renovation process, it dawned on me that the more I looked at my room, the more I thought about how refreshing it would feel to change up a few things. Given that we only get sunlight for a limited amount of time each day, I wanted to try to allow as much light in as possible. In redecorating my room, I opted for timeless furniture that I won't want to replace anytime soon.
If you're looking to do the same with your bedroom, here are four essential elements to help you decorate the space to make it brighter and more soothing.
1. While decorating a room, the bed IS the centrepiece
I felt it was important to emphasize the bed while still using linen that wouldn't be going out of style any time soon. The headboard, for example, is dramatic and prominent, but because it's in a gentle hue, it keeps the room bright as ever. Given that a bed is the main attraction in a bedroom, I like mine to have an ample presence — that's why I covered mine in pillows and a medium-weight duvet.
2. Classic colours
Creamy white, grey, and greige are all colours with lasting quality. That's why when it came time to choose my accessories, furniture, and linen, I drew inspiration from these muted tones. Keeping the area intentionally monochromatic is how I was able to help create a more serene space.
In the before and after above, you can see the headboard had obvious orange tones and thus proved to be too large for the size of the room.
3. Window dressing
While a sheer curtain would have provided the room with dreamy softness, the truth is that when I sleep, I want it to be as pitch black as possible. So I went for opaque curtains, which were custom-made by Les Toiles Signatures. I was able to select a fabric that resembled the neutral tones already in the room. These have a subtle and sweeping quality to them, something usually associated with sheer curtains. In a way, I feel like these are a fantastic in-between. Also, I installed a dark curtain rod — I felt that doing so added stark contrast given the muted colours in the rest of the room.
4. Bedside tables
Maybe you've already noticed, but there's no such thing as a "conventional" bedside table in my bedroom. Instead, I went with some sturdy poufs to support a few decorative elements like frames and plants.
By the way, if your goal is to have a bright bedroom, then changing the rattan pouf for a bouclé or other type of fabric-laden pouf creates a sensation of lightness and also adds texture to space. Rattan is a hot trend right now, but I wanted something with an enduring quality, which is why I went for these in their soft, gentle fabric.
A sophisticated but straightforward room never has to be boring. It's quite the opposite, in fact: The idea is to choose elements that reflect our personality and create a laidback vibe.
