How to Furnish Your Bedroom
Types of Bedroom Furniture
When it comes to creating your dream bedroom, there are staple pieces you need and little details you can bring in to make your retreat feel truly personal and totally comfortable.
Furnishing your bedroom involves a series of decisions, and it starts with your foundations – the bed, nightstands, dresser, chest, etc. Once you have those figured out, you can move onto the accent pieces, and choose whether to add more function to your space with a desk or bench.
Finally, you’ll layer in accessories – from rugs and pillows, to lamps, mirrors and wall décor that help translate your style and establish the vibe you want. Whether you prefer your bedroom to be light and calming, or bright and energizing, these are the items that can make it happen.
— How to Choose A Bed Frame —
With a variety of designs, styles, and materials to choose from, there are bed frames for everyone. You can decide which option suits you and your space best by carefully considering each option.
- Platform Beds - This type of bed frame features a raised base, which often includes flexible wood slats or a flat, solid platform. Platform beds typically require a bunky board.
- Panel Beds - In addition to a headboard and footboard that are connected by side rails, this type of bed frame features center supports. Panel beds typically require a box spring.
- Upholstered Beds - Softer than standard beds, an upholstered bed is covered in fabric from headboard to footboard. Some also feature decorative details like tufting and nailhead trim.
- Storage Beds – This type of bed frame is exceptionally functional thanks to drawers that are built into the base. Because you can store clothes, blankets, pillows and more, it’s possible to save space by skipping the nightstand, dresser or chest.
- Canopy Beds – This grand bed frame features four posts that extend from the headboard and footboard, and connect at the top to create a shelter-like silhouette. Inspired by a traditional design, contemporary canopy beds are more streamlined in style and work well in bedrooms with high ceilings.
How to Arrange a Bed
The most imporant thing to consider when arranging a bed is the space on either side of it; you'll want to make sure you have enough room to comfortably get in and out of it. One of the easiest ways to arrange a bed is to place a nightstand right next to it (against a wall), so that the space in front of the nightstand and besides the bed is left open. You can choose to place the bed long-ways against a wall (so that as you sleep, there will be a wall to one side of you) or you can place the bed short-side against one (so that you won't be cornered by walls as you sleep).
— How to Choose Bedroom Storage Pieces —
Just like you, your clothing and accessories need a place to rest, and there are plenty of destinations for them to call home. It all depends on how much space you have and how much room you need to store everything.
- Dressers - Low, wide storage pieces that include six or more drawers, dressers are incredibly versatile. You can display decorative items on top or add a mirror to create a vanity.
- Chest of Drawers - Chests are typically taller and slimmer than dressers, with anywhere from three to seven drawers. They come in an array of designs, from sliding door chests that have cabinet compartments with shelving, to media chests with open shelves and cord management for storing entertainment equipment, to bachelor’s chests that are shorter and often used as a more spacious alternative to nightstands.
- Nightstands – Meant to be accessed from your bed, nightstands should sit at the same height as your mattress. Since the top of a nightstand usually holds bedside essentials, like your phone, lamp and water bottle, pick an option that is wide enough to fit everything.
How to Arrange a Dresser
Try arranging a dresser against an open wall after you’ve placed your nightstand and bed. If your room has four walls and one wall is devoted to the bed, another to a window and a third to a closet, then this means there will be only one wall left for the dresser (this is the more common bedroom layout). While not as common, you can also try placing a dresser in a closet, to save on walkable bedroom floor space.
How to Arrange a Nightstand
Place a nightstand near the head of a bed. This will allow you to easily reach things like glasses, cup of water, book, phone, hearing aids and medication (and/or anything else you might need when you wake up). This placement also makes the best use of real estate, as the area next to the head of a bed is often too small for anything bigger than a nightstand and too big for anything smaller than a nightstand (it’s just right – and made for a nightstand!).— How to Choose Bedroom Accent Pieces —
- Desks – Whether you need a mini office space in your bedroom, or want a destination for inspiration, a desk can act as your ticket to more productivity and creativity. From clean, minimal designs, to options with drawers galore, you can go as simple or storage-heavy as you want.
- Benches – When placed at the end of your bed, a bench acts as the perfect perch. You can take a seat, put your shoes on, check your phone and just take a moment to relax at the beginning or end of your day. You can even find designs that allow you to store extra pillows, throws and other essentials. If you have a pet that likes to cuddle, a bench would also give them a boost to your bed. Just make sure the bench length is around three-quarters the length of your bed.
— How to Choose Bedroom Accessories —
- Rugs - Your feet need a soft place to land when you wake up, especially if your bedroom has hard floors. When choosing a rug, be sure to consider the size, which will depend on the size of your bed. Generally, you want to create a border with the rug that leaves 30 inches on each side of your bed.
- Wall Décor – Waking up and falling asleep to wall décor you love – whether it’s a fabric hanging, an inspiring piece of art or shelves filled with your favorite photos and memorabilia – can transform your bedroom into a special sanctuary that truly reflects you and the way you want to feel every day.
- Mirrors – With a variety of shapes, sizes and styles to choose from, there are plenty of mirror options that will show you who is fairest of them all. You can place a round mirror over your bed, hang a rectangle mirror above your dresser, stand a leaner mirror against your wall, or do a mirror gallery wall with a variety of designs.
- Pillows – No bedroom is complete without pillows that make your end-of-day getaway all the more irresistible. You can pile on and on and on or you can choose just a few that complement your retreat’s theme and color scheme.
- Lamps – Let there be light, whether you’re setting the mood or reading in bed. When you’re picking a lamp for your nightstand, be mindful of the height and make sure it will cast a glow where you need it most.
- Decor is just as essential to creating your dream bedroom as furniture because no item can bring more color, texture, pattern or personality than the right accessory.
How to Arrange a Bedroom Lamp
The best placement for a bedroom lamp will be wherever you need light the most – usually, this is over the bed, if you read or write before sleep. This can be done in a few ways. Try a floor lamp next the side of the bed, angled over slightly so that enough light will cast over the bed surface; you can also achieve this through a table lamp on a nightstand, sconce over a headboard or recessed bedroom ceiling lighting/ceiling fan lights.
— Consider Bedroom Furniture with Smart Features —
We’re constantly utilizing technology in every aspect of our lives, and bedroom furniture is adapting to us with built-in smart features that make staying connected easier than ever.
- USB Ports - From headboards to nightstands, many bedroom pieces are now designed with USB ports, so you can conveniently and comfortably charge phones, E-readers and other electronic devices.
- Lamp Assist - To turn your bedside lamp on and off without any hassle, many nightstands now include a lamp assist feature. There will be an outlet you plug your lamp into, and that outlet connects to an easy-to-reach touch sensor button or strip, which you can press to control your lighting.
- AC Outlets - Cord chaos is a thing of the past when you have nightstands, media chests and other storage pieces with built-in AC power outlets. You can plug in, charge and enjoy a clean, organized look.
- Wire Management - With the simple addition of cutouts that tame lamp wires and entertainment equipment cords, many nightstands and media chests are able to streamline cluttered bedrooms.
