We’ve been living in our new home for almost two full years. And while it definitely feels cozy now, it didn’t get that way overnight. It took us more than a year to really make our space feel like a *home*.
Why did it take so long?
Having moved more than a dozen times in my life, one thing I’ve learned is that it takes time to create a home that you love. That’s why I don’t rush out and buy all new furniture the first week (or month or year) of living in a place.
There are the obvious things you need to buy right away, gadgets for the kitchen, blinds or curtains for the windows and dressers to hold your clothes. But aside from the necessities, I always like to wait and live in a space for a (more than a) minute, before making big purchases.
We’ve tackled the living room (cozy sectional: check!). The dining area/office (pedestal table and mid-century chairs: check!). The guest bath/laundry room (washer/dryer: check!). And so now we’re left with the one room in the house that we haven’t made over yet (and personally, it’s my favorite room in the whole house): our bedroom.
So I thought I’d share with you, a look at what my dream bedroom looks like. And offer a few guideposts for how to begin making over yours. These are the exact things I’ll be looking at as we start to think about making over our own bedroom. Using this guide, combined with these tips, you really won’t ever want to leave your bed (you’re welcome)!
- The first place to start with are the walls. What color palette do you want to go with? Clean, minimal white? A calming blue? Do you want color all over or just an accent wall? Personally, I’d love to painta moody dark navy oraubergine (inspired by my favorite tea atelier ) accent wall behind our bed. Just to add a little warmth and color to the otherwise white room. I love accenting with pops of intentional color to make a space feel cozy and warm, while still keeping that clean, minimal, open feel.
- Next up is your lighting. Keeping overhead lighting to a minimum (it’s too harsh for a bedroom) or at least using low wattage bulbs will help keep the room feeling relaxing and mellow. Try some bedside lamps or sconces which will offer practical reading light and also lend some beautiful ambient light at night.Right now we have one of those Home Depot ceiling fan lights that was here when we bought the house, and I’m not a fan (pun intended).I’d love to replace it with thisChurch 3 Arm Pendant from Brendan Ravenhill Studio in Los Angeles. I’d also add two of his uber minimalBare Ring Scones on either side of the bed. They would free up space on the nightstands and add a golden bronze touch to the room (which I’m obsessed with).
- Speaking of nightstands, they’re totally necessary, in my opinion. But it’s important to find the right style to compliment your makeover. Right now we have a mismatched pair that while functional and still in good condition, just aren’t hitting the spot aesthetically (and are just bad feng shui).My dream? To sell ours and snag theseround little beauties from West Elm. Just practical enough while still being beautifully designed, with enough storage for our bedside knickknacks. And the marble top has me swooning!
- While I love our bed (it was my man’s purchase and I have to see the guy has pretty stellar taste), its’ beige leather headboard clashes with the more stark white linens that I’m fond of. Your bed frame is the centerpiece of your bedroom. Therefore, it shouldn’t be purchased on a whim. Do research. What material do you want? Do you want a headboard? A sleigh bed? Or more of a platform style bed? Do you need storage underneath the bed? Be sure to think about the height of the overall bed frame. Go to stores and actually check beds out (several times) before making the final purchase.Since our bed isn’t quite high enough to store items underneath the bed frame (i know, i know, bad feng-shui, but when you live in 700sq feet, you gotta do what you gotta do ). I’m lusting after thisDWR Matera bed that feels both modern and totally rustic. The added storage underneath is perfect for our bungalow style home.
- Now to my favorite part of any bedroom makeover — the linens! Is there anything better than crawling into a newly made bed with fresh, crisp linens? Hint: no. I remember my first trip to a luxury hotel as an adult. It was San Ysidro Ranch in Santa Barbara. And I’ll never forget sinking into their bed linens and thinking, “are you kidding me?!? ” They were the most sumptuous, gorgeous feeling sheets I’d ever slept in. I swore to myself that when the time came, I would invest in a set of those sheets.So without question, my ultimate bedroom makeover would absolutely include a set (or two) ofFrette sheets. TheirDoppio Ajour Collection has my name written all over it. A simple double hemstitched border on 100% cotton sateen. Pure everyday luxury that has withstood the test of time (Frette has been making linens of the highest quality since 1860). To make a bedroom really feel like a retreat, a high-quality set of linens is tops on my wish list. Second tothe perfect throw blanket to up the cozy factor. It’s the perfect way to add a little tactile pleasure to your Sunday morning lounging time.
- It’s true that us ladies have the reputation of being pillow happy. And I for one, have no shame in admitting that I’m one of them. I adore pillows of every shape and size. While my guy is a little less enamored with the idea of shedding five layers of pillows to get into bed at night, we’ve reached a nice compromise in terms of quantity and style. When purchasing pillows for your bedroom think about what looks and feels comfortable. Go for textures and prints that feel soothing (they’ll not only look gorgeous but make your bedroom feel more relaxing). For our makeover, I’d love to accent my beautiful Frette linens with some shibori dyed pillows fromNOON by Jane Palmer andRebecca Atwood .
- To make a bedroom feel lived in, while still clean and spacious — I’m a fan of the less is more philosophy. A few pieces of art from theTappan Collective , some live plants fromPotted (a cute local garden shop) to clean the air and scented goodies fromPF Candle Co. andSandoval to set the mood.And of course I can’t forget what goes underfoot: a big hugeMoroccan inspired rug from West Elm. I love to bring in decor that caters to all of my six senses. It adds a whole other layer of beauty and magic.
What about you? Are you ready for a bedroom makeover? If so, tell me what’s one thing on your wish list that you’d love? I’d love some more ideas for how to make our bedroom feel like the most relaxing, rejuvenating and beautiful room in the house.
Here’s to home!
~Steph
*This post is in collaboration with Frette. I received compensation in exchange for creating this original content for you. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep The Girl Who Knows going!*
