How to Spice up a Boring Bedroom

Co-authored by Taya Wright, NAPO, RESA

Last Updated: February 6, 2023 References

Your bedroom should be your oasis, the space you go after a long day to feel at home and relaxed. How you set up this space can change your mood and set the tone for your day. If your bedroom doesn’t feel like a breath of fresh air, there are plenty of ways to update your space without spending too much money.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Creating a Blank Canvas for Redecoration

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De-clutter your bedroom. Even if you don’t feel like your space is overly messy, take time to intentionally de-clutter. You might be surprised by how much you have accumulated.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Taya Wright, NAPO, RESA
Professional Home Stager & Organizer
Expert Interview. 2 April 2020.} Eliminating excess is an essential component of making your space feel peaceful.
- Look to the cultural phenomenon, Marie Kondo, for her famous de-cluttering practices. Ask yourself what items in your bedroom truly give you joy.^{[2]
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  Research source} Put these items in a definitely keep pile.
- Make other piles to donate, to recycle, and to throw away. Make an immediate trip to the donation center so that you don’t put it off. If there are any items you’re unsure about giving up, box them up, date the box, and put them away in a closet. If you don’t reach for any of them within six months, give the box away without even opening it.
- Include furniture. Does your furniture add to the space? If not, do you need it, and if so, do you have funds to find something else? If you have furniture you don't need, can you use it somewhere else in your home so you don't have to get rid of it?
2
Give your room a deep clean. After you’ve de-cluttered, this is a guaranteed way to make your space feel fresh.
- Get to all the tasks you don’t think about in your normal cleaning routine.^{[3]
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- Dust your baseboards, molding, and ceiling fans, and clean the glass of mirrors and windows.
- If you have curtains, take them down and wash them.
- Sweep and mop hardwood floors, and thoroughly vacuum carpet. Make sure to also clean under your bed. If you have furniture against your walls, move it a few inches so you can clean behind it.
- Use a magic eraser, like Mr. Clean’s, to get any scuff marks off your walls.
- Wipe down all your furniture to remove any dust.
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3
Consider painting. If you compare effect to price, painting your room is an inexpensive way to make a drastic update to your space. Stick to more neutral colors that you won’t grow to dislike over time.
- Shades of white work well in any space. White paint will make your room feel brighter and more open. It’s a calming color and good backdrop to make decorations pop.
- If you want a little more drama in your space, try painting your walls a velvety black or navy blue.^{[4]
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  Research source} A darker room done right can feel cozy and timeless. Be wary of these colors, however, if your space already feels a little cramped.
- If you don’t want to paint your entire room, paint an accent wall on the wall behind your bed.^{[5]
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- If you like your current paint color, just do a few touch-ups with a paintbrush or paint the trim white to help make the walls pop.
4
Make a mood board for your bedroom. Whether you’re planning a complete makeover or just a small refresh, it can help to create your vision for the space. This will keep your process and outcome cohesive.
- Choose a color scheme. Pick a neutral base and a few coordinating accent colors for decorations like coral, teal, and mustard yellow. When you are choosing items to bring to your room, refer back to see if they loosely fit this scheme.
- Think about how you want your space to feel. Do you want it to be minimalist, crisp, and bright, or cozily full of sweet, quirky items and various patterns? Do you want wood in your room or accents of metal?
- As you begin to update your space, think about whether the changes fit into your vision for the space.
- You can make a mood board using cut-out pictures from furniture and design magazines, or you can make one on the computer using images you find online.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Changing Your Lighting and Furniture

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Reposition your bed. Just the small change of moving your bed can make you feel like you have a brand new room. Your bed should be the focal point of this space.^{[6]
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- Try to move your bed against a different wall, and reorganize your other furniture based on the placement of your bed.
- You don’t have to place your bed against the wall. Consider putting your bed a diagonal or leaving it to float free in your space.
2
Change your headboard. Or, if you don’t already have a headboard, add one. This is a way to give plain furniture a little bit of style.
- Your headboard doesn’t have to be a standard frame or hard headboard because it isn’t structurally important to your bed. Consider hanging a piece of art: an oversized poster or a woven tapestry work well.^{[7]
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  Research source} You can even hang a woven rug on your wall as a tapestry.
- If you have a plush headboard, recover it. New fabric will give an instant face lift to your bed.
- Paint a mural above your bed or adorn it with wall decals.^{[8]
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  Research source} This will give you a more intricate image than you’d get with a traditional headboard.
3
Rethink your functional lighting. The lighting in your bedroom creates ambience and mood. Consider adding new lighting for more sources of soft light. The more sources of lower wattage light you have in a room, the better.^{[9]
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- If you are able, install dimmers on your lights, so you can change the brightness of your lights.
- Keep practicality in mind. You’ll need a lamp by your bedside, and you might want a stylish nightlight near your bathroom.
- If your room has harsh, fluorescent lighting, switch out the bulbs with softer lighting to make your room feel cozier and more relaxing.
4
Add decorative lighting. Certain types of light can add decor even while off. Consider stringing up a few strands of decorative fairy lights. Depending on the style of your space, you can find different shapes and themes in these string lights.
- Pretty candles, whether they are real or artificial, can add a soft, relaxing glow to your space at night. You can even keep an entire shelf of varying sizes of candles.
- You can also hang string lights on your headboard for a relaxing, romantic look.
5
Change out hardware on doors and furniture. This is a simple way to make your doors and furniture seem new.
- Depending on your vision, choose sleek and metal minimalistic hardware or bright focal points like crystal door knobs and painted ceramic hardware.
- You can even get creative and make your own hardware.^{[10]
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  Research source} You can use anything from ribbon to yardsticks or old cutlery.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Adding Personalized Decorations

1
Hang pictures and artwork that mean something to you. As you redecorate, don’t feel like you need to buy new pieces of artwork all at once. Fill your space slowly with things you love.
- If you want a clean look to your walls, get your art and pictures framed and hang them equally spaced apart.^{[11]
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- For a more organic look, hang unframed artwork with pretty pins or washi tape tacked in the corners.
- Before you hang any artwork, take everything off your walls so you're starting with a blank canvas.
2
Update your bedspread and pillows. A new duvet or quilt can make a huge difference in the way you feel about relaxing in your bedroom.
- Think about getting a fluffy white comfortable and white pillowcases. The white looks bright, soft, and inviting. If it gets dirty, you can simply bleach it back to its original bright white.
- If you don’t want white, choose a pattern you love. Feel free to mix a patterned quilt with different patterned pillows for a more textural look.
- Get new sheets. This is a small luxury that can make you more comfortable. Opt for 100% cotton or linen sheets, which will only get softer with time and will last for years.
3
Consider an area rug. Even if you already have carpet in your room, an area rug can add an element of comfort, style, and fun.^{[12]
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Expert Source

Taya Wright, NAPO, RESA
Professional Home Stager & Organizer
Expert Interview. 2 April 2020.}
- Choose a bright patterned rug if the rest of your space is fairly minimal. This is a great way to add art and whimsy without cluttering your walls.^{[13]
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- Add a soft, shag rug. These are great to put around your bed so that your feet will sink into them each morning as you get up.
4
Add life to your space. Plants not only make a space prettier, they also purify the air and make you calmer.^{[14]
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Expert Source

Taya Wright, NAPO, RESA
Professional Home Stager & Organizer
Expert Interview. 2 April 2020.}
- When picking plants for your space, make sure to take into account the amount of sunlight your room gets.^{[15]
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- For lower maintenance plants, choose succulents and cacti.
- Use large baskets and beautiful ceramic pots as decorative holders for your plants.
- If you have pets, make sure the plants you're using aren't poisonous to animals.
- You can also decorate with fake plants if you're looking for a low-maintenance option.
5
Add scent. Even though you can’t see it, scent plays a part in the decorative feel of your room. Using aromatherapy can help you create your ideal relaxing environment.
- Invest in candles, incense, or an essential oil diffuser for your bedside.
- Scents like lavender, jasmine, and rosemary are calming and clarifying.
- Try a plug-in scent diffuser and hide it behind a piece of furniture so it's not visible.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I make my room look fresh?

Katherine Tlapa
Interior Designer
Katherine Tlapa is an interior designer, currently working as a Design Specialist for Modsy, a design service based in San Francisco. She also runs her own DIY Home Design blog, My Eclectic Grace. She received her BFA in Interior Architecture from Ohio University in 2016.

Katherine Tlapa

Interior Designer

Expert Answer

You don't have to spend a lot of money to spice up your bedroom. Try repurposing your old items and shopping within your home—use things from other rooms in your bedroom in a new way!
Question

What is the easiest way to decorate a room?

Katherine Tlapa
Interior Designer
Katherine Tlapa is an interior designer, currently working as a Design Specialist for Modsy, a design service based in San Francisco. She also runs her own DIY Home Design blog, My Eclectic Grace. She received her BFA in Interior Architecture from Ohio University in 2016.

Katherine Tlapa

Interior Designer

Expert Answer

Start with a theme that you have in mind - even if it's just a color. Once you have a general idea of what you want it to look like, it will be easier to decorate it.
Question

How can I make my bedroom look better?

Katherine Tlapa
Interior Designer
Katherine Tlapa is an interior designer, currently working as a Design Specialist for Modsy, a design service based in San Francisco. She also runs her own DIY Home Design blog, My Eclectic Grace. She received her BFA in Interior Architecture from Ohio University in 2016.

Katherine Tlapa

Interior Designer

Expert Answer

Start by removing the items from your room that you don't like. Removing items that you don't like in your space, along with cleaning and decluttering, will help a lot.