21 Bedroom Decor Ideas You’ll Fall in Love With

While so many of us have spent additional time at home working and keeping safe, it’s easy for our home space to feel drab, outdated and dull. Our bedrooms should be safe spaces to unwind, relax and find peace at the end of each day. But often, we end up concentrating on updating our kitchen or lounge ahead of what’s arguably the most important room in the home.

So, our interior design experts have put together 21 bedroom decor ideas. From minimalist and Nordic-inspired to bright and airy tropical havens, we’re sure that you’ll find something to pique your interest and inspire a bedroom makeover! And, most of these choices don’t require big investments, changes or overhauls - a few statement accessories, plants or textures can make all the difference. 

Let’s begin...

1. Fire up the fireplace

While a statement feature of period buildings, bedroom fireplaces have been phased out of contemporary home builds. However, fireplaces are making a well-deserved comeback with an all-new style.

Today, fireplaces can become centrepieces of statement walls, encased in glass enclosures or upgraded with modern grates. For the most up-to-date fiery look, ethanol ventless fireplaces create an eye-catching piece without the smoke, soot or ash; the perfect solution for pets and family homes.

2. Choose cosy, classy and contemporary

For a contemporary look with a homely feel, experiment with lighting, textures and accessories. This year, say goodbye to four-poster beds: we’re now seeing beds donning high, cushioned headboards and set close to the floor. Pair your bed with a matching ottoman, and add matching bedside tables to combine function with beauty.

To keep the bedroom feeling cosy and homely, add plenty of textures and finishing touches. Fluffy blankets, shaggy rugs, statement ceiling lighting and bedside lamps are all up for grabs.

3. Visualize vivacious velvets

For a luxe look, velvets and crushed velvets are key. Choose a velvet-inspired bed in grey or silver hues with a statement headboard for an up-to-date look. To let your velvet bed be the star of the show, pair with neutral wall paint or wallpaper.

However, if you’re not ready to make the velvet bed commitment, start slowly with velvet-look bedding and pillowcases, crushed velvet rugs or a contrasting velvet ottoman.

4. Pick your panelling

Wall panelling has come back in a big way recently. Transform your two-dimensional wall and add texture to plain walls with wooden panels. Choose horizontal stripes, square boxes or large rectangles to create a statement wall.

While we don’t suggest panelling every wall of your bedroom, modern bedroom designs often use panelling on the wall behind the bed to make the most of the ‘dead space’ above a bed. If you have a shorter headboard or a bed without one, panelling can even be used to fill half the wall to give the illusion of a taller bed frame.

5. Experiment with Scandi

A big hit on Pinterest, Scandinavian-inspired bedroom decor is a big hit for contemporary homes. Nordic-inspired bedrooms are the perfect pic for minimalists, fans of neutrals and those in search of a peaceful sleeping space. This style is also well-placed within guest bedrooms, as it’s not polarising and is unlikely to offend! Take a look at our top guest bedroom ideas for more.

Scandi-inspired bedrooms tend to have very neutral and limited colour palettes such as whites, pale pinks and white greys. Beds are often low to the ground without headboards, and accessories in the room are usually made up of rustic or reclaimed woods, copper and minimalistic metals.

6. Embrace natural nautical

Building a nautical-inspired bedroom is a great choice for lovers of sandy toes, earthy textures and wooden flooring. Perfect for adults and children alike, white, sea-blue and navy walls help bring the seaside to your home.

One of the best things about a nautical theme is the diversity of bedroom accessories available. Nautical bedrooms often flourish shelves and walls with oars, seashells and even anchors! For a unique look, explore wooden-inspired feature walls by using panelling techniques or use wood-look wallpaper for the ultimate seaside rustic boat feel.

7. Make more minimalism

Similar to the Scandinavian vibe, minimalism is another top bedroom decor trend. But don’t be scared! Minimalism doesn’t mean an empty room with a bed, it just means embracing and using fewer things.

Part of this means less clutter (on display, at least), so start by looking into storage methods. For example, an Ottoman double bed can hide a plethora of clutter while giving you easy access to the things you need. A TV stand-cum-chest-of-drawers can keep your clothes and essentials hidden. For the ultimate minimalist look, choose neutral walls, statement task lighting and small bedside tables.

8. Play with pastels

Using pastels in the right way can quickly transform a bedroom from drab to stylish. Pastel pinks, greens, blues and greys can create an eye-catching feature wall, and pastels pair nicely with the latest adoption of LED lights in a bedroom.

Pastels can also pair nicely with neutrals elsewhere. Think pastel walls with neutral shelving, white bed and bedding with a mixture of pastel-coloured pillows and white ceiling lighting to illuminate the colourful space.

9. Select a statement bed

The bed is often the centrepiece or ‘main event’ of a bedroom. But it’s often overlooked as a design feature in itself. However, statement beds can add vibrancy, colour and style to the space.

Choose a statement bed and don’t shy away from bold colours. Jewel colours such as royal blues, bright reds and emerald greens are here to stay! Muted greys, whites and champagnes will contribute to the luxury bedroom vibe.

10. Introduce wooden flooring

While carpets are often favoured for bedroom floors, wooden or wood-inspired flooring is a must-have for contemporary bedroom decor.

Light flooring such as oak planks, white LVT (luxury vinyl tiling) or vinyl planks can be used to lighten a room, reflect the natural light and make the room feel bigger. Or, choose dark hardwood or lacquered flooring to create drama and a bold statement.

11. Mix and match the space

Remember that while your bedroom is predominantly used for sleeping, there’s no reason to shy away from making it a multi-purpose haven.

If you have the space available, consider adding an armchair or sofa to create a cosy spot to unwind in. Here at Swyft, we have some tips on how to buy a sofa for your bedroom if you’re wondering where to start! Adding a dressing table and a small pouffe will give you an area to get ready in, and you can transform an alcove or window space into a storage space with a seat to create a comfy reading nook.

12. Look at your lighting

When designing or decorating a space, lighting is crucial. You’ll need to make sure that your bedroom has enough ambient, task and accent lighting to make the room functional, while bearing in mind your theme for the space.

Ambient lighting is your ‘big’ lighting - which comes from overhead ceiling lights and natural lighting from windows or skylights. Task lights create light for specific purposes such as reading, and accent lighting is used to highlight something which you want to draw attention to - such as artwork or specific objects. So, it’s important to make sure that your lighting is up-to-scratch.

13. Improve your illumination

Once you’ve established the right levels of lighting for your bedroom, it’s then important to choose which forms of lighting to use.

If you have large windows, pair these with long, linen curtains. You’ll want to let the natural light in as often as possible, so make sure that your curtains create a statement when open and shut. For your task lighting, you may wish to add wall lighting or large lamps to your room to keep it functional. If you’ve got a sofa, armchair or reading nook in place, consider using lamps, spotlights and pendant lighting.

14. Put up your walls

If your bedroom has short walls or is small in size, there are a range of interior design techniques you can use to make the space look larger. One of these is using illusion to make your walls look taller.

For a bedroom with short walls, get rid of the crown moulding, as this comes down from the ceiling and has the visual effect of dragging it down. The same applies to hanging or pendant ceiling lighting - this draws the eye down making the space appear smaller. Instead, paint the ceiling white to create the illusion of space, and use glossy paint to better reflect the light within the room. This will make the entire room feel taller!

15. Bring down your walls

For bedrooms with tall walls where you want to make the room feel cosier and smaller, you can visually ‘bring down’ the walls. Instead of using white on the ceiling, paint the walls of the room a lighter colour, and contrast with a warm and dark ceiling paint.

Accessories-wise, choose low-hanging lamps such as pendant lights, paired with horizontal panelling or wallpaper. Tall furniture also contributes to the look, such as high headboards, tall lamps and a high chest of drawers.

16. Mirror, mirror on the... floor?

It’s a well-known fact that mirrors can make a space feel bigger by reflecting your light sources. Luckily, bedrooms are arguably the best room for mirrors, as there are so many possibilities for where they can be used. Wardrobe mirrors are a super-simple way of adding depth and space to your bedroom, without having to hang anything additional on the walls. Dressing table mirrors, hanging mirrors and ceiling mirrors also come in a range of choices to suit your style.

Lately, many mirror-enthusiasts have been avoiding hanging mirrors at all, by using large standing mirrors in their bedrooms. For a true minimalistic look, choose a mirror without a frame or with a thin black edge. And, when placed near to a light source such as a window, a standing mirror will reflect the lighting back into the room, giving the illusion of more space.

17. Choose one colour

For cohesive bedroom decor, accent colours are the ideal way to tie the whole room together. Most people feel daunted when hearing the phrase ‘accent colour’, but we don’t actually recommend sticking to just one. You can use several accent colours, and these can be complementary or contrasting.

To get started with accent colours, toy with several hues of the same colour. This can include perhaps an accent wall, cushions and a chair in a certain colour palette, such as navy. You don’t have to then make the rest of the room navy or another blue hue, the remainder of the space can be neutral in colour. If you’re feeling bold, you may also choose to create a contrast: think a warm orange wall with a contrasting blue armchair and orange chair cushions.

18. Organise with ottomans

An easy way to keep your bedroom free of visible clutter and mess is by using ottomans. Ottoman beds come in a range of contemporary styles and colour choices, and they look no different to ‘normal’ beds. They simply come with a lifting mechanism, which means that the space under your mattress can be used to hold linens, boxes and more!

Storage ottomans also come with plenty of choice, and are often used to house bedding. You can choose an ottoman that matches the style of your bed, or pick an ottoman that doubles up as a bench chair to create more seating. And don’t worry if rectangles aren’t your thing, ottomans come in a range of styles now such as small chairs, circular pouffes and footstools.

19. Bring on the blinds

Natural lighting in a bedroom can really lift the space. While many of us are used to having curtains in the bedroom, blinds are becoming more of a must-have for contemporary room design.

There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to blinds: wooden, vertical, horizontal, Romans, Venetians, shutters, rollers and more! Venetian blinds are the perfect pick if you want to combine allowing in the natural light without compromising on your privacy, and roller blinds can be used to create a blackout effect at nighttime for optimal sleep.

20. Wonderful wall decor

While we’ve talked a lot about painting and wallpapering the walls, there are plenty of options to decorate your walls with too. Contemporary ideas include artwork, gallery walls, shelving and mirrors. And, don’t forget the panelling!

For something a little different, plenty of people are now creating fairy light walls, using LED lights or using faux-ivy hanging vines to fill the space. These are all simple and effective ways of creating a homely and warm feel to a bedroom.

21. Plant some plants!

As well as bringing a sense of colour and the great outdoors into the home, plants have a range of positive effects on health and wellbeing. Not only can they reduce air pollutants, but they also have mood-boosting effects and are linked to a reduction in stress levels.

There are plenty of stylish ways to bring plants into the bedroom. Think succulents, hanging planters and trailing house plants from shelving to bring the outside in. Bigger, statement plants can be held in rattan planters, stylish plant pots and tall metal plant holders. For more on this, take a look at our bedroom plant decor guide.

So, there we have it. 21 handpicked bedroom decor ideas to serve as inspiration for your next bedroom makeover.