The bedroom is one of the most intimate and personal spaces in the home. That’s why it’s a room where we can take certain liberties when it comes to decorating it. But it’s important that this greater freedom to decorate it to our liking doesn’t lead us to make common mistakes, since there are several factors to consider if we want to achieve a result that reflects good taste and fits perfectly with our style.
In any case, don’t worry— at CULMIA, we’ve compiled a list of 12 common bedroom decorating mistakes to help you avoid them. So read the following carefully to learn about all of them!
Common Mistakes in Bedroom Decorating
Neglecting the layout and improvising
To make sure our bedroom is exactly the way we want it, we need to plan its decor. What does this mean? It means we should carefully consider the available space and the style we want to create, and take our time evaluating the elements we’re going to use.
In this case, we recommend setting aside one or more days (or a week) to finish decorating the bedroom and get it exactly the way you want it, rather than changing or adding elements as you go along. In other words, it’s better to do everything at once than to improvise as the days go by.
Using more items than we actually need
As we’ve seen on other occasions, some decorating methods—such as the Kon Marie method —recommend not overcrowding rooms and getting rid of objects and furniture we won’t need. And when it comes to bedrooms, this advice is even more important, if that’s possible, because this is a room intended primarily for rest.
Ultimately, the essential elements for a bedroom are the bed, one or more nightstands, and a closet. And beyond these, the fewer pieces of furniture and other items we add, the better. That’s why it’s relatively easy to make the mistake of overcrowding the space by using more items than we actually need, under the pretext that they’re pretty. But more isn’t always better when it comes to decorating a bedroom !
Block the passage of light
Light is essential for a bedroom. This includes both natural light, so we can enjoy a bright space during the day, and artificial light, so we can see at night and get ready for bed.
With this in mind, we should not only arrange the bedroom furnishings to make the best use of the light (especially on the bed). We should also avoid blocking the light coming through the windows, which can happen if we place furniture or decorative objects in front of them.
Install heavy, dark curtains
Choosing curtains is an important factor when decorating a bedroom. We might be tempted to choose thick, blackout curtains to keep the morning sunlight from bothering us. But let’s not forget that we have blinds for that purpose, which can help us control the amount of natural light coming in through the windows.
Instead, we invite you to use light-colored (especially white) and sheer curtains that let light in while adding a decorative touch to the bedroom. Oh! And remember that it’s also important to hang them properly: starting as close to the ceiling as possible and making sure they reach the floor.
Use only cool colors
We already know that the most intense and garish colors don’t work well in bedrooms. The walls should be painted in colors that convey calm and tranquility to help us rest, although this doesn’t mean we have to stick exclusively to cool tones.
Neutral colors or earth tones will always give you great results. And if you want to take a bit more of a risk, you can try using gray or dark colors to convey a sense of sophistication and elegance. However, in this case, we recommend balancing them with slightly lighter furniture and textiles.
Underestimating the importance of storage
The bedroom is a space where we tend to store quite a few things. Mainly clothes, but also other items we use regularly in our daily lives. So, when decorating our bedroom, we should always keep in mind what we’ll need to store there.
For example: How many clothes do we have? It’s essential that our bedroom closet be spacious enough to store all the clothes we’ll need, at least for the current season. And if we don’t have much space, perhaps we could consider doing some remodeling to remove a partition wall and install a built-in closet, which would give us a few more meters of storage space.
Doing without nightstands
This point ties in perfectly with the previous one, because nightstands are another essential piece of furniture for proper storage. At first glance, we might think that nightstands take up space; but they’re really worth having because they’re incredibly practical, and you never know when you might need one during the night.
Plus, nightstands are the perfect excuse to spruce up a bedroom’s decor. They complement other pieces of furniture—like the bed or the closet—perfectly, and we can use them to play with colors or create contrasts. In fact, there are plenty of options, though you should always try to keep their surfaces as uncluttered as possible, make sure they’re just the right size to fit (at least) a lamp, and ensure they have drawers for storing your belongings.
Blocking walkways
Bedrooms tend to be small spaces to begin with. That’s why it’s not only essential to find the right layout, but also to avoid blocking walkways with new furniture or items that are out of place.
Furniture (such as a bed, closet, and nightstands) should be accessible. It’s no surprise, then, that it’s advisable to be able to get into bed from either side. And we should have enough space not only to move around but also to perform other activities typical of this room, such as choosing clothes, getting dressed, or putting on makeup.
Not giving sleep the importance it deserves
What’s the most important thing in any bedroom worth its salt? That’s right: the bed. But even so, we might fall into the common trap of not giving it the importance it truly deserves.
To choose the best option for decorating our bedroom, it’s essential that we select a bed that’s just the right size. And we should place it in the most appropriate spot: for example, Feng Shui recommends, among other things, that we avoid placing it directly across from doors and that we avoid sleeping next to a window.
And on top of all that, consider the headboard: it’s a very interesting decorative element, but one that also requires our attention. So, when choosing one, we should make sure it’s wider than the bed, that its color and design complement the room’s decor, and that it’s comfortable—especially if we tend to spend time reading or sitting up in bed.
Improper carpet installation
The floor is another key element in bedroom decor. Since we’ll often walk on it barefoot, we can try to make it more comfortable by adding carpet or a rug. Either option will add warmth to the room and make it incredibly comfortable when we get into or out of bed.
However, choosing the wrong rug can ruin the decor of our bedroom. Among the most common mistakes are choosing a rug that’s smaller than the bed or one that doesn’t adequately cover the floor around it (especially at the front). To avoid these mistakes, it’s best not to use a rug if you don’t have enough space, or, as an alternative, place several smaller rugs on either side of the bed.
Going overboard with prints
Patterns work well in bedrooms, but that doesn’t mean you have to overdo it. Their advantage is that they bring a sense of energy and cheerfulness to the room; and you don’t have to use them everywhere to achieve this effect.
We can really achieve great results by combining two or three different patterns, making sure they aren’t too visually overwhelming, that they’re in the same color family (especially light shades), and that they stand out against solid backgrounds. The advantage is that we can use these patterns to express our personal style: flowers for a more natural and fresh look, geometric patterns for a more dynamic touch, stripes for a more understated style…
Using too many pillows
In addition to the bedspread and pillowcases, you can use matching throw pillows to complete your bedroom decor. Just don’t go overboard and fill the room with them. Usually, just a couple of them will be more than enough to enhance the look of your bed. And if you like to mix things up, you can always swap them out every so often to give the room a fresh look.
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