How can I make my bedroom look stylish? 7 design tricks to inspire

If you've ever wondered 'how can I make my bedroom look stylish?' then you'll be aware of the tricky task of making your sleep space look beautiful each and every day. 

If you want to make bedtime – and yourself – feel special every night, look for simple but effective luxury bedroom ideas to provide the perfect inspiration for you to create a beautiful hotel-style bedroom in your own home.

And why not? We spend around a third of our lives in bed, so it makes sense that we should make sure that we’re giving ourselves the best experience, and highest quality rest we can. 

And you can do this by creating a stylish bedroom that caters to all your needs, from inviting materials to comforting colors. Nearly every element is involved in creating bedroom ideas that will make your bedroom look stylish, luxurious and expensive. 

How can I make my bedroom look stylish?

If you are looking for main bedroom ideas, or even guest bedroom ideas, with a focus on luxury and style, making these changes will not only make you feel like you’re on vacation, but you’ll find it easier to drift off into the deep sleep your body requires to truly rest and recover. 

From clever paint tricks and decorating with mirrors to wonderful ways to use symmetry in interior design and bedroom art, our designers' beautiful decorating ideas will help you curate a bedroom that looks tailored, sophisticated and oh so smart. Below, with the help of interior designers, we answer the common question 'how can I make my bedroom look stylish?'

1. Pick a concept

Having a theme for your bedroom helps to create a coherent look – and while it’s good to keep up with the latest bedroom trends, the most important thing is to make sure it’s one that’s true to your personal style and suited to your home. 

When it comes to deciding what are good themes for bedrooms, think about the colors, textures and designs you currently love. All great looks start with beautiful and inspiring images, so indulge in a research session with our decorating section, then make a moodboard for your project. They don’t have to be interior images – scenes from nature, fashion magazines and travel can all inspire your space.

According to Colin Wong, creative director at Development Direct: ‘You should go with bedroom color ideas that you are strongly drawn towards. Everyone has a color that they relate to and this should form the basis of your choice. The bedroom is your own and you should finish it in a way that enhances your mood’

Ultimately, your decorating style should be a reflection of your personality, and your bedroom should be filled with things that you love, adore and make you feel safe, comfortable and at home. A well-designed and well-planned bedroom scheme not only looks beautiful but should also improve your quality of life.

2. Curate a color scheme

Be bold with your bedroom color schemes. Rich hues, dynamic pattern and lavish layering heighten a sense of cocooning for a sublime sanctuary. 

Getting the color right in a room can be a tricky business. Even with all their experience, it can take time for professionals to make a decision. There is a lot to consider – the size and shape of the space, the available natural light and its direction, who it is for, etc. 

‘A large space can often handle a blanket of color that works with both north- and south-facing light,’ says Tom Morris of Morrisstudio. ‘If wall colors are strong, I tone down the colors in the furnishings, or vice versa.

3. Curate with art

Use beautifully curated bedroom art ideas to add that crucial finishing touch to your bedroom sanctuary.

A bedroom is perhaps the most private and intimate space in the home, somewhere you can truly relax and be yourself. Decorating with art, then, is particularly significant here. A favorite artwork is a classic starting point for a bedroom scheme. Make this your color cue – experiment with the colors used, select two or three, then take it from there.

4. Invest in good lighting

In a bedroom, different levels and types of lighting can help switch the mood from practical – getting ready for work, say – to relaxing or reading before going to sleep. And it’s something that also needs to be considered when choosing colors. 

Sarah Barker from Vanrenen GW Designs thinks about functionality as well as aesthetics when selecting the right lighting for a bedroom. ‘Lighting needs to be low and atmospheric but it is important to be able to read. I am not so keen on overhead lights in bedrooms so we often use small wall lights next to the bed for additional attractive light.’

5. Commission fitted joinery 

Bespoke bedroom storage solutions will result in a home that's ordered and calm but also on that's beautiful and stylish. Without exquisite joinery, even the grandest bedroom will be nothing more than a box room. That’s what Bruce Hodgson, founder of architectural joinery specialist Artichoke, believes. ‘Beautifully crafted and conceived joinery can add drama to an interior, employing light and shade to lend depth, as well as framing openings and significant features,’ he says. ‘It can also play a vital role manipulating proportions.’

Think about bedroom storage in the planning stages of a project and make sure to use every nook and cranny, especially in children’s bedrooms. One trick is to use the full length of wall space so that fitted joinery and display shelves maximise the space on offer, recommend Katie Glaister and Henry Miller-Robinson of K&H Design. ‘We encourage clients to work out beforehand the number of items that need to be stored away by measuring the linear meterage of all shoes, clothes, books, etc, to ensure the design will fit everything in.

6. Perfect a pared-back palette

Elegant and timeless in their simplicity, neutral bedroom schemes are a stalwart in the world of interiors. The beauty of a neutral scheme is that it provides a wonderful scaffold upon which to hang accents of color, adds Deborah Bass, founder of Base Interior. 

Just because something is white doesn’t mean it has to be plain: think about the application – is the wallpaper silk or textured, as an example. White is one of the most versatile shades in all of design – it instantly brightens while evoking a sense of calm and flawlessness. Add interest through colorful art, accent soft furnishings and antique furniture and objects. It also makes it easier to change up the look of a room.

Nicky Mudie, founder and director of Violet & George agrees: ‘Build on existing objects or reference points, such as art, or pulling in what is happening outside the window,’ she says. In the case of a bedroom, these accent colors can come from the bed linen or upholstery. ‘For a calm and restful bedroom scheme, introduce colors with a neutral undertone and tie these together so that everything blends together and nothing glares.'

7. Make magic with mirrors 

Everyone knows mirrors are good at doubling a sense of space but I love a bedroom mirror for how it magnifies light and adds a magical mood. Decoratively, mirrors can function like artwork so hanging one solo or grouping them will make a bedroom look expensive.

Think about the qualities of the mirror glass itself and how it will contribute to the room‘s aesthetic. 'I always use mirrors with an antiqued effect – it softens everything that it reflects,' says Interior designer Henriette Von Stockhausen. 'Sadly, it is more expensive but it really is worth it as it makes the room feel immediately more settled.'

What makes a stylish bedroom?

A stylish bedroom needs really good finishing. This means elegant, well-designed joinery in fitted furniture, crisp upholstery and bedlinen, and smart paintwork. A feature wallpaper and co-ordinating paint colors will make a bedroom more stylish, as will a feature headboard and luxurious flooring underfoot. Finally, well-curated lighting and artwork will be the perfect finishing touches to a stylish bedroom.