Shea McGee Always Starts With This One Key Feature When Designing Her Bedrooms – It's Simple, but Here's Why It Works

When designing any room, it’s the biggest pieces that naturally come first. In the living room, it’s a couch; in the kitchen, it’s your cabinets; and in the bedroom, designer Shea McGee has made it clear it’s the bed.

'When I’m putting together a bedroom look, I always start with the bed selection first because I want to know my client’s preferences. Do they like a cushioned headboard? Do they want the grandeur of a canopy bed? I ask a lot of questions about what they’re looking for stylistically and comfort-wise. This becomes the anchoring focal point of the entire space,' Shea explains in her recent Instagram video, in which she walks through all the details of her own bedroom.

The right headboard or bed frame anchors a bedroom; it’s the focal point of the space. Not to mention, it has to be practically right, too. Delving into all things scale, style, and size-related, Shea shares her tips on selecting the most important piece of furniture in your home.

The first and foremost thing to pay attention to when selecting a frame or headboard is scale. Considering how it will sit in your bedroom is paramount – the last thing you want is a bed that overwhelms your space or doesn't fill the area properly so you have a bed that kind of floats in a sea of wall space. Actually often going bigger than you think can often be the better choice.

Look at the potential space around the bed frame. You likely want your bed to be positioned within the focal point of the room, so note what your eye is naturally drawn to. Are there any windows or alcoves your bed could sit between? These features will help you decide on the size and shape of your bed frame.

In Shea's case, her bedroom features two huge windows that make for the natural position for the bed. As Shea explains, 'With my headboard (Shea has the Walt Bed Tall Headboard in Praline Velvet), I have these two tall windows flanking where our bed goes. So whatever I choose, it’s really important that I get some height in the middle so it doesn’t feel like this big drop in the focal point between the height of my window and what’s happening between them.'

As the largest piece of furniture in the bedroom, choosing your bed frame will inevitably set the tone of the room. To ensure your scheme feels cohesive and connected, always consider your current pieces and what will work alongside them. A vintage four-poster bed might feel out of place among modern decor – similarly, a mid-century wooden frame could clash with a more traditional bedside table or wardrobe.

View your bed as the starting point of the room’s design – it will determine everything else, allowing your later furnishings and furniture to fall into place accordingly. Shea suggests considering the style of your headboard according to your tastes and the look you’re trying to achieve.

Think about your interior design style to ensure your headboard aligns with your other pieces. Lovers of heritage might opt for a tartan-covered bed, whereas minimalists may prefer a sleeker, neutral frame. As Shea says, 'You've got to get to know yourself and what you love. Do you love tufting because you like more of a glam look? Do you like something smooth? Do you like the stately look of a high headboard, or the temporary feel of something low?' There's plenty of exciting headboard trends to help inspire your decision.

Shape, size, and color are all key factors to consider – but pay attention to the material of your bed, too. Whether it’s a textured rattan (perfect in a coastal bedroom) or a smooth leather that’s soft to the touch, think about what would work best both visually and practically.

In the case of Shea’s bedroom, she explains, 'I love an upholstered headboard because, for me, I like to sit up and read, scroll on my phone for a second, do some online shopping. So having an upholstered headboard is a really great start.'

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When designing your bedroom, Shea McGee's advice couldn't be simpler to implement: start with the bed, and make it personal. As well as all her practical advice on picking the right position and scale, she makes the very important point of choosing a bed that fits how you use it.