73 Inspiring Bedroom Ideas and Expert Tips to Transform Your Home, According to Interior Designers | Clayton News Parade Partner Content

Kendra Nicholas Nash, Principal Interior Designer of Nash Design Group, advises wrapping in soft grays, marble textures and luxe fabrics to create a well-balanced palette with a hint of pattern. All of these elements help to create a serene bedroom sanctuary.

Designed for a young girl, but filled with ideas that can be transferred to rooms geared for all ages, Lauren Lerner, CEO and Founder of Living with Lolo, says that she added subtle touches of color to the room while keeping the main furnishings neutral, making for a color scheme that can be easily changed.

Emily LaMarque, founder of Emily LaMarque Design Studio, offers this tip: “Hide away uneven bedroom windows by hanging a wall of drapery as a beautiful, yet cozy, backdrop. You can use blackout liner on the fabric to create a sleep-healthy haven.”

“A marriage of textural elements and calming coastal tones evoke a sense of cheerful tranquility in this primary bedroom,” says interior designer Megan Siason, CKBD. 

“An accent wall featuring a geometric, origami-inspired wood veneer wall covered in beautiful blues creates an anchor for the woven headboard.”

Principal Designer Shelby Van Daley says that this bedroom had a unique layout “because we had very few options of where to put the bed.” She adds, “Normally we’d prefer to face the window and take advantage of the view. Instead, we put the window behind the bed and added a double-sided fireplace to the room with a sitting area on the opposite side.”

Bunk rooms are one of the latest space-saving trends in homes, which is ideal for both sleepovers and visiting guests. Maria Vassiliou of Maria Zoe Designs says, “We created this custom bunk bed with four twin beds and storage underneath for those extra blankets and board games.”

“Drapery is one of the biggest investments in a room, and the impact goes well beyond light control for a well-rested night’s sleep,” says Principal Designer Ashley Macuga. “Drapery also adds a layer of texture, color and visual interest to a bedroom. Drapery softens the architectural lines of windows and walls, creating a more inviting and cozier atmosphere, which encourages relaxation and rest.”

Jasmine Crockett, Atlanta-based interior designer, content creator and founder of Joy Meets Home says that canopy beds are regaining popularity due to their timeless elegance and ability to add a touch of luxury to any bedroom. “Their renewed popularity could also be attributed to the desire for a cozy and intimate sleeping space, reminiscent of a romantic getaway or a luxurious retreat,” she says.

Drew Scott, interior design content creator and founder of Lone Fox Home, created this artful nook that flanks the bedroom. He says, “The little closet between my bedroom and bathroom was a space that I never really used. It had a few built-ins and some cabinet space, but I only kept a few things in them. I really wanted to create a little spot in my bedroom where I could work, edit and drink my morning coffee while watching my favorite YouTube videos. While the space is only about 32 square feet, the space quickly came together with a small vintage area rug and a bunch of collected finds I used as decor elements.”

For a bedroom that looks perfectly preppy, get inspired by this room crafted by Lori Moscato, principal and founder of Casual Elegance Designs. Although it’s a room for a teen, many of these elements could be fun for an adult’s bedroom as well. Moscato says, “For this teen room, we wanted to give color on some of the bedding by using selections from Laura Park. However, we kept it balanced by only using a few vibrant pieces, so that if in a few years, they could switch to a different color palette.”

“Add sophistication to any bedroom with luxurious texture,” says interior designer Julia Lauve. “In this bedroom, a simple wood headboard and light linen bedding create a natural base for heavier textiles.”

Nicholas Nash explains, “In a bedroom, achieving a delicate balance between masculine and feminine elements can create a space that feels both comforting and invigorating. The subtle mint green painted walls and pops of pink provide a soft, feminine touch, while the incorporation of masculine lines in the furniture and sleek lighting fixtures adds a sense of strength and structure.”

In this room, Learner says that the captivating abstract watercolor wallpaper serves as the focal point of this room while the sturdy custom bed anchors the space.

LaMarque has created a bedroom that feels like a slice of vacation. She suggests, “Create a light, airy and beachy bedroom with subtle coastal references. We brought in tonal palm wallpaper and combined it with natural wood nightstands and pops of aqua to evoke the ocean without going overboard.”

Here’s some inspiration if you’d like to set up a seating area within your bedroom. Siason says, “Symmetrically balanced, deep blue wall paneling flanks the organic movement of the attention-grabbing wallpaper, creating dynamic depth and serving as a major focal point.”

“For this children’s room, we wanted a base layer of furnishings that would age well as our clients’ son matured,” Van Daley says. “The leather bed and wicker chair provide a neutral pallet, and then we brought in color through the rug, pillows and roman shades.”

Vassiliou says, “We love to use textured wallcovering, even in the smallest of bedrooms to create an inviting space.”

Soft and airy, Macuga says that light blue hues are often associated with tranquility and relaxation, which is certainly true in this bedroom. “Creating a serene and peaceful environment is ideal for guests looking to unwind and rest during their stay,” she says.

“Using the homeowner’s favorite color—dusty plum—the design team added rich elegance to this primary bedroom,” says Moscato. “Sophistication was added to the richly plum-painted ceiling by incorporating a custom black bed.”

Lauve provides this tip: “A small desk can add function and style to a guest bedroom, providing a quiet place to work from home, as well as a thoughtful touchdown for visiting guests.”

Nicholas Nash says that in this bedroom, soft gray paneling serves as a neutral yet architecturally interesting backdrop, allowing other design elements to take center stage, like the antique nightstand.

This room proves that being daring with wallpaper, even in a small bedroom, pays off in a big way. “The wallpaper in this lovely bedroom defines the space’s ambiance,” Lerner says. “With its bold design, we chose to complement it by keeping the rest of the room decor neutral.”

LaMarque says, “Mirrors above nightstands are a fantastic way to bounce light within the room. Also, fun and colorful throw pillows add personality to your bedroom without committing to a huge change.”

“Grounding the space, a custom-made wall accent of horizontal wood slats paves the way for a sense of repose and symmetrical balance while allowing for the more streamlined, oatmeal-colored headboard to pop,” Siason says. “Flanking the bed, a geometric wood veneer with subtle iridescent tones completes the space and is the perfect backdrop for the sculptural matte black sconces.”

“Although this guest bedroom is not overly large, we had just enough space to accommodate a small bench, which we accented with a round mirror,” Van Daley remarks. “We used woven wood shades to compliment the rattan bed frame. The final touch of wainscoting around the room really elevated the space, creating a more custom feel.”

Starting with a predominantly white palette, Vassiliou says, “The velvet blue headboard and crisp white pillows allow for a sharp contrast that’s always pleasing to the eye.”

“The ceiling is a significant part of any room’s visual landscape, and we believe that a well-designed ceiling can enhance the overall aesthetic of a space and influence how spacious a room feels,” Macuga says. “By incorporating a tray ceiling and leveraging architectural mouldings, we manipulated the perceived volume of the room.”

Moscato says that her team “loves taking risks with colors in guest bedrooms,” and this space exemplifies that. “Keeping with the warm earthy tones, we brought the outside in using a deep green,” she adds.

Of this bedroom, Lauve says, “The cane bed, basket storage and butterfly embroidery add textural details with a nod to nature.”

Interior designer Amy Peltier says, “When windows are in limited supply, placing the bed in front of it can give beautiful daylight for reading and lounging. But you don’t want your pillows squished against the glass! Opting for an upholstered headboard allows you to drink in warm light while having a soft and supportive structure against which to relax.”

“Combining warm woods, luxurious fabrics and contrasting elements with boho accents creates an on-trend aesthetic,” says Nicholas Nash, and yet, there’s still an air of traditional style about this space.

With a teal statement wall serving as a backdrop, of this bedroom, Lerner says, “This room features neutral furnishings with a touch of green on the accent wall, adding personality to the space for the golf enthusiast.”

LaMarque explains that this space resides in a once-dated lake house. It originally sported 1970s wall paneling, and she provided a “major update without a massive budget” thanks to gallons of white paint. “With a lightened, brighter space, we then layered in a rattan headboard, metal nightstands, a handwoven wool rug and textured decorative pillows,” she shares.

“We love a great canopy bed, especially when we’re dealing with tall ceilings and large rooms,” Van Daley says, adding these words of wisdom: “Always pay attention to lamp size—they should match the size and scale of the room and your other furniture pieces.”

“If you find yourself choosing more safe, neutral tones, opt for accessories that can be easily interchangeable, such as pillows and lamps that can bring in a splash of color,” Vassiliou says.

“When designing bedrooms, we are looking to create spaces that feel like snooze sanctuaries, free from overstimulation,” Macuga says. “We love nightstands with drawers because they allow people to hide away their piles of paper or kids’ artwork. And for our big readers, we always style with attractive bookends so their favorite books look organized and are at arm’s reach.”

With a front-row view to the nature that resides just out the window, Moscato reflects, “This bedroom needed to be cohesive with the rest of the modern rustic lake retreat. We took a deep blue from the lake’s own natural palette and applied it to the walls. The rest of the room was kept neutral and versatile.”

“Create a modern desert bedroom with subtle Southwestern references,” says Lauve. “We brought in a modern agave diptych full of color and combined it with a rich color palette in the bedding accents with pops of sand, camel, chocolate and emerald green indirectly evoking the desert landscape.”

Peltier dispenses this helpful advice: “When you want to add a dose of personality to the bedroom without breaking the budget, wallpapering just the headboard wall is a great option. The key is to keep the color from overtaking the room: white linens balance the overall look so that it’s more soothing than visually overstimulating.”

This bedroom goes to show that being brave with color, even when they look quite different from one another, creates an amazing look. Nicholas Nash advises, “Create a colorful bedroom with a lively blend of fun brights and jewel tones. Mix in textured velvets, bright whites for contrast and polished nickel elements for added shine.”

Even though this is a child’s room, it looks so sophisticated that it could pass for a grown-up sleeping space too. Referring to the statement wall as having “timeless, neutral wallpaper,” Lerner says that vibrant art injects a playful touch into the space.

“This bedroom is all about balance,” LaMarque says. “Here, the cane drawers of the nightstand balance against the wood side table and the woven pendant, while the boldly patterned rug plays off the colorful lumbar pillow featured on the bed.”

“Sometimes you have to go big, and that’s what we did in this primary with the full upholstered wall,” Van Daley says. “This master suite basically had a second room attached which we set apart by adding wallpaper to give it its own feel, and finished it off with a desk and sofa so that it could be productive and cozy.”

Vassiliou shares this trick: “Looking to remove some clutter from your nightstands? Think about bringing your lighting from the ceiling to give you more surface area.”

Macuga imparts these steps to create a similar bedroom of your own: “Pull together plush, inviting furnishings dressed with high-quality linens that promise a restful sanctuary. Leverage the soft, diffused natural light of the room to add a bit of much needed sunshine into each morning. Ensure furnishings, although made for comfort, have silhouettes that are still refined and elegant.”

“If you have the square footage, having a dedicated sitting area in a bedroom is a fabulous option,” Peltier says. “By hugging a corner with a sectional, we were able to maximize the seating without encroaching too far into the room. By placing the sofas under the windows, they’re bathed in warm sunlight in the morning.”

Displaying an ideal set-up for a guest room, Nicholas Nash says that it’s the accessories that really make this room. “Transform any space with the timeless elegance of black and white accents,” she says. “From bold, black, sculptural lighting to bold graphic pillows, these accessories breathe life into any room.”

Oftentimes, wallpaper can serve as inspiration for an entire space, and that’s certainly the case in this bedroom. As Lerner shares, “The wallpaper served as our starting inspiration for this vibrant bedroom design. By skillfully blending patterns, such as the playful design on the bed, we achieved a harmonious look.”

“For a girl’s bedroom, bringing in floral pattern without straying into too-frilly territory requires a balancing act,” LaMarque says. “Here, we incorporated floral accents through the wallpaper, shade fabric and the artwork. By sticking to a mostly black and white color palette, however, we elevated the room and upleveled the sophistication in a way that’d be pretty much impossible to do with pinks and purples.”

Van Daley shares the background and thinking behind this space: “Our clients wanted to repurpose their existing canopy bed, but we needed to add some interest to the room. We did this by making custom bed drapes to match the window drapes. This brought new life to an old bed. We also added a bold, green velvet custom sofa at the foot of the bed, which compliments the toile fabric perfectly.”

“Mixing materials will always invoke layers,” Vassiliou says. “Here, we blended concrete with wood and leather to create more interest.”

Work, play and rest all blend harmoniously in this space. A window seat and desk are both included in this teen girl’s room, “designed for comfort during late night study sessions with friends,” as Macuga says.

Inspired by the iconic print showcased at the Beverly Hills Hotel, Nicholas Nash says that she mixed classic palm wallpaper with black and white elements to create “a timeless and elegant look.”

She goes on to say, “The palm wallpaper adds a touch of tropical flair and visual interest to the room, while the black and white elements provide clear contrast and balance. This combination allows the wallpaper to stand out as the focal point, enhancing the overall ambiance of the space.”

“The neutral furnishings necessitated a striking accent wall, which we accomplished by incorporating a vibrant wallpaper behind the bed,” Lerner observes.

“Blocks of color and sparkly accents highlight the elegant playfulness of this swanky, luxe bedroom,” LaMarque says. “From the textured grasscloth wallcovering to the selenite table lamps, the materials of this bedroom play into all the senses.”

“Having two daughters and a son, our client wanted a decidedly masculine space for their only boy,” Van Daley says. “We repainted the room to set the moody tone, and then had a custom bed made in this bold plaid fabric.”

Although this bunk room has modern touches, it simultaneously has a breezy vibe. “For a beachy spirit, we paired natural white oak with painted white wood for this bunk bed room,” Vassiliou says.

Designed for a teen girl, Macuga says that this bedroom was crafted “to reflect her personality today, but sophisticated enough to grow with her as she ages.”

“We love infusing mid-century modern furnishings with a rich, eclectic palette of collected art for an effortlessly chic boho vibe,” Nicholas Nash says.

Learner says that in this bedroom, they enhanced the depth and dimension by installing a wood-paneled wall painted in a rich, moody blue. “It serves as the ideal backdrop for this herringbone bed,” she notes.

Showcasing bursts of color and feeling retro, LaMarque has this to say about this cheerful bedroom: “Near-perfect symmetry works brilliantly in the bedroom where pillows, nightstands and lighting can create a sense of soothing balance. There are also incorporated elements of classic mid-century design with a vintage Lucite chandelier, a pair of matching lamps and refurbished vintage chests that serve as nightstands.”

“This space was really fun to design,” Van Daley remembers. “Being separate from the rest of the home, we were able to push the envelope a bit, and we love how it turned out. The wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling green velvet drapes add a feeling of grand-ness to the room. With the extra tall ceilings and oversized windows, we opted for a custom scalloped bed with an 88” tall headboard.”

“We began working with this client before architectural plans even began development, and one of the elements of this lot and home that we loved the most was the way the light would come pouring through the windows,” Macuga says. “As the plans were developed for the primary suite expansion, we wanted to make sure that the windows were as much of an architectural feature as the beautiful vaulted ceiling—so we wrapped the windows around each side of the bedroom to make sure that we were leveraging the sunlight no matter what direction the sun was traveling or time of day.”

“We drew color inspiration for this room from the organic desert landscape just outside, seamlessly blending the outdoors with the indoors,” Lerner reflects. “The furniture remains neutral, while the wallpaper introduces a vibrant touch of color, harmonizing with the natural scenery visible through the window.”

LaMarque explains, “Bold color and pattern can star in the bedroom as long as the overall design strategy avoids overwhelm. Here, coral color banding combines with the wild botanical pattern of the linen drapes, and glass beaded wallcovering sets off the luxe headboard.”

“We took a slightly different approach in this room with two chairs and an ottoman at the foot of the bed, rather than a bench or settee,” Van Daley says. “Our clients loved the idea that they could wind down in the evening and face each other to catch up. We had a less-than-ideal layout with the window behind the bed, and in this case, we layered art to hang in front of the wall-to-wall drapes.”

Macuga advises, “Make sure to take ceiling heights into consideration when styling your bedroom, especially if the room isn’t vaulted. The reality is that most homes are working with eight- or nine-foot ceilings, which limits the light fixtures you can use. To work around this issue, we recommend that clients invest in statement lighting on nightstands—either a sconce or table lamp—but something with scale.”

Yes, brown and blue can go together! Spotlighting an unexpected palette, Lerner says, “The bespoke chocolate bed and nightstands instantly exude sophistication, complemented by the captivating watercolor wallpaper adorning the backdrop.”

“This waterfront bedroom highlights the view,” LaMarque points out. “The headboard wall is upholstered in a pale aqua boucle reminiscent of the coastal setting, and mirror and glass accents bounce light around the space.”

Wondering how to recreate this corner in your own bedroom? Macuga recommends grounding a large piece of art with a bench underneath. “Plus, it acts as a spot for your teens to come in, sit and spill the tea at the end of a long day,” she adds.

Punctuated with modern decor, Lerner explains that this bedroom serves a dual purpose as a bedroom and an office. “We maintained a clean and minimalist aesthetic, choosing a sage green grasscloth paper as a backdrop behind the bed,” she says.

Harkening back to days gone by, Macuga says that in this rustic bedroom, layers of rich woods make for the perfect nightstand vignette.

Offering a view of the linens as well, Macuga shares these words about this vintage-inspired bedroom: “We love using millwork behind a headboard when you want to add layers of texture and interest to larger walls. And if you plan just right, the reading light can be placed perfectly in the center of a panel, making it an architectural feature and functional too.”

• Kendra Nicholas Nash, principal interior designer of Nash Design Group.
• Lauren Lerner, CEO and founder of Living with Lolo.
• Emily LaMarque, founder of Emily LaMarque Design Studio.
• Megan Siason, CKBD, interior designer.
• Shelby Van Daley, principal designer.
• Maria Vassiliou of Maria Zoe Designs.
• Ashley Macuga, principal designer.
• Jasmine Crockett, Atlanta-based interior designer, content creator and founder of Joy Meets Home.
• Drew Scott, interior design content creator and founder of Lone Fox Home.
• Lori Moscato, principal and founder of Casual Elegance Designs.
• Julia Lauve, interior designer.
• Amy Peltier, interior designer.