Learning how to decorate a bedroom can help you create a relaxing space you can look forward to returning to at the end of a busy day. Whether decorating a primary bedroom, guest room, or kid’s room, the same principles apply to create an inviting space. You can have fun adding dreamy elements like wall art, bedding, rugs, window treatments, and lighting, even while decorating on a budget.

Keep these key designer-approved tips for how to decorate a bedroom in mind whether you’re furnishing your room from scratch or just tackling some overdue upgrades.

Meet the Expert

• Avery Cox is the principal designer and founder of the interior design firm Avery Cox Design.
• Cristina Lehman is the owner of and principal designer at C. Lehman Home.
• Ann Jackson is an artist and the founder of Ann Jackson Art.

Choose the Right Bed Size

Select the right size mattress for your bedroom. Take advantage of a roomy bedroom with the largest mattress you can buy, but don’t go so big that you can’t fit other furniture. “I would trade a king for a full any day if it gave me more floor space,” notes Avery Cox of Avery Cox Design. The right-size bed allows you to have bedside tables on each side of the mattress for the necessary functionality and space to move freely around your room.

Opt for a luxurious daybed with a trundle for extra room in a small bedroom. Measure your bedroom to get the perfect fit when mattress shopping.

Cut the Clutter

Clear out the clutter so your bedroom doesn’t feel cramped. Cox offers tips on pulling more storage out of thin air even if your bedroom is small: “Make sure your bedside table has a drawer in it, utilize bed skirts and under-bed boxes, and opt for a taller and larger scale armoire or dresser to take advantage of vertical space,” she offers.

“Lastly, get as much up off the floor as possible,” adds Cox. “I prefer wall hooks, large storage solutions like armoires, and high-functioning bedside tables. Skip the basket on the floor and get yourself a proper drawer for your extra throw blankets, et. cetera.”

Keep Colors Subdued

Limit fluorescent colors in a bedroom to keep the space harmonious and restful. “For bedrooms, I love to stick with neutral, calming, and more muted colors,” states Cristina Lehman of C. Lehman Home. Introduce whites, creams, soft blues, and other soothing shades to keep it calming.

Make the Space Symmetrical

Bring a sense of order and harmony to your bedroom with symmetry, says Lehman. “It adds to a calming feel by keeping things balanced,” she says. For Lehman, symmetry means matching nightstands with a pair of lamps or sconces.

“Or if there’s a window on one side of the bed, I like to add a similar-sized mirror on the other side to visually balance the look,” she adds.

Add Functional Furniture

Your bedroom should be home to more than just a bed, dresser, and nightstands, of course. Consider how you plan to utilize the space (besides sleeping) and buy furnishings accordingly.

“I love a bench or some sort of seating at the foot of the bed with a rug underneath the bed to ground the space,” Lehman shares. “If space allows, I also like to have a comfy/cozy reading nook or a separate table for journaling, having coffee, or an extra workspace.”

With working from home now more common than ever, you may wish to set up a small desk area equipped with a task lamp and computer monitor, particularly if you share a home with many family members or roommates and need a quiet place to think.

Decorate the Walls

Treat blank bedroom walls as a fresh canvas. Infuse personality with wall decor such as mirrors, framed artwork, photography, DIY paintings, or decorative baskets.

What should you do with slanted walls? Add custom floating shelving for displaying in the gap between the slanted walls and the adjacent walls. Or keep slanted walls uncluttered by turning them into a focal point with a stenciled design or removable decals.

Accent a Wall With Wallpaper

Add wallpaper to an accent wall behind the bed if you want to experiment with the pattern before you take on all four walls. An accent wall, according to Jackson, “creates a focal point, adding that extra element of pattern, color, and texture.” Or try wallpapering two joining walls, or even the ceiling, for a dramatic accent.

“Layering patterns make a room more inviting and interesting,” says Ann Jackson of Ann Jackson Art. “Using wallpaper in a bedroom can add to this and elevate the space.” Decorating a small bedroom with wallpaper becomes easier and saves precious inches. Hang a pretty pattern on the wall behind the bed and you won’t need to take up space with a bulky headboard.

Keep Extra Sheets on Hand

Stash away at least one extra quality sheet set for each bedroom. It’s a huge relief to have a clean set on hand if there’s an accidental spill in bed, surprise overnight guests, or you forget to do the laundry.

Choose Seasonal Bedding

Grab seasonal bedding to keep you comfortable when temperatures change. Flannel is great for chillier months, while breathable linen, cotton, and cotton-blend sheets will allow you to sleep well on warmer nights.

Wrap up with the right type of seasonal blankets, too. For summer, keep on hand thin blankets, lightweight and breathable down comforters, and a cooling blanket and mattress pad. For colder months, you’ll want wool, fleece, heavier down comforters, or weighted blankets.

Use a Mix of Lamps and Lights

Bring in multiple lamps and lights to create a serene glow in your bedroom. Do not rely solely on your bedroom’s overhead light or it will cast unwelcoming shadows.

Grab a table lamp for at least one of your nightstands (or hang chic sconces) and consider placing another on the dresser. These smaller light fixtures layer lighting in the room and come in handy as you wind down with a book or TV show before dozing off. Make sure you install soft white bulbs in your light fixtures.

Purchase a Hamper to Keep Tidy

Purchase a sizable hamper and use it so you’re not tempted to toss clothes onto a chair or the floor. Whether you opt for a woven basket or cloth bag, pick something that complements your room’s color scheme, so it feels like less of an eyesore and more like a helpful friend there to keep your room neat.

Harmonize the Room With Feng Shui

Enhance your life using the principles of feng shui in your bedroom. According to feng shui—the ancient Chinese art of arranging the home for peace—the bedroom is of prime importance in the house. Most importantly—put your bed in the command position (diagonal to the door) to keep power in your life.

Follow other basic feng shui tips, like using a solid headboard to bring stability and strength to relationships and keeping the space under your bed clutter-free to help your qi (life force energy) flow freely. Feng shui-friendly colors like beiges, creams, and earth tones help promote relaxation but cool blue and pale green add vitality and rejuvenation to the space. Books, gym equipment, and devices should be left out of the bedroom if possible so that you can optimize “yin” for rest and sleep.