Rustic bedroom furniture ideas don’t have to revolve around reclaimed wood and buffalo check. “What feels fresh right now is the pull toward British heritage colors—deep greens, muted reds, muddy yellows,” says Armour. “It’s less ‘American cabin’ and more ‘European Old World.’ Layering those tones with natural textures gives you a rustic feel that feels elevated and timeless rather than overdone.”
Taking a page out of the cottagecore playbook, Salceda invites you to look at bedroom decor ideas that explore soft florals and natural textures such as wicker or linen. “Layer in patterns, stripes, gingham, and florals together,” she advises. “Mix in traditional elements with vintage charm for a current space that doesn’t feel like your grandma’s house.” You can go all out with a ruffled gingham bed or take a furniture shortcut by implementing a Piglet In Bed bedskirt that comes in gingham, stripes, and posies that look as if plucked from an English garden.
Paint a built-in bookshelf with one of the heritage colors mentioned above (we like the velvety purple-red Speakeasy from C2) and style it with old books, candles, and collected treasures. In fact, a cozy bedroom could benefit from a dose of Shabby Chic. According to Worrel, Shabby Chic bedroom furniture has never left. “Painted furniture was introduced and has held its own,” she says. “Wicker is having a moment, and painted wicker in particular is on trend.”
For a final touch, Salceda says, pick up fresh flowers for your nightstand—perhaps a baby blue scalloped skirt rattan silhouette from Birch Lane—to make the room feel welcoming.
Bedroom furniture and decorating ideas can, and should, go beyond basic functionality. Yes, you need a bed to sleep in and a dresser for your pajamas, but this space can be so much more than a basic bedroom. “Integrating a seating area within a bedroom invites quiet moments of stillness, reading, or enjoying a calming evening tea,” says Rachael Grochowski, principal of RHG Architecture + Design in Montclair, New Jersey.
Extra footage can also lend itself to a mini home office nook with a writing or a secretary desk with a small footprint. Both can be adorned with curios or a petite vase. Art, of course, can add powerful energy. But as Elsie de Wolfe warns in her 1913 book, The House In Good Taste, “Be wary of hanging many pictures in your bedroom. I give this advice cheerfully, because I know you will hang them anyway (I do), but I warn you you will spoil the room if you aren’t very stern with yourself.”
Selecting a distinct area rug or runners flanking each side of the bed has equal gravitas as what you put on the wall. Ernesta, for one, offers custom-sized rugs that are rich in texture but won’t compete with the rest of the room, or throw pillows at that.
FAQs
What Is the Best Furniture for the Primary Bedroom?
A primary bedroom (previously referred to as a master bedroom, but we and interior designers do not use the term because of its negative connotation) should be decorated in stages, but the order of these stages is up to you. You may already have furniture (bed, nightstands, dresser) that suits you and need to enhance the rest of the space with textiles, wall decor, and perhaps pendant lights. “In a primary bedroom, lighting is one of the most important furniture decisions you can make,” says Owens. “Intentional lamps or sconces and a flush mount or chandelier add character, but they also bring scale so the room doesn’t feel bare. It’s not just there for function. Lighting is a major aesthetic element.” For nightstands that lack accessible outlets, consider cordless lamps, like a tulip shaped Visual Comfort accent piece.
Or maybe your bedroom is in need of a makeover and paint colors and new wallcoverings will dictate the rest of the furniture choices. A chaise or storage bench are welcome additions for bonus seating, according to the interior designers mentioned in this piece.
What Is the Best Furniture for a Small Bedroom?
When it comes to spare bedroom furniture ideas, you’ll likely have a smaller footprint to work with. That’s why multipurpose daybeds, Murphy beds, and sleeper sofas are great for such a space, Untener advises. The ability to tuck away the bed can transform a bedroom into a home office, playroom, and even a workout spot.
If you do need a bed, opt for a full or queen size, to give it more breathing room. “Proportion is everything,” says Tulsa, Oklahoma-based interior designer Mel Bean. “One common mistake is choosing nightstands that feel out of scale with the bed or the room. In fact, small bedrooms don’t always call for small nightstands; substantial pieces often enhance the proportions and can even make the room feel larger.” But for a truly petite space, Worrel recommends a simple wall hung side table with a sconce above it to maintain a sense of openness. “Keep the floor clear so you have more room to move around,” she adds.
Bass emphasizes that if the small bedroom is meant as a guest room, hospitality and comfort are of utmost importance. “The design [should] include layered bedding, a reading chair, and warm lighting,” she says. A Boll & Branch signature hand stitched quilt is a must, in our opinion.
How to Lay Out Bedroom Furniture
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You don’t need to study feng shui bedroom design to lay out the furniture, but some points are worth noting. “It is most important that you do not enter [the room] on the wall of the bed,” Grochowski explains. “The ideal placement to create a sense of safety is to enter at the foot of the bed.” Note that according to feng shui, you should see the door, but not place the bed directly in front of the doorway.
Alternatively, Worrel recommends placing the bed in the middle of the room, along with some bed hangings, to make a large bedroom feel more complete and cozy. “You can add a bench at the end of the bed and a desk behind the headboard and you then have three rooms in one,” she explains.
How to Make a Bedroom Beautiful
“To make a bedroom feel exceptionally beautiful, I like adding an unexpected twist,” Armour says. “Painted or lacquered furniture is having a moment. It highlights the piece and instantly makes it feel high-end.” For ceilings, she mentions that an oversized chandelier in a vaulted ceiling can add drama, as do wallcoverings that “act like a warm hug,” especially in a large space that can feel bare.
You might want to review some painted bedroom furniture ideas to school yourself in how color and texture partner up with bedding and area rugs, creating a bespoke, yet inviting atmosphere. You can even add new architectural elements that drive visual interest, like a fireplace mantle. Untener recommends scouting East Coast Mantels for different models.
Should All the Furniture in the Bedroom Match?
When it comes to bedroom furniture ideas, every interior designer we spoke to was against matching sets. “Perfectly matched bedroom furniture almost always robs a space of its soul,” Bean says. Bass echoes the sentiment by adding that matchy-matchy pieces can appear flat or overly staged. On the other hand, combining different materials and silhouettes brings character and dimension to the space.
That’s not to say that everything has to have its own design. A nightstand that is of the same style as a dresser is not going to ruin a bedroom, it’s when the headboard, armoire, and coffee table are all identical. Untener believes bedroom furniture should have character that is translated through various finishes and textures. “It leaves room to be creative and choose different looks of pieces that can be married together to be a reflection of you,” she concludes.