Your bedroom is your personal sanctuary, whether it's for winding down after a long day, or for spending lazy mornings with the paper on the weekends. There are several ingredients that are absolute necessities when designing the perfect bedroom and the right bed is only one of them.
The Bed
Obviously, the bed is the centerpiece of any bedroom's design. I'm a big fan of beautiful upholstered headboards and beds, they bring a layer of softness to a bedroom, not to mention a comfy place to lean back when reading or enjoying a delicious breakfast in bed.
Side Tables
Any bedroom will look naked without stylish side tables! I'm a big fan of having two different tables - I try to avoid being matchy-matchy whenever possible! At least one of the tables should have drawers so you can put away all the flotsam and jetsam that can take over the top and not leave room for the essentials. Like lighting...
Lighting
The right lighting in your bedroom (as in any other room) is key.
Bring more style to your bedroom design with a pair of table lamps - make sure the lamps are the right size or risk the design looking off balance.
If you don't have room for table lamps, try using a pair of wall lamps. If you are renting (or just don't feel like dealing with the hassle of hard-wiring) there are lots of plug-in styles to explore.
Another nice designer touch (and space-saving solution) I've seen recently is to hang mini-pendants on either side of the bed in place of table lamps. The pendant should be hung at about the height of your eyes when you are sitting up in bed. Any lower and they are of no use, and any higher they will cast shadows.
Bench
A bench at the end of the bed is the perfect place to put your pretty decorative pillows when it's time to turn down the bed at night. A stylish bench is also a great place to put on/take off your shoes too.
Area Rug
A lovely area rug visually pulls your furniture arrangement together as well as adds a layer of visual interest and texture into a room. Area rugs are essential in a bedroom with hardwood floors - who wants to put their tootsies on a cold hard floor first thing in the morning? Area rugs can be used in rooms with wall-to-wall carpet as well.
Making sure you have the right size area rug is very important - the rug should extend at least 12-18" on all sides of the bed. If the rug you have your eye on is smaller, place it perpendicular to the bed under the bottom two-thirds of the bed, making sure you have the aforementioned 12-18" extending from the sides and end of the bed.
Wall Art
Nothing's sadder in my opinion than blank walls. You can use wall art to complement your existing color scheme or to inspire a new one. Choose a piece that is about two-thirds the width of the headboard or bed or risk the arrangement looking out of balance. You can use a grouping of prints in place of a single piece as well.
Accessories
I'm sure you've all heard the trope "it's all in the details" before, but it is 100% true. Fresh flowers are always a nice touch - if you are of the black-thumb variety, realistic-looking faux florals are always an option. Use pretty picture frames of your loved ones (human, feline, canine or other) to add a personal touch.
I love putting a classic clock on my nightstand as well. Yes, it might make me a dinosaur, but there are all kinds of studies coming out that talk about how bad it is for your quality of sleep to look at screens before bedtime. I prize my sleep and am not about to sacrifice a precious moment of it!
Putting a water carafe next to your bed is a nice touch too - it saves you a walk to the kitchen or bathroom when you wake up parched in the middle of the night.
When you bring all the above elements together, you'll have the bedroom design of your dreams!