Since the pandemic began, our bedrooms have become incredibly important. During periods of online learning, these spaces have become our classrooms and cafeterias—and still the places we lie our heads at night.

Because of this, it’s important to make our bedrooms as comfortable as possible, considering everything from lighting and the color of our walls, to furniture and decoration choices.

Professional Interior Designer For Umbrella Design & Construction Alexandru Zaharia, says that the way she designs rooms, “is first to talk, to get to know the person and see what their daily habits are, what they need most now which they don’t have, and try and implement those things in the space available.”

With that in mind, here are some things that could be helpful to consider when redecorating your bedroom.

Consider Functionality and Usefulness

Sometimes, when there isn’t a lot of space and you really would like to put something in your room because it looks “amazing” but you don’t have space, you get disappointed. As Zaharia says, “Good design is usually not seeable.” You don’t have to clutter the room with objects just because there is a lot of space.

Function is simply thinking about who is going to use the room and how. This will also give you an idea of what you need. A functional room is very important in a bedroom, especially if you’re using it for more than just sleeping or watching TV in bed.

Ask yourself: what activities do you do in this space?

Look at your bedroom as a whole: what is each corner used (or intended) for? Thinking about the activities done in the room will save a lot of time and will give you an idea of what is needed and how to make the best use of the space.

For example, if you need to do your homework in your bedroom, find a space and then identify the things you need to make yourself successful:

• A desk

• A chair

• Supplies

• Desktop/Laptop

“Design has to first solve problems,” states Zaharia.

What Type of Lighting and Colors Should You Choose?

Lighting and colors are very important because these things dictate the vibe of the room.

In terms of lighting: 

Warm lights are used to make the room more comfortable, cozy and to just add warmth to the room. Places where you could put warm lights could be:

• Your night stand
• In a main lamp or overhead lighting, if you want creates a much more relaxing effect. 

Cool lights are used to perform activities where it is necessary to be concentrated and have good visibility. Places where you could put cool lights could be:

• Your desk lamp
• In the office/kitchen

“I don’t really recommend mixing cool lights and warm lights in a single space,” Zaharia says. 

Another important thing is to leave as much space as possible so that ambient light comes in through the window. There is nothing better than natural light coming into your room. 

In terms of color:

Before redecorating, first think about a color scheme or pattern that you like. A recommendation would be calming colors like light blues or greens, and smaller, intimate patterns that match with anything.

Take into consideration complementary colors. The way the human eye perceives color is different than how it feels when the colors are balanced. This can be tricky, so it’s important to look for inspiration (like this slideshow from Better Homes & Gardens) and focus on a small handful of colors to work with (1-2 dominant colors and then 1-2 neutral).

Decorations and Final Touches

Decorations such as plants, rugs, pillows and wallpaper, are a must since they make the environment and add a lot of life to your room. 

Plants:

Depending on how you want to decorate and how your room is organized, you can consider putting the following plants in your room for a nice environment:

• Good House Keeping reports that snake plants are an eye-catching plant. They take low light and little water.
• If you want more of a boho look in your room, try pothos, or “devil’s ivy.” Its leaves drape down over dressers, shelves, or hanging planters, and doesn’t require much sunlight.
• A monstera plant would also be a great addition if you don’t have pets (they are extremely toxic to cats). They add a lot of beauty and gloss to a room and are often referred to as “Swiss Cheese Plants.” 

Rugs:

The best bedroom rugs will make you feel comfortable and add a personal style. Since the bedroom is a very individual and personal space, the rug you choose should reflect this. 

If you have a patterned bed or a colorful bed, it would be good to match a simple and solid rug to help the room pop. But if you have a solid colored bed, you would want a patterned rug for more interest. 

Take into consideration the size of your bed and your room.  

Wallpaper:

When choosing a wallpaper, again, think about the use of the room. A wallpaper is a big step that may affect your room for better or for worse. 

Consider a dramatic pattern if you are looking to create an accent wall. If you want to cover all of your walls in paper, simple is better. You could also consider something that resembles textured paint.

Pillows: 

The size of the bed affects the amount of pillows you should have on your bed as well as the sizes. 

• For a full size bed, Citrus Sleep recommends two standard sized pillows.

• For a queen size bed, two standard pillows followed with some smaller pillows in front.

• A king bed, three standard pillows and two smaller pillows in front would be a good option. 

Of course the color depends on your color scheme and the wallpaper.

In the end, redecorating your room should be fun and the end result should bring you joy. When in doubt about your choice of color, lighting, decorations, etc, go with your gut and focus on functionality.