Design Your Own Room Like a Pro: 9 Valuable Tips and Tricks for Spectacular Results

Last Updated on March 31, 2025

A bedroom is a personal safe space and a getaway. It’s the place you can go to escape the world for a few hours, enjoy some much-needed ‘me-time’, and get a good night’s sleep. From arranging furniture to picking out the perfect wall color, get creative with these tips for how to design your own room.

Keep It Simple

A simple space is a calming space. All of your furniture should be functional. Don’t add any unnecessary furniture to the room, especially if you have limited space. It will only add clutter and make functional pieces more difficult to access. Key pieces, aside from a bed, may include a dresser, a bedside table, and an accent chair.

Don’t double down on pieces. If you have a private bathroom, you don’t need a second makeup station in your room. Consider how you can save space by utilizing a closet. For example, a tall dresser may fit in the closet to free up more space in the bedroom. Otherwise, consider not getting two bedside tables for symmetry when you will only utilize one. 

Don’t Skimp on Storage Space

Creating an aesthetically pleasing space is everyone’s goal, but don’t let it override the main goal, which is a functional space. A beautiful piece of furniture without storage does nothing but take up room. Spend adequate time researching before you buy, and ideally buy everything at once.

That way you won’t buy one piece you love only to realize that it doesn’t function as well as another piece would have. You’ll end up with two pieces of furniture that one could have done the job of. Even better, look for pieces of furniture with multiple functions. Take a bench or ottoman with storage inside that you could add partitions. If you’re in a pinch regarding space, check out Macy’s versatile selection of beds, which includes options with built-in storage.

Get Creative With Lighting

Good lighting will brighten a room, making it appear more spacious and less claustrophobic. Don’t fall prey to letting your bedroom look and feel like a dark cave. If you are fortunate enough to have large windows, be sure to utilize them. Use the opposing wall as a backboard for your bed. If you do not have large windows, you will have to rely on light fixtures or you can also look into the cost of installing new windows. 

Instead of using a precious floor or table space, consider mounted or hanging lights. Sconces and chandeliers are great options, and there are a wide variety of styles to choose from. There are plenty of unique fixtures to match your style and create any type of ambiance you may be going for.

Don’t Be Afraid of Color

Everyone has their opinions about colors that should and should not be used in a bedroom, but the choice is ultimately up to you. A bedroom should be an extension of your personality, and if that looks bright yellow, then go for it. However, certain colors do lend to a mood.

Blue and grey hues are typically more calming, making them a good choice for people who are more interested in a sleep aid. If you want to feature some color but not on every wall, go with an accent wall. There are plenty of pre-made wallpapers and stencils to choose from. If you want a more clean look with subtle walls, you can feature color via minimal decors, such as small art pieces. 

Play With Scale

When it comes to purchasing furniture, don’t be afraid to play with scale. It is a great way to add dimension to a room, even a small one. Mix things up, including maybe placing a standard bed on an oversized rug. With that being said, you should still consider the size of the furniture versus the size of the room.

If your room is relatively small, not every single piece should be large. It will take up unnecessary space and make it difficult for you to maneuver. You should also consider the height of the room. A tall headboard or canopy bed will help bring it down to size, as will tall floor lamps.

Have Fun With Textures

In choosing furniture and linens for your room, you will come across plenty of options, especially in terms of textures. While it is easy to play it safe with solid colors and plain linens, go out on the edge a little. If the walls of your room are a light grey, go with a vibrant-colored and fluffy rug plus an accent chair in the same color.

If your walls are dark, consider featuring crisp white linens and soft-textured furniture. Using contrast in this way is easy to pull off and will add a lot of dimension to your room. While people are quick to recommend neutral tones, you have to be careful about pairing colors that are too similar. Otherwise, your room may end up looking flat and stale. Wayfair is a great place to browse online to find modern and unique home goods items for your bedroom.

Bring the Outdoors In

Once your room is complete, you may feel the need to decorate. Without decoration, the space can feel stale or almost like a hotel. It needs to be infused with your personality and some life. One easy way to do this without adding unnecessary bits and baubles is by introducing plants. You can get something small or large and easy to care for, like succulents or a fiddle leaf fig. If you don’t have a green thumb or have no interest in maintaining a plant, faux plants will do the job just as well! Even better, faux plants can be interchanged seasonally for different holidays.

Give Yourself a Special Space

A must-have for any bedroom is a special space or piece of furniture that you truly love. It might be a bench or cozy loveseat beneath a window. Otherwise, it might be a bookshelf that holds all of your favorite books and movies. Or perhaps it is an antique piece of furniture that was gifted to you by a parent or loved one. Whatever the case may be, your bedroom is a happy place, and that means making room for the items or activities that you enjoy.

Don’t Let Clutter Creep In

When you have finished designing your room, the most important thing you can do is keep it clean. We don’t mean picking your clothes up, although you should, limiting the items you put on display. Don’t feel the need to overcrowd the walls with art or cover every dresser top with decor. Maintaining some space will help prevent things from getting claustrophobic or cave-like.

That’s it! If you find any of these tips for how to design your room useful, be sure to snap a picture, share it, and tag us! We’d love to see the outcome, including a before and after photograph of the space.