Simple Bedroom Ideas

Redo your bedroom on a budget

Channel your inner princess to create a boudoir that's brimming with glamour
Chris Warnes

Of all the rooms in your home, the one that often gets overlooked is the bedroom – and yet it’s where you spend around a third of your time. We’re sharing some inspirational ideas and some very different looks – but often you can work with what you have, with maybe just a few additions, to really create the bedroom of your dreams.  

Beautiful bedroom
(Credit: Chris Warnes)

Even a basic divan can be given a lift with a faux headboard to give it drama. This room is riad grande thanks to an exotic screen used as a wall hanging, although a length of rich fabric would have a similar effect. A scattering of rugs in jewel tones and a mix of richly patterned bedding and cushions deliver both style and colour; the secret to successful pattern mixing is to keep to similar tones, and unite with a base note – here, white provides the link. Vintage suitcases add character, and practical storage for items such as blankets. 

Beautiful bedroom
(Credit: Chris Court)

So French, so fab! It’s all about the bed, after all, and for sheer glamour it’s hard to beat a French provincial-style frame. These are often available on places like Gumtree at surprisingly affordable prices, and if you’re handy with the staple gun, upholstered versions can be updated with new fabric and trim to suit your scheme. Pair with the best quality mattress you can afford, and dress with a traditional quilt for the whole ooh-la-la experience. Pink and gold is the colourway to aim for.

Beautiful bedrooms
(Credit: Chris Warnes)

For an inviting beachside boudoir, look to put natural textures and sea-foam blues at the heart of the look. This scheme uses the impactful presence of a distressed timber screen to centre the bed. Watery blues are calming and restful, the perfect colourway for a bedroom, with wicker and jute combining with an interesting trunk-style bedside table adding character and contributing to the ocean-going feel.

Beautiful bedroom
(Credit: John Paul Urizar)

Moroccan magnificence is at the heart of this bold boudoir, with gleaming metallics, rich patterns and bold colours blending beautifully for a cosy, cocooning feel. Lavish finishes, such as the inlaid bedside table, silver pendant lamp and patterned rug add interest, with the orange pouffe delivering a wake-me-up shot of colour.

beautiful bedroom
(Credit: Chris Warnes)

An afternoon with the paint pot can deliver a moody and magical feature wall to pull the focus onto the bed; go for a matt finish to disguise imperfections in the wall surface. Complement the dark backdrop with crisp whites and natural hues to warm the scheme, and let the bed linen do the colour talking; this sumptuous ombre quilt cover and pillowcase set comes from Bed Bath N Table.

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