Sweet Dreams: Tips for Creating a Luxe-Inspired Bedroom

After a long day at the office, following an extended family holiday, or simply gearing up for a lazy Sunday, who wouldn’t want a bedroom that looks pulled straight from the glossy pages of their favourite home décor magazine, or Pinterest board? Transforming your bedroom into a luxurious oasis will help you feel like you’re on a permanent five-star vacation and couldn’t be easier to achieve with these luxe-inspired tips.

Dress Up Your Walls
Unless you have a penchant for minimalism, plain white walls can easily come across as stark and uninviting. Embrace a little bit of paint or wallpaper to inject some warmth and luxury into your space.

What you choose to hang on your walls is equally important in creating an upscale atmosphere. This can include a statement piece of artwork above your headboard, and complementary pieces throughout the rest of the space. You may also choose to create a gallery wall, perhaps across from your bed, combining family photos and pieces of art. Shelves are another great way to add visual impact whilst also providing extra storage space.

Make A Statement With Your Headboard
Instantly increase the glam factor of your bedroom by adding a bold statement headboard. If you already have a bed frame to which you’re partial, you may be easily able to swap out the headboard for an upgraded one. Alternatively, if you’re in the market for a new bed or bedroom furniture set, look for one that comes with a luxe-inspired headboard that complements both your existing space and your personal taste. When choosing a new headboard, look for one with notable details, such as a statement colour, impressive size, a unique shape, or elegant fabric such as  linen or velvet.

A headboard or bed frame make for ideal centrepieces within a bedroom, however, if you’d prefer to allocate attention elsewhere, opt for a gilded dresser or statement armchair. The key thing to remember is to choose one focal point and stick to it; refrain from cluttering your space with too many pieces, and instead let each piece stand out on its own.

Get Glamorous With Lighting
Whether you opt for a ceiling fixture, a collection of table lamps, or pendant lighting, undoubtedly, statement lighting exudes luxury in any space. When choosing a ceiling fixture or table lamp, opt for a shiny or brushed finish in gold tones, brass or crystal to reflect the light and add some sparkle to your space. When searching for bedroom lighting, look for fixtures that are oversized or have an unusual shape, which can often look upscale. Bedroom chandeliers work great for providing upscale visual impact, and work well with pared back table lamps that you can include on your dresser and nightstands.

Sit Back In Style
If you have unused space, or space you’d like to better leverage near a window, a nightstand or in front of your bed, consider turning it into a cozy seating nook with an accent chair or bench. This newly carved out space can be useful in providing a place to sit, read and unwind, or to temporarily store clothes or other bedroom linens.

This styling trick, as often seen in boutique and luxury hotels, brings a notable design element to your space, instantly adding style and function. To achieve this look, choose one or two pieces of seating that complement the rest of your space—this can be two winged arm chairs, or one upholstered bench, which can often double as storage. Choose your pieces in luxurious fabrics, such as velvet, linen or leather, but be mindful of what you’ll use this piece for and choose a fabric accordingly. You may also opt for a chaise, which is perfect for lounging with a good book or your favourite magazine before bed.

Anchor Your Space With Mirrors
Another style element commonly found within luxury hotels is to add framed mirrors on either side of your bed, above the nightstands and behind your table lamps. This not only adds visual interest by anchoring your bed, but also gives the room more depth, which is ideal for all spaces but can be especially useful for smaller rooms. Much like choosing a headboard, look for mirrors that have an unusual shape or a notable element, such as a gilded frame or impressive height.

In addition to flanking your bed, consider adding mirrors above your dresser or vanity to further add depth to your space and create usable stations to get ready in the mornings or for a night out.

Up Your Nightstand Game
Aside from a bed, there is perhaps no piece of furniture more essential to a bedroom than a nightstand, or two. Useful as both a design element and convenient place to store necessities, many nightstands run the risk of looking utilitarian. To instantly refresh this area of your bedroom and give it the luxe treatment, take some time to declutter your nightstands by removing any excess paperwork, magazines, books you’re no longer reading, and leaving only lighting, your current reads and perhaps a small vase of flowers or similar item of décor.

If you feel your current nightstands are in need of replacement, look for ones with a luxury finish: wood, mirrored or shagreen are all great options. If, however, you’re content with the nightstands you already have, consider updating their hardware for an instant refresh. Look for handles in crystal, gemtones, copper or other metals. The options are quite literally endless.

Pile On The Pillows
What’s the one thing all bedrooms encased within the glossy pages of your favourite home magazine have in common? An abundance of pillows artfully piled atop the bed. To achieve this decadent look within your own space, invest in a combination of larger, European-sized pillows (typically 26-inches by 26-inches), standard sleeping pillows and two or three smaller throw pillows. An important rule of thumb is to avoid having your pillows take up more than one quarter of the length of your bed.

To achieve maximum luxury, look for pillows or pillow casings in glamorous fabrics, such as silk, velvet or faux fur. Creating a sumptuous pile of pillows will instantly transform any ordinary bedroom into a relaxing oasis.

Bring On The Blankets
In addition to pillows, many luxurious bedrooms will also feature a soft throw blanket atop the bed, or within the seating nook. Investing in an accent blanket can instantly jazz up even the most ordinary bed, and can work as a style element that you update seasonally. Choose a blanket made from cozy wool, velour, velvet, linen or faux fur but keep patterns minimal by sticking to a solid colour, animal print or a subtle design.

Transforming your bedroom into a bonafide retreat couldn’t be easier, and doesn’t necessarily require a full overhaul of your space. Simple updates and key furniture pieces will do the trick, and have you wondering why you never considered upgrading your bedroom earlier. Check out Furniture.ca’s wide selection of chic and functional bedroom furniture and décor, perfect for your bedroom, and the rest of your home.