Your bedroom should be a welcoming respite within your home where you can fully express your personality and unwind after a long day. However, so many people treat their sleep space like an afterthought and end up making what interior designers consider to be some pretty detrimental decorating mistakes.
Wondering if you’re guilty of incorporating an eyesore or two in your sleep space? Keep reading to find out. Here, three professional designers share five bedroom design decisions that they’d never recommend to clients under any circumstance, all the while providing solutions for what to implement instead.
Accent Walls
imaginima / Getty Images
In general, accent walls are pretty polarizing in the design community: some people love them, and others think that they most definitely have to go.
Many people, at some time or another, have incorporated an accent wall into their bedroom—the most common spot for one is behind the bed to establish a clear focal point in the room. However, Michelle Gage, the founder of Michelle Gage Interiors, has had enough of the accent wall look, whether it’s achieved with paint or wallpaper.
“I’ve done them before but they no longer work,” Gage says.
Michael Graham-Smith, the founder of Graham-Smith agrees that accent walls in sleep spaces are on their way out. Instead, Graham-Smith recommends going for a paint or wallpaper that you love enough to carry it around the whole room.
Want more design inspiration? Sign up for our free daily newsletter for the latest decor ideas, designer tips, and more!
Plain White Walls
Don’t assume that the better alternative to forgoing an accent wall is not touching your walls at all. Gage doesn’t enjoy seeing plain white walls in a bedroom since it feels too sterile.
Gage understands that not everyone is looking to go bold in their sleep space or play with patterns, but she encourages people to get at least a bit creative and think beyond the builder-grade look.
“If you want something calm, do a light paint color, but pick something more exciting than white,” she says.
The best part about painting is that if you make a decision you end up not liking, you can always go in with another color and remedy your mistake without having to spend too much time or money.
Bulky Ceiling Fans
While it’s important to be comfortable as you sleep, bulky ceiling fans aren’t a winning solution in Graham-Smith’s eyes.
“I often see outdated or oversized ceiling fans that can really distract from the beauty of the space,” he says.
Those who want to have some sort of fan running are better off opting for a simple, streamlined piece, the designer notes.
And if people don’t feel the need to install a fan, they should use the ceiling to their advantage.
“Consider a ceiling light that will make more of a statement and work to instantly elevate your bedroom,” Graham-Smith says.
A Matching Bedroom Set
LightFieldStudios / Getty Images
Sallie Lord, the founder of GreyHunt Interiors, doesn’t appreciate setting foot inside a bedroom and spotting a matching furniture set.
According to her, such a setup creates a sense that you ran out of time and wanted the easy way out.
Instead, Lord encourages people to aim for more versatility in their sleep space, sourcing their pieces from a wide range of retailers. You can even go the vintage route or work some special heirloom pieces from relatives into your bedroom for a truly unique display.
“Having a curated and bespoke look that tells your story is more of the charm we want for our clients,” she says.
Bed in a Bag Sets
Lord’s aversion to a matchy-matchy look in the bedroom doesn’t just end with furniture. She also encourages people to steer clear of bed-in-a-bag sets, which are often found at big box retailers, and instead get creative mixing and matching different complementary linens for a one-of-a-kind result.
“Let your personality shine more, especially in your bedroom, where it doesn’t get more personal,” the designer says.
