Of all the spaces I love to decorate, bedrooms are my favorite. A bedroom should be more than a room down the hall containing a queen-size mattress and closet. It should be an intimate place of tranquility, peace and solitude. In other words, the space ought to be a retreat – a place to purposefully disconnect from the television, office work, children’s toys and other distractions throughout the rest of your home, and give you just that…REST. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” What a comforting feeling this Word brings us! Even though nothing can compare to that level of contentment and peace, shouldn’t our homes and physical resting places supply at least a molecule of that comfort?

Once I closed on BLB, I knew I had a limited amount of time to get my home together before visitors began pouring in! My mother, sister and nephew were visiting me in two weeks and two of my girlfriends were flying into Texas for a fun weekend later that same month. I wanted to make sure my guest bedroom and bathroom were well suited for my loved ones, offering complete comfort and relaxation during their time away. Most of my guest bedroom furniture originated from my former master bedroom in my previous apartment in San Antonio and first house in Atlanta. Mixing new items with old and keeping comfort top-of-mind, here are four tips for creating a beautiful bedroom that’ll have you and your guests anxious for a good night’s sleep:

 

1.     Comfort Comes First

 

This should go without saying, but I will never understand why folks don’t invest in a quality mattress and bedding. We spend a third of our lives asleep. What use is a pretty bedroom when you’re tossing and turning all night and waking up flustered with an achy back? One of the first items on my list before moving into BLB was making a trip to Mattress Firm to buy a new bed for my guest room. I found a comfortable, reasonably-priced Simmons Beautyrest queen set for about $600 between the holidays during their End-of-Year Sale. Once the new mattress was delivered and attached to my nailhead upholstered headboard (also previously purchased from Mattress Firm), I covered the bed with fresh white linens, numerous pillows mismatched from separate bedding sets, and a plush comforter covered in a stone white duvet purchased on clearance from one of my favorite stores, West Elm. I wanted to make sure the bed screamed, “Jump in me!” giving my guests that plush hotel, weekend getaway atmosphere. After all, sleep is an experience. The better the bed, the better the room.

 

2.     Keep It Simple

 

Choose light and clean colors to ensure your bedroom’s palette encourages relaxation. Although the majority of BLB’s color scheme is marigold and gray, the hues of silver, gray and blue offer the serene feeling I was going for in my guest bedroom and bathroom. The previous owner that flipped BLB painted 95% of the interior walls Sherwin Williams’ Mindful Gray. This balanced with my guest bedroom décor perfectly as well as the brushed nickel hardware and white subway tile used in my guest bathroom. Keeping most of the color palette gray and silver with occasional splashes of ocean blue was effortless and generated the quietude I was aiming to create in this space. I also made good use of the front yard’s natural lighting with complementary silver patterned curtains and a drum shade lamp to match the molding and window treatments in bright white. Keep the colors and contents of the room simple to ensure the space is as inviting and distraction-free as intended.

 

3.     Eliminate the Electronics

 

Speaking of distractions, friendly reminder: Your bedroom is a bedroom, not an office, game room or movie theater. I’m a firm believer of keeping TVs out of bedrooms, but of course, that’s a personal choice for your own personal space. There’s nothing quite like binge watching a full season of Law & Order SVU or House of Cards in your PJs under the covers, but I prefer to do so in my living room (closer to the kitchen for snacks anyway!). With the television being my only electronic exception, if you have the ability to move your PC and writing desk to a dedicated room or office space elsewhere in the home, do it. Computers, printers and paper shredders don’t belong in bedrooms, they are just as distracting as the iPhone under your comforter at 1:36 AM. Create a space free from technological interruptions. Allow your mind to rest so your body can do the same. 

 

 

4.     Less Is More

 

This tip should go for every room in your house, but the bedroom should be just that, a bed in a room. Don’t crowd, or as my mom says, “junk up” the room with a ton of furniture. Just because Rooms-To-Go will sell you the headboard, footboard, two night stands, chest of drawers, dresser, vanity mirror, side chair, etc., doesn’t mean you have to buy every cookie-cutter piece. Start with the bed (which should be the focal point of the room anyhow) and buy secondary pieces that complement it. I actually spotted and purchased these silver mirrored nightstands at TJ Maxx before finding my apartment in San Antonio last January. My relocation consultant was nice enough to keep them in her garage for me until I moved to town a month later. Knowing the commitment I made to these two items, I decided not to add any other furniture to the room at the time. For larger bedrooms, try creating a simple sitting area with a bookcase or floating shelves to display framed marital or family photos, your favorite books and other keepsakes on those pesky “I don’t know what to do here” walls. Just limit the amount of items on the shelves to prevent clutter. If filling a small space without storage issues, keep it even simpler: bed, rug, nightstands & chair. That’s more than enough.

 

I hope you found these tips helpful in creating inviting bedrooms to relax and recharge. Just remember that your guest room shouldn’t be an oversight. These few simple tidbits can make all the difference for your visitors. My master and guest suite photo collection can be found in my portfolio. Also, check out my “I Will Give You Rest” board on Pinterest (@blbungalow) for additional points of inspiration when transforming your bedroom into the heavenly retreat you and your guests deserve!

 

Be blessed,

ACG

 

 

Interior Deets:

Headboard – Mattress Firm

Chevron bedding – HomeGoods

European shams – HomeGoods, West Elm

Gray Pillow – ROSS 

Duvet cover – West Elm

Tufted bench – Marshalls

Mirrored night stands – TJ Maxx

Sitting Chair – Marshalls

Mirror – HomeGoods

Lamp – HomeGoods

Buddha – HomeGoods

Curtains – Marshalls

Photography – Becca Paige Photography