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Transform Your Bedroom Space, 5 Steps for Great Sleep

Writer's picture: Natalia AllendeNatalia Allende

I’m not here to tell you that your bedroom is your sanctuary and what it needs to feel like. We already know that. We know it’s great when a bedroom invites restful, serene sleep, or on the other hand, stimulates the senses with great colors, patterns and decorative elements. This time around, I’m here to talk specifically about the bed and how we can transform our bedroom with a few great tips. We are all entitled to our opinion, taste and style. This is what I propose...



Contemporary white sophisticated bedroom in Washington DC
This contemporary and sophisticated bedroom by Martha Vicus shows a well-built bed, with a comfortable headboard and the minimal number of pillows

1.     A good headboard all around.

What does that mean in my view? That the upholstered section not end right at the top of the mattress and show spindly legs from the mattress down. If you have an upholstered headboard, make sure it looks like a continuous piece all the way down to the floor. Even though the legs sit behind the bed, and it seems like “they’re not really visible”, believe me, they are. Also, make sure your headboard stands its ground in relation to the height of the mattress, but not so tall that it looks like a tombstone.

2.     Measure your nightstands before buying!

Your nightstand shouldn’t be too tall, so that when you reach over to get something, you have to lift your hand and possibly knock something over. It should also not be too short, so that your bed looks like a huge box next to the short tables that sit far below. They need to be the right size for the bed. This is just around 2 to 4 inches taller than the bed. The width I’m less concerned about in terms of proportion. That will depend on how much wall space you have for them and how many and what type of things you usually keep on top. If you’re anything like me, where I’m often reading two to four books simultaneously, and you like to keep a glass of water, and you have a table lamp, then consider the obvious: a wide one. Not all spaces allow for this though. In such a case, make sure it has storage and/or shelving. And almost more important than this would be keeping a comfortable amount of space between the bed and the nightstand, so that the bed can be easily made and the bed covers sit in between comfortably. This would be about three to six inches.


Elegant white bedroom mis of contemporary and antique
Monastic and sophisticated bedroom by Rose Uniacke with a flat bedspread, simple, comfortable headboard, just one set of pillows., nightstands in proper proportion and great lamps

3.     Choose a soft, smooth bedcover.

It should be wonderful to the touch but not like a fluffy cloud please! I personally love a bedcover with a little bit of weight, though not thick or overly fluffy. For me, ideal is two good layers of fabric, reversible, though not intended to be so. In winter I prefer using good 100% wool blankets that warm the bed wonderfully while not adding fluff.

4.     Please, please don’t overdo the pillows!!

My take is two pillows per side at most: one to sleep on and one to lean back on while reading or sipping your morning coffee. Long gone are the (horrendous) days of having more surface of the bed covered by pillows than not. But though we’re mostly out of the weeds on that one, I feel like we still think more pillows is better, when in reality, all the extra ones do is add more work to getting in bed at night and making the bed in the morning.

5. Lighting.

I know this isn’t strictly speaking bed styling, but it’s directly related to the bed experience, so this one goes here too. I personally like two sources of light next to my bed. One more for ambiance, and another a task light, like for reading. In this sense, I love a good table lamp that makes the space more beautiful and gives off that soft light. And for reading a good discreet sconce is great. These often have flexible or articulated arms that will allow you to adjust for your needs and position. One can also go the other way around, where the sconce offers a quiet still glow and the table lamp is for reading.


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Natalia Allende Studio, Interior Design, serving the broader DMV area.

202.841.7416 ı natalia@nataliaallendestudio.com

24501 Peach Tree Rd, Clarksburg, MD 20871

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