We Come Bearing ~Aesthetic Room Ideas~ in Case Your Space Needs a Lil Refresh (2024)

Have a bare wall behind your bed (or anywhere else, for that matter) and don't know what to fill it with? It's time to get groovin' with a gallery wall. Start by acquiring some of your favorite prints—photographs and art pieces both work great—and then get to framing. It can be fun to vary the sizes of the prints and the types/colors of the frames, but it's all up to you! Before you start going in with your hammer and nails, I recommend laying out your design on the floor first—it might take a lil bit of rearranging before you find the perfect setup. (And if you're like me and always second guess your decisions, you might want to invest in photo-hanging strips instead of nails.)

I firmly believe that the more stools you have in a room, the better. This is also true of ottomans and poufs. And this is a hill I am willing to die on. I mean, not only can you buy stools that look like legitimate pieces of art (like the ones in this photo from designer Sarah Sherman Samuel), but they also serve so many different purposes. You can use them to A. rest your booty, B. rest your feet, and C. rest your bag when you get home at the end of the day. Go stools!

Maybe you're having a sh*tty day. But knowing you have a bed like this to get into at the end of the day can make it alllll better. Go full-on fuzzy with a bedding set or simply add a pop of fur with a blanket or throw pillow. Either way, you'll feel like you're snoozin' among the clouds.

Who says art has to be on a canvas?! Stand-out pieces like this macrame wall hanging can make a major statement in a room and draw the eye upwards. I recommend looking for one on Etsy—there are so many different options, and you can support a small-business owner!

Gorgeous, gorgeous bedrooms have headboards that don't stop where your mattress ends. Extended headboards, like this one, styled by designer Emily Henderson, can add extra color and texture to the room and make your bed the star of the show.

There's nothing worse than getting cold feet—in every sense of the term. A fluffy rug underneath your bed will help keep your tootsies cozy before you hit the hay and when you get up to take on the day. Bc no one likes that barefoot cold floor feeling.

Ya know how people on TikTok are always talking about the “clean girl aesthetic?” That generally just means they're matching neutrals with even more neutrals—and tbh, it always looks pretty damn good. Do the same in your bedroom by keeping everything a shade of white, black, grey, or brown. Oh, and keep it actually clean. That helps too.

Remember that time Antoni Porowski told someone on Queer Eye, "A mac and cheese is something that can actually be so personal..."? Well, I'm about to say something equally heartfelt and kinda cheesy (ha): A throw pillow is something that can actually be so personal. But really! It can! You can buy a pillow with pretty much any design on it (if you don't believe me, check Etsy), so you can decorate your sleep space with the things that matter most to you.

The phrase "the more the merrier" is never more accurate than when referring to plant babies. Not only do they look beautiful and add color, but live plants can help bring much-needed oxygen into the room. Pro-tip from a longtime plant mom (ahem, me): Head to Trader Joe's for cheap-but-actually-healthy live plants and IKEA for cheap-but-actually-real-looking fake plants.

If you're looking to make your bedroom feel more interesting (in a good way, obv), start playing with shapes. If your furniture and decor are all made of straight lines, bring in some rounded edges or a squiggle-shaped piece. Combining shapes adds more visual interest—and if you stick to similar colors and patterns, you'll be balanced and beautiful, bb.

You know those trunks you see at antique stores (or in your grandma’s attic) that you think are so chic but you just don’t know what you’d use them for? Here’s exactly what you’re gonna do next time you spot one you love. Step one: Buy it (or steal it from Grandma). Step two: Fill it with all your extra bedding. Step three: Put it at the end of your bed. Step four: Admire it every night before you go to bed.

Practicing self-care can mean making time to write in a journal, trying out a new makeup routine, or soothing your tired undereyes with a gua sha. Whatever it means for you, designate a space in your bedroom for it. I love this lil nook from designer Justina Blakeney, which she decorated with plenty of plants, fun mirrors, and an adorable rolling stool.

I will repeat this forever: Do. Not. Be. Afraid. To. Mix. Patterns. In outfits and in interior design. Not all patterns will look good together, but you’ll never know until you try. Test out a polka dot with a stripe, or a chevron with a floral. The chances of you being obsessed are high my friends, high!

If you've got a bare wall, consider it a blank canvas. If you feel confident in your own painting skills, grab a brush (and maybe a template) and get creative. If you're a little less Picasso, pick a design and hire a professional (or bribe an artsy friend) to come over and work their magic. Statement wall, here you come.

If you're still hanging onto that bedframe your parents bought you in middle school (and that you subsequently lugged to college and your first "real" home), it might be time for an upgrade. An elevated bedframe can be the showpiece of a bedroom—like this one, styled by Elle Decor A-List designer Ashe Leandro—and even help you sleep better.

If you can keep it clean, there's nothing more dreamy than a room decked out in all white everything. Invest in a cloud-like white comforter, crisp white sheets, and breezy white curtains, and you'll feel like you're crashing in a five-star hotel every night of the week.

Lighting is everything. Full stop. And if you don't have great natural light (I'm looking at you, big-city apartment dwellers), you gotta get your brightness in other ways. Hanging lights can cover a lot of ground, and a statement-making style (like this rattan pendant, styled by celebrity designer Orlando Soria) can make a room feel way more $$$ than it is.

If there's any design trend that's had a chokehold over the 2020's, it's rattan. And it's not going anywhere anytime soon. Hop on board by incorporating your favorite rattan piece (like the gorge headboard seen here) in your bedroom, and pair it with other earthy accessories. Don't be afraid to mix wood colors—they blend better than you may think.

If you've got a bucket of leftover paint just chillin' in a closet somewhere, then boy, do I ever have a project for you. With just a brush and a measuring tape, you can fake dimension anywhere by painting an arch (behind the bed and around a doorframe are two popular spots!). Not only is it cheap, but it's so damn cool and easy. And if you don't trust your shaky hands? You can buy a peel-and-stick arch decal instead.

So many people are afraid of wallpaper, but it's one of the easiest ways to make a major statement in a room, no matter the size. Start small and add a pattern to just one wall, or go all out and smooth it over every bare space. If you're a renter (or have commitment issues), never fear: Removable wallpaper exists, and it's hella easy to put up and take down.