Go from procrastination to gorgeous presentation with our bedroom decorating guide that covers all the details

Have you been putting off finishing your bedroom? Had it with procrastination, and just need a push to get the decorating job done? Then you’ve come to the right place. The following 14 steps will walk you through the decorating process from start to finish, leaving no detail overlooked. Let’s get started.

1. Find inspiration
This is the time to save favourite images from Houzz, blogs and magazines for bedroom inspiration. Sift through your collection and choose two or three images that together best represent the look and feel you want to create in your bedroom. Once you have your inspiration images, make a list of all of the elements you like about the photos. Try to move beyond “mood” words ("serene,” “fresh” etc.) and nail down specific furniture styles, colours and accessories that you want in your space. Using the room shown here as an example, you might list:
 

• Upholstered headboard
• Nailhead trim
• Chests as nightstands
• Marble
• Creamy tones and black accents
• Round mirror
• Bench at foot of bed

List each detail separately: “nailhead trim” and “upholstered headboard” each get a separate line. The reason: If you get too specific, you can get stuck trying to track down one item from your wish list (an upholstered headboard with nailhead trim); this way you can create your own look that still contains your favourite elements.

You might find an upholstered headboard and pick up a bench or chest with nailhead trim, for instance. Or the marble lamps shown in the room here may translate into a marble-topped dresser in your finished room.

2. Paint or paper the walls
It’s important not to get too wrapped up in the inspiration phase of your project – you may never really get started! Get a jump on things by choosing your wall treatments early in the process. Another reason it’s a good idea to paint or paper early on is it will give you a chance to live with the colours and tweak if necessary. Plus, going to all the trouble of painting is usually a great motivator to get the rest of the work done.

3. Decide what to keep, what to revamp and what to buy
Most of us cannot feasibly go out and completely redecorate a room in one go, and you may not want to anyway. Try to look at each item in your bedroom with fresh eyes (sometimes taking photos helps) and decide what you can work into the new scheme. Some pieces can be used as is; others may be moved (for example, use an old dresser as a nightstand); and some pieces you may want to alter (repaint an armoire and line the glass doors with burlap). Once you have your list of keepers, make a fresh list of what you still need, including supplies for refurbishing your old stuff. And don’t forget, you can always shop other rooms in your house, too.

4. Take measurements and create a furniture plan
Measure the length and width of your room, the distance between windows (that is, available wall space) and the windows themselves. From your measurements decide what size pieces will comfortably fit in your room. If you were thinking of getting a king-size bed, but a queen would give you more room for a dresser and sitting area, now is the time to make the call about what is most important to you.

Plug your measurements into an online tool (search for “free floor plan tool") or make a sketch on paper and play around with potential furniture arrangements. It’s much easier to move or swap out furniture on paper or onscreen than in real life – so do some virtual lifting before you plunk your money down on new stuff.

5. Choose a bed
If you are buying a new bed, you probably already have a pretty good idea of the kind you want, but if not, it’s time to make a decision. Four-posters and canopies are quite tall, so be sure to measure your ceilings before committing to one – you should have well over a foot of clearance.

If you like to read in bed, consider an upholstered headboard or a wood headboard with an ergonomic shape. Try to see the bed you want in person before buying it. If that’s not possible, at least be sure to check the return policy in advance.
7. Choose or revamp a dresser
Look for a dresser that complements your bed but is not identical in style. If you have the space, get a long, low dresser; it will provide lots of display space, and it won’t tower over the bed.

If you move frequently, consider a tallboy style, since it will fit into more spaces. If you plan to revamp an existing dresser, look at potential paint colours and finishes, and choose new hardware if desired. Mark a calendar date for working on your project.
8. Add lighting
For bedside lamps you can’t go wrong with a matched pair. If floor space is tight, look into sconces – plug-in sconces with cord covers are a good solution for renters. Bedside lamps are essential, but a room really needs at least three light sources to feel well lit. Add a pendant light overhead or wind fairy lights over the top of a canopy or four-poster for extra glow. Overhead lights in the bedroom should be on dimmers; bedside lamps should have dimmers or three-way bulbs.

9. Roll out new rugs
There are basically two ways to go with rugs in the bedroom: A room-size rug or a bedside one. If you have lovely floors and just want a soft place to land when you step out of bed, a runner, sheepskin or small area rug on either side of the bed is what you need.

If you want to cover more of the floor, go for a really big rug – we’re talking big enough to extend several feet on each side of the bed. At the largest you want a rug that lies within a foot of the walls on all sides.

If you choose a large rug, you can still layer small bedside rugs on top. Kilims are great over natural-fibre rugs, and sheepskins (real or fake) can work with any colour or pattern.

10. Put up window treatments
After this step your room will really begin to feel pulled together. In the bedroom the window treatments are what will give you that serene, private, cocoon-like feeling that we crave in our sleeping space.

Draperies are a classic choice, and their fullness and softness look right at home in the bedroom. Roman shades are another classic, and may be the best choice if you have radiator covers beneath your windows that prevent you from having long curtains. Of course, you can also layer window treatments with drapes over shades or blinds. If you have trouble sleeping, be sure to have your shades or curtains lined with blackout fabric.

If you are looking for something a little different, consider adding a pelmet or valance above your windows. These frames (a pelmet frame is made of wood; a valance is fabric alone) lend structure and elegance. Place them over the windows with drapes flowing out beneath or, as shown here, create a custom canopy over the headboard.

11. Layer on the bedding
Start with a bed skirt, then layer on sheets and a blanket, tucked in together. Lay a duvet across the bed and pile on the pillows. The ones you sleep on can go in the back, and the large pillows in front and any throw pillows in front of those.

Finish everything off with a throw at the foot of the bed.

12. Add a seating area
It’s best to wait until this point before tackling the seating area, so you know for sure what you want to fill any empty corners. What sort of seating you’ll have will depend greatly on the size and shape of your room, so let that be your guide.

Have extra space at the foot of the bed? Place a love seat there, with a coffee table in front. Have a free corner? Try filling it with a comfy armchair and a reading lamp. Just a smidgen of wall space left? Use it to house a dressing table or writing desk.

13. Hang artwork
You can actually choose your artwork at any point in the process, but now is the time to put it on the wall. If you choose to hang art above your bed, avoid anything heavy and scoot your bed frame a few inches away from the wall.

You can’t go wrong with a single oversize piece or smaller pieces hung in a grid, but if you live in earthquake country, you may want to find another wall for framed art.

14. Bring in the finishing touches
Look around your room. What’s missing? Now is the time to fill in those little gaps and give your space that extra polish. Consider a mirror, small picture frames, candles, a laundry hamper, fresh flowers or a plant, and a carafe for water.