In the world of design makeovers, one of the aspects that’s not covered quite as often is the cost, which is, of course, an important piece of any project. I wanted to begin sharing a cost breakdown for each of the rooms I’ve redesigned in our home. My hope is that this will shed more light on the true design cost and help inform any design decisions you may be looking to make in your own home. First up in this series is the main bedroom.

In today’s post, I’m breaking down our true main bedroom design cost and sharing more info on what our design process looked like.

How did you phase out your main bedroom redesign process?

This room redesign was done in phases over the course of the past two years. We moved into this house in May 2020 and didn’t touch the space for the first six months we lived here. Here’s a high-level breakdown of the design phases:

• In November 2020, we had the walls (below the chair rail) and ceiling painted, wallpaper installed, and the current overhead light installed.
• In April 2021, we added a plush rug, a dresser, a new bed, and new nightstands.
• In January 2022, we swapped out the nightstands for an antique pair that offer more surface space and storage.
• In March 2022, we replaced the cane headboard with one that is much more durable for our very active kids and dogs. (A note that the beds were generously gifted to us by the brands, which is part of why this decision made sense for us.)

When designing a bedroom, where do you recommend spending more money and where do you recommend spending less?

Deciding how to budget for any redesign is very personal. First and foremost, I think it’s important to keep comfort front of mind, especially in a space like a bedroom where we all tend to spend so much of our time.

In terms of general guidelines, I would recommend spending a little more (depending on your personal budget) on the mattress and bedding, to allow for maximum comfort while you sleep. I’d recommend spending less on your nightstands, dressers, and lighting. While you certainly could splurge in these areas, I think there are plenty of options for quality pieces at lower price points. I’m a big fan of buying sturdy wood furniture secondhand, which is what we did for some of the pieces in this space.

If you’re painting and/or adding wallpaper, you’ll also need to make the choice of whether you want to hire a professional or do it yourself. We opted for the former in this case. It was a costly decision but it was worth it for us to have it done really well (and not have to spend the time doing it ourselves).

Were there any unexpected costs that came up throughout the design process?

For the most part, this was a pretty cut-and-dry project! There were no big surprises on our end, aside from some delays due to supply chain issues. Our painter also found an old wasp nest in our wall, which had expanded over time and cracked the plaster. He repaired this before painting and hanging wallpaper.

My ultimate goal for this bedroom was to design a serene space that also felt really personal. The finished room feels familiar and unique to us, in the very best way.

What are your favorite elements in the room?

After having lived in this space for a while, what I love most is our very comfortable mattress and our bed. I also love everything about our one-of-a-kind nightstands. I love the color of the wood, the hardware, the marble top, and the amount of storage they offer. 

My ultimate goal for this bedroom was to design a serene space that also felt really personal. The finished room feels familiar and unique to us, in the very best way.

Main Bedroom Design Cost Breakdown

Below I’m including how much the products and materials currently in this space cost, along with the labor costs of installing certain materials. These items were added at different times over the course of the past two years. Some of the costs are estimated (noted with ~), as I don’t have a record of the exact cost on hand anymore.

Given that design is part of my work for Wit & Delight, some of the pieces in this space were gifted to me by brands as a part of sponsored collaborations, which is noted in the list. I think it’s also helpful to keep in mind that the cost of any labor will vary depending on the scope of your project and the person you hire.

Materials/Products

• Lulu & Georgia Clementine Platform Bed (gifted): $1,798
• Lulu & Georgia Clementine Headboard (gifted): $998
• Brooklinen Luxe Core Sheet Set: $219
• Brooklinen Luxe Pillowcases, set of 2 (gifted): $65
• Brooklinen Luxe Duvet Cover (gifted): $189
• Blue quilt, purchased from Goodwill: $15
• Avocado Mattress (gifted): $3,199 
• Original Casper Pillow Double Pack: $159
• Lulu & Georgia x Sarah Sherman Samuel Velvet Disc Pillow (gifted): $78 x 3 = $234
• Nordic Knots Dusty White Rug 9′ x 12′ (gifted): $1,895
• Safavieh Sisal Area Rug 11′ x 15′: $520
• Nightstands, purchased from Missouri Mouse Antiques: $200 for both
• Tall Wood Dresser, purchased from Art & Architecture: $45
• CB2 Paterson Lacquered Ivory Dresser – no longer available (gifted): $1,499
• Safavieh Table Lamps, set of 2: $125 
• Frontgate Dunmore Pendant: $597
• Samsung The Frame Smart TV, 55”: $1,500
• Antique Gold & Black Smart TV Frame, 55”: $599 
• IKEA Floor Mirror – no longer available: ~$100
• Sandberg Eugen Wallpaper – available in oat, no longer available in green (gifted): $159/roll x 12 rolls = $1,908
• Paint – The paint color was a custom match but is similar to this color.: Cost is included within the labor costs below.

Labor

Paint, hang wallpaper, etc.: ~$3,500
Our painter handled all of the tasks listed below. The above number is slightly approximated as it was grouped into an invoice with several other projects.

• Custom match paint to existing woodwork color
• Prep and paint ceiling
• Paint the bottom edge of crown molding to match the woodwork
• Prep and paint walls under the chair rail
• Repair cracks, big void/hump where wasp nest was
• Repair holes where the alarm pad and phone plug were
• Seal walls for new wallpaper
• Hang new wallpaper

Replace the ceiling light: ~$75

Total: $19,439

Editor’s Note: This article contains affiliate links. Wit & Delight uses affiliate links as a source of revenue to fund operations of the business and to be less dependent on branded content. Wit & Delight stands behind all product recommendations. Still have questions about these links or our process? Feel free to email us.

Kate Arends

Kate is the founder of Wit & Delight. She is currently learning how to play tennis and is forever testing the boundaries of her creative muscle. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.