The Often Overlooked Importance of Decorating Your Bedroom

Interiors & Decor

Decorating Your Bedroom and Why It's So Important | Wit & Delight
Photo by Chelsey Werth

Clean, bright, optimistic, refreshing, and uplifting. None of these words described our bedroom during the years our kids were infants. This is not to say we didn’t try to make it all those things. We brought in a lovely new bed and a rug in an uplifting shade of pink. We created a symmetrical layout and got matching dressers like real thirtysomething parents of two. We made sure we had enough storage for all our belongings. We did our best to make it feel like a haven away from the stress of life, but stress has a way of following you to bed. 

As we settled into life with two toddlers who had found some new independence, we finally had some headspace to bring back new habits to our morning and evening routines. Despite our gorgeous bed and pretty pink rug, I learned that new furniture isn’t a quick fix for old bad habits. Just because you have the space for your clothes doesn’t mean they will fold themselves. You have to want to see a change in how you use the room. Rearranging and redecorating can undoubtedly help you get there, but you have to be willing to let go of old coping mechanisms and get uncomfortable with the hard changes that will ultimately lead to better ways of living. 

Before we redecorated with Lulu and Georgia, I took a hard look at why I treated our bedroom like the proverbial junk drawer of our upstairs living space.

Decorating Your Bedroom and Why It's So Important | Wit & Delight
Photo by Chelsey Werth

It came back to the fact I didn’t enjoy being there. It was a place of stress, where most of the late-night battles took place with the kids, and it was most certainly the place I would bury my face to muffle the sound of my screams—a necessary outlet for frustration and a safe place to save face. 

Photo by Chelsey Werth

We removed the rug that had been puked and bled on and sent it to be cleaned. Then we replaced it with a creamy, serene wool beauty from Sarah Sherman Samuel

Photo by Chelsey Werth

We added an optimistic shade of yellow through lush velvet curtains.

We swapped out light far too bright for the bedroom with an oversized, sculptural pendant.

We flanked each side of our bed with sconces that provided us with more room for personal effects that would signal, Hello, tired parent—it’s time to connect with someone outside caring for your two toddlers.

Decorating Your Bedroom and Why It's So Important | Wit & Delight
Photo by Chelsey Werth

Scented candles replaced stacks of laundry. On my bedside table, I added a stack of books I couldn’t wait to read. Joe’s pile of “stuff” was now contained in an attractive bowl that allowed him to do whatever he needed to do to decompress without having to spread it all over the room. 

Photo by Chelsey Werth

Now, when we walk in, not only do we feel a sigh of relief—the kids do too. We spend time in our room to read, not to fight for the covers through piles of dirty laundry.

Decorating Your Bedroom and Why It's So Important | Wit & Delight

Don’t get me wrong—we still have days and nights where the laundry feels like an impossible task to tackle. We started 2020 with a new appreciation for our most personal space, and caring for the main bedroom is a sign we’re also caring for ourselves. By prioritizing what makes us feel like us, we’re showing our kids that while laundry will come and go, self-care makes mom and dad the best mom and dad they can be.

Shop the Look

Top Row: Mia Pendant, $1,015 | Citronella Curtains, $115 – $215 | Anthony Sconce, $935

Second Row: Arches Rug, $1,500 | Salome Bed in Tan, $3,290 – $3,360 | Aprilette Side Table, $580

Third Row: Aspen Sculpture, $455 | Amaury Bench, Grafito $875 | Parachute Linen Bedding, $210 – $270

Bottom Row: Zeya Open Basket, $129 | Pom Pom at Home Lumbar Pillow, $244 | Teak Bench, $240

Editor’s Note: This article contains affiliate links. Wit & Delight uses affiliate links as a source of revenue to fund the 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.

BY Kate Arends - April 16, 2020

17 Comments
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Rachel
April 16, 2020 3:06 pm

Where did you get your pillows? They look so comfy! I’m in HUGE need of upgrading/replacing mine.

Rachel
April 17, 2020 8:46 pm
Reply to  Kate Arends

Thanks!

April 17, 2020 8:59 am

A lovely bedroom – it feels very calm and cosy. And yet the yellow curtains add some zing to it.

Have a good day.

Renaud
http://blogbyrenaud.wordpress.com

April 18, 2020 9:25 am

HI,

Great post! When our bedroom looks and feels cozy, it definitely becomes the place to rest. Its super important to keep have a spot for everything, it makes it so much easier to keep clean and organized.

Thank you!

-Maria

April 19, 2020 7:55 am

Thank you very much for sharing the article, the photos say it all. They suggest many ideas, we will take them into account for future projects

Kelsey
April 19, 2020 2:24 pm

Wha kind of comforter do you use under your Parachute duvet cover? I’m loving the duvet cover, but wondering what comforter to pair with it. Thanks!

Jane Smith
April 22, 2020 1:38 am

Thank you for so many bedroom decoration recommendations. In times such as these, the bedroom must be a very cozy place to sleep in.

Samantha
April 23, 2020 8:09 pm

We’re trying to update the lighting in our bedroom – it has been an afterthought for a long time. Any tips or recommendations on where to start?

Sherri
April 30, 2020 11:21 pm

What about your dresser(s)? The hardest part of getting our bedroom to feel like a calm, uncluttered space is that my husband and I each have a dresser.

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