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The new year provides a perfect opportunity for a fresh start. This often takes the form of health or savings-oriented resolutions, but sometimes, other efforts are more compelling — and more likely to deliver lasting results.

The perfect example? Interior design projects, which make your house feel homier. These can be fun in the living room or dining room, but what about your bedroom? With the right decor, this nighttime oasis can live up to its full potential as a place of respite.

If you’re interested in redesigning your bedroom but not quite sure where to start, you’re in luck — this space can be surprisingly easy to revitalize. Keep reading to learn how to transform your bedroom:

1. Declutter the Area

If you don’t have the time or resources to dedicate to a full bedroom makeover, try half an hour of cleaning instead. You’ll be amazed at how fresh your bedroom can seem after a simple decluttering initiative.

The goal should not be to simply hide the mess, but rather, to get rid of items you rarely use. This will help you prevent future messes. Sort all clutter into three piles: save, toss, or donate. Make every effort to expand the toss and donate piles while only saving the absolute essentials.

2. Rearrange Your Room

You’ve ditched the clutter but crave a bigger change to your surroundings. If you’re not ready for new furniture or decor, why not rearrange the items you already have? This could be as simple as moving your bed or dressers against a different wall. You can also change the location of artwork or lighting fixtures. This will make you feel as if you’re in a completely new room.

3. Choose a Style

If you’re ready for a completely different look, plan ahead so that you only purchase items that will support a cohesive aesthetic. This begins with choosing a style you find compelling. Spend some time browsing Pinterest or interior design magazines, where you’ll find a wealth of ideas. If possible, choose an aesthetic you can name, such as boho or rustic chic. Create a vision board to provide design inspiration.

4. Paint Your Room

A fresh coat of paint can do wonders for a stale bedroom. You can paint the entire room if you wish, but the space will also feel fresh if you opt for a single accent wall or even new paint for the ceiling.

To begin this DIY project, identify shades you find calming. Test samples of your favorite, as these can look dramatically different on your walls than they do online or in paint chips. Observe these samples at different times of the day; a color that looks appealing in the morning may be less desirable at midday.

The actual painting process can be simple if you have the right tools and properly prep your bedroom. Use painter’s tape to protect crown molding and window casings. As you begin painting, use a top-down approach. 

5. Add Wall Art

Are you eager to brighten up your room but don’t particularly want to go to the effort of painting an elaborate design? The right wall decor can add instant style to your room but requires hardly any work.

Painting and framed photos can look great, but your ability to hang these could be limited if you rent an apartment. Fortunately, an excellent alternative exists, removable wall decals. These are available in mural form, so you can add a bold design to your room without worrying whether it will leave residue later on or damage the wall.

6. Decorate Old Furniture

Breathe new life into old furniture by painting or refinishing it. Begin by thoroughly cleaning any furniture you want to update. From there, you’ll need to remove the old finish and sand the wood.

Fill the grain if necessary, and then prime the wood with a sanding sealer. Oil-based stains will penetrate the wood effectively without raising the grain, but water and gel-based options are also available. For a more vibrant look, you can also paint old furniture. 

7. Refresh Bed Linens

The linens on your bed can have a huge impact on the entire room’s appearance. What’s more, new bed linens can help you enjoy a more comfortable night’s sleep. When selecting the perfect linens, opt for a color that complements your paint and decorative accents — and pay attention to thread count. 

8. Add Plants

Bring the best of the great outdoors into your home with help from houseplants. These can brighten up living spaces and may even have a discernible impact on your mental health. Research suggests that exposure to indoor plants may limit stress and could even reduce blood pressure. If you struggle with plant care, try cacti or succulents. Otherwise, spider plants, aloe, and even bromeliads are great options.

9. Update Your Lighting

Soft lights can bring a desirable glow to your bedroom, instantly giving it a different feel even if you don’t change anything else. Ideally, your room will include both task lighting (a bedside lamp for reading, for example) and overhead lighting.

Decorative lights serve both a functional and aesthetic purpose, so find something that matches your room’s style or theme. When possible, install dimmer switches to lower the brightness and help your room feel more calming before you go to sleep.

10. Don’t Forget Accents

When some people redecorate, they begin with design ideas that center around accents. Often, this means neglecting the other elements of the room.

In most cases, the reverse approach is preferable: analyze what does and doesn’t work about your room and then begin with the initiatives highlighted above (such as decluttering or painting) before you add decorative accents to the mix. Otherwise, room decor that looks cute in the store or on Etsy risks turning into unwanted clutter.

Freshen Up Your Bedroom With Custom Decals or Murals

If you’re on the hunt for a simple solution to make your bedroom feel fresh for the new year, look no further than our removable murals and decals. These can be customized to reflect your personality or preferred aesthetics. They’re easy to install, so you’ll have no trouble transforming your bedroom’s design. Get started today or reach out for more information about our custom mural process.