Decorating A Small Safe Room

Are you tired of coming home to a nondescript bedroom? Or have you had the same style for years and want to give your room a new look? Here are some great ways to give your bedroom a new look without spending too much money. There are even a few ways to use what you have.

1
Decide how much time and money you want to spend. If you have a lot of money to spend, then you can decorate your room to your heart's content. However, most of the time a decorator will have to work within a budget. If you are on a tight budget, however, you might have to cut some corners. For example:
- Instead of buying new furniture, you could repaint or refinish your old furniture.
- Instead of repainting your walls, you could apply vinyl wall decals. This is a popular choice for youth, and for those who cannot paint the walls. also great for those who don't have a lot of time.
- If you are crafty, consider some DIY decorations or furniture
- Consider decorating your room a little bit at a time. Maybe you do not have $500 to spend on redecorating currently. But if one month you spend $50 on paint, the next $50 on new curtains, and so on, it can be more affordable.
2
Decide on a style for the room. While you don't absolutely have to have a specific style, this will help you decide what furniture to get, and what sorts of colors and patterns to use for things such as walls, bed linens, rugs, and pillows. Start by thinking of a place you really like, like a certain restaurant, hotel, or coffee shop. Then, use that place's style for inspiration. You can also find inspiration by:
- Browsing image-saving websites, such as Pinterest.
- Going through home decorating catalogs.
- Visiting some furniture stores and taking note of displays that you like.
3
Consider whether you will like your style several years from now. If you are planning to stay in your house for a while and are uninterested in redecorating often, will you still like the style you have now? If you go through different interests often, choose a style with a neutral color scheme and versatile furniture that can be reused later on. Express your current interests with smaller items you can easily change, such as throw pillows, lights, and wall decorations.
- If you are a teen, you are likely to change interests fairly quickly. What were your passions at 13 may be different at 17.
- Be careful of over-committing to a theme. It is one thing to have your sheet set have a theme of horses. But if your bed, lamps, curtains, artwork, throw-pillows, carpet, and more have horses, that could be a bit too much.
4

Make sure your room is clean. If your room is very messy or cluttered, you might want to clean it first. This will give you a blank slate to work with. It will be easier to move things around and see how they look.
5
Get rid of unnecessary clutter. Review your room decor. Do you have a theme already in your room, or a mishmash of different themes? Consider getting rid of some items that you no longer use, or that no longer suit your taste or style. You can sell these items online or donate them to a charity center.
- If you have something that you still like, but that no longer suits the current style of your room, see if you can re-purpose, repaint, or redecorate it.
- Don't get rid of everything just because you're redesigning your room. You still want your room to be functional. Hold on to the must-haves like a bed, dresser, and stand — you can always revamp them to match your new style.
6
Consider working with what you already have. If you are on a budget, take a look at your current furniture, and see if you can re-purpose them to fit your new style. A simple wooden bed can easily be made to fit lots of different styles with the right paint job or bed linens. For example:
- Paint your bed a solid color for a sleek, modern look.
- Add a colorful quilt and lots of pillows with different patterns for a boho look.
- For a vintage, country-chic look, you could paint your bed a base color, and then add a second coat of a crackle-effect paint to get that weathered look.
- You can also swap out furniture from other rooms in your house.

1
Give your walls a fresh coat of paint or apply some wallpaper. Painting the walls a new color or putting up some wallpaper can give the room a completely new look. If you don't want to do all paint or all wallpaper, add an accent wall to with one or the other to make the room more interesting.
- If you can't paint the walls or change the wallpaper, tack some fabric to the wall instead. Try to get it as smooth as possible.
- If you have a small room, consider painting your walls one color, and leaving the ceiling white. This will make your room look bigger.
2

Consider having an accent wall. Instead of painting your entire room one color, paint three walls a neutral color, and the fourth wall a darker, contrasting color. Place all of your statement furniture against this wall.
3
Add some designs with wall stencils. Choose a base color for the background, and a contrasting color for the designs. Paint the background color first, let it dry, then apply the designs with more paint and stencils.
- If you live in a rental unit, use wall decals instead. They are giant, vinyl stickers that peel off easily when it is time to move out.
4
Hang up some posters, photos, or artwork. This is great for those who are on a budget or are unable to repaint their rooms. If you are living in a rental unit, use double-sided mounting tape, stick-on mounting hooks, or poster putty/tack instead.
- If you are hanging the wall art above your bed, consider matching it to your bed. For example, if your wall art has subtle hints of gold in it, consider getting gold pillows for the bed. ^[1]
5
Save space by getting items that can be fixed to the wall. Nightstands and adjustable lamps can be affixed to walls and are a great way to save space. You can also put some shelves above your bed to store some of your favorite, personal items as well.
- Don't put anything heavy on shelves above your bed in case something happens and one of them falls.
6
Hang some fairy lights or string lights on the walls. You can use ordinary Christmas lights, or decorative ones. Decorative lights come in all different shapes and sizes, and can be found in shops that sell light fixtures and room décor. They come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and colors, such as flowers and butterflies.
- If your room has white or light-colored walls, choose lights with a white or clear wire. If your room has darker-colored walls, choose lights with a clear wire.

1
Add some extra pillows to your bed. To get that luxurious, hotel-like feel, plan on having two to six pillows on your bed. Place the larger pillows towards the back, and the smaller pillows towards the front. Don't be afraid to mix and match different colors and patterns.^[2] Here are some more ideas to get you started:^[3]
- Mix large, bold prints with smaller, more intricate ones.
- Combine organic prints with geometric prints.
- Use contrasting colors. For example, you could get a pillow with a bright green pattern and a plain white pillow.
- For accent pillows, consider using something with a textured fabric or an irregular shape. For example, you could get a velvet round pillow or a brocade tube pillow.
2
Get luxurious covers. Top your bed with covers made for snuggling like a down comforter.
- For an added touch of luxury, consider getting a comforter with a duvet cover instead of a plain old bed sheet.
3
Give your windows and walls some color with curtains. Try to match the curtains to some aspect of your room, such as the rug, pillows, or bed linens. You don't have to go out and buy curtains; saris and shawls can make beautiful, graceful curtains.
- If you live in a rental unit, you might already have blinds. See if you can place a curtain rod on top of the blinds.
- Consider tying back the curtains with a stylish rope.
4
Add some softness and warmth with a cozy rug. Try to get a rug that matches some aspect of your room, such as the bed linens, curtains, or wall color. If the headboard is against a wall, get a rug that extends 18 to 24 inches (45 to 60 centimeters) past all three sides of the bed. The most common rug placement is just in front of the nightstands, with the rug extending past the foot of the bed. If you have a longer rug, consider tucking it under the nightstands instead; this will help ground them better. Here are some common rug sizes and bed sizes:^[4] ^[5]
- If you have a twin, double, or full sized bed, get a 5 by 8 foot or a 8 by 10 foot rug.
- If you have a queen or king sized bed, get a 8 by 10 foot or 9 by 12 foot rug.
- If your room already has a carpet, consider placing a small rug on one side of the bed. Sheepskin rugs are great for this.

1

Add warmth with lighting. Soft overhead lighting or a clip-on overhead lamp is a great way to accomplish this. You can also use tall, standing lamps in corners, or desk lamps on dressers. Fairy lights and string lights are a great way of adding some design and movement to your walls while making things a bit brighter.
2
Use candles to add a soft glow to your room. You can choose scented or unscented ones. If you own pets, or are hesitant about having open flame in your room, consider getting some battery-operated candles instead. Some of them come scented and even flicker, just like real candles.
- Consider switching out candles with the seasons. Use fresh, floral or fruity scents for the spring and summer, and spicy or woodsy scents for the fall and winter.
3

Add mirrors to make your room look bigger. You can hang a small mirror above your dresser, or a longer one over the back of your door. Instead of getting a plain mirror, consider getting one with a fancier frame, an unusual shape, or some designs etched onto it.
4

Use color and prints. Your bed linens, pillows, rugs, and curtains don't have to be the only source of color and pattern in your room.^[6] You can easily make a boring, blank wall appear more interesting by getting a lamp with a colorful shade.
5

Try going monochrome. If you want a nice, clean look to your room, but don't want to go mundane with stark whites, you can try mixing and matching different shades of the same color. For example, all of your bed linens, pillows, rugs, curtains, and furniture can be different shades of green, such as light, medium, and dark.^[7]
6
Have something to serve as the focus of your room. This can be as simple as an accent wall or a bed, to something as intricate as a fancy headboard or light fixture. If you choose to make your bed the focus of the room, place it in the center of one wall, and decorate it with pillows and a blanket.^[8]
- A shelf with a collection of things you like can make a great focal piece. Try not to overcrowd the shelf, however, and consider layering items by placing smaller items in front of larger ones.
7
Add a nightstand with all of the necessities. This will make your bed space appear more luxurious and comfortable. Try to include a lamp, a clock, and some flowers, either in a pot or vase. If you like to read, consider having a stack of books. If you tend to get thirsty at night, have a glass and a carafe filled with water; this will save you late-night trips to the kitchen for a glass of water.
- If you have a large bed set in the center of the wall, consider having one nightstand on each side of the bed. This will help create symmetry and balance.^[9]
- Keep scale in mind. The larger your bed is, the larger nightstand and lamp your will need.^[10]
8
Consider getting a comfortable place to sit. If you like to spend a lot of time in your room, you might want to get a comfortable chair to sit in, this way, you will be reserving your bed as just a place to sleep in. To make your sitting nook extra cozy, place it in the corner of the room.
- You can use an armchair, a small sofa, or even a beanbag chair.^[11]
- Get an ottoman or footstool so you have someplace to rest your feet when you're sitting.
- Place your chair near a side table so you can keep books and drinks on it while you're sitting down.

Add New Question

Question

I'm 12 and my room is purple. Any ideas on what to do to make it nice ?

Do you like the color? If not, try asking your parents if you can change the color. If not, you will need to work with the purple. If the walls are purple, try putting in something white for a brighter look, or black for a darker, more Gothic look. For example, you can cut shapes out of white paper, and stick it onto your wall using poster tack or double-sided tape. You can also ask your parents if you can paint your furniture white (or black). All this will brighten up your room. You can also try hanging up some string/Christmas/fairy lights on the wall above your bed or window. You can also drape things like flower garlands, beaded garlands, or pink or white tulle above your bed, window, or book case.
Question

I'm 9 and my room is pale blue. It's my favourite colour and I'm obsessed with pugs. Any ideas what to do with my room?

You could add some pug posters, pug stuffed animals, pug figurines, and maybe even a pug pillow and pug clock. You can keep the furniture and sheets pale blue to match the walls.
Question

How can I make a white bedroom a lot more interesting?

Buy a large, colorful, and decorative blanket with some décor pillows to go with it. Add a few paintings or images of whatever the theme of your blanket is. Add some colored fairy lights to give your room some relaxing lighting, not too bright , and not too dark.
Question

I am going to paint my room but I don't want it to be too girly. My favorite colors are green and blue -- any suggestions?

You could paint your walls light green or pastel blue. If you want both, you could do an accent wall in one of the two colors, stripes, or another pattern.
Question

Can i make DIY decorations ?

Yes! There are many great DIY projects for your room, ranging from simple to very challenging. You could start by painting or decorating a plain paper lantern or lampshade, picture frames, flowerpots, and other containers. Search this website, other online sources, and magazines to get ideas.
Question

How can I get rid of random, pointless clutter quickly and easily?

Make a keep pile, and a donate pile. Sell the things you don't want to a thrift shop, or have a yard sale.
Question

How can I decorate my room on a budget?

Try using some of the things you already have and arranging them in different ways. For example, if you have some nice bits of fabric, you can drape them over the top of your dresser, and then place some things on top, such as candles or jewelry boxes. You can also make some decorations, such as paper garlands or colorful mason jar candle holders. To give your room a new look, you can try painting your existing furniture. Lastly, if you need to buy something, try buying items that are on sale or clearance. You can score a lot of good deals.
Question

I love animals but how can I apply that theme to my room?

One way you can apply animals to your room is a safari theme, featuring posters, bed covers, curtain fabric, lampshades, figurines, etc. with giraffes, tigers, lions, cheetahs, etc. printed onto these items. If that isn't right for you, try making a cute and comfortable theme based on fluffy animals such as cats, dogs and bunnies, using the same items and arrange some stuffed animals in a central place. Use poster tack for posters, so that you don't mark the walls.
Question

I'm tired of my room color (yellow) and I want to paint it a different way. Any suggestions?

Consider your favorite color. Think about the mood colors can set, because certain colors can make you feel different. A bright room can seem very happy and upbeat, think bright blue or a rosy pink. Or, you may want something more subdued, like a pale lime green or lilac, to feel cozy. Or consider a deep brown for the feeling of protection and earthly warmth.
Question

What if you have a really small room and no money?

Save up some money before you proceed; it is worth it in the long run to wait a bit longer. Since you have a small room, it shouldn't take too long. Best bets are to keep the decorations minimal, and focus on changing colors through curtains, bed covers, cushions and lighting.

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Decorative boxes can be used as storage on shelves while adding bursts of color to your room.
Try to work on one part of the room at a time. Start with the walls first, then the floor, then the bed linens and curtains. Finish off with accent pieces and accessories.
Try to maximize space as much as you can. If you have a small room, put your larger pieces of furniture against the walls to make your room appear bigger.
If you can't afford the whole project right away, do it a little at a time. Add things like bedspreads and accessories gradually as you can afford them.
Be consistent. You may like many different themes and styles, but not all of them will look good together.
A pretty wardrobe can double as a decorative piece and a place to store your clothes. A coat rack can fit into tight corners and act as a quick and easy place to hang coats.
A thrift shop is a great place to look for décor, accessories, and accent pieces.
Consult style magazines, websites, books, interior decorating catalogues, design books, TV shows, and so on for inspiration.
Add a lot of knick knacks to make your room unique.
Find a theme to go with your room. The theme could be based off of furniture, color variety, objects or more!
Add mirrors to make your room look bigger!
If you share a room, you could hang a curtain in between.
If you have a sibling try to compromise so the room suits both tastes.
A good, cheap option for people into DIY is decorating with paper.
If you live at your parents' home, remember to ask permission first, because they might not want you to do anything with your bedroom right away.
Consider taking electronics, including TVs and computers, out of the bedroom and moving them to another room. This will help your mind associate your bedroom with rest and help you sleep better at night.^[12]

Don't add so much artwork that you can't see the walls. It will make your bedroom look too crowded.
Don't put so much stuff in your room that you don't have room to walk.
Sometimes when you redecorate your room, you might miss your "old" room. Consider keeping at least one thing in the same place to maintain a sense of familiarity.
Your bedroom should be an expression of your own style, but if you live in your parents' home, they may have the final say. Approach them with a plan, including a budget and an idea of how much you will pay and how much you would like them to pay. You should be ready to negotiate.

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If you want to decorate your bedroom, paint the walls, hang up wallpaper, or decorate the walls with posters, pictures, and vinyl decals. Add a little color to your room by hanging up curtains, and lay a cozy rug on the floor that coordinates with the curtains or another aspect of your room. You can also create warmth in your room with lamps, string lights, or candles. If you want your room to seem bigger, hang mirrors around your room. For tips on how to use color and prints, keep reading!

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