Mood Board: Bedroom Refresh

If your bedroom is underwhelming, you're in good company. We tend to lavish decorating attention on the public spaces in our homes, redoing kitchens and baths, living rooms and laundry rooms before giving our own private spaces a second thought. If this sounds familiar, it's time to chuck those crappy pillows and treat yourself to a grown-up bedroom. 

Good news: a  bedroom re-do is one of the least expensive decorating jobs but one that comes with a huge emotional pay-off.  Here's my 5 step guide to the bedroom of your dreams:

1. Assess your space & your stuff
What's happening in your room? Is there enough furniture or too much? Do you have adequate clothing storage? Is there anything in your room that shouldn't be? (treadmill I'm looking at you) Do you prefer total darkness for sleeping? Is your mattress comfortable? What furniture and decorative pieces are you keeping? What will be replaced?

2. Make a space plan
If you are moving furniture around, or want to add new pieces make sure everything fits with a to-scale furniture plan.

3. Inspiration 
If you haven't already, get yourself over to Pinterest, Houzz, Apartment Therapy, Remodelista and figure out your design jam.  

4. Sourcing 
Shopping and sourcing are not the same thing. Shopping is when you go to Home Sense and you find a really cute turquoise pillow that you just have to have and you'll find a place for it. Sourcing is when you are looking for a nightstand that is 24" high (because you measured your bed height) and no more than 15" wide (because your room is narrow) and preferably something brass with a marble top (because that's the look you love) and costs $250- $350 a piece (because you have a budget). 

Make a list of items to source. Be sure to include required dimensions, materials, finishes and target price points. Know where you may like to splurge (luxe linens?) and where you don't mind saving (lighting?)

5. Do one big shop
It can be tricky to get a cohesive look when you approach decorating a room piecemeal. It's also really frustrating when a project drags on, so have all the decisions made before you start shopping. Make decisions on paint, furniture, bedding, artwork and mirrors, window coverings, area rug, throw pillows, lighting and decorative objects before buying anything. Then, buy everything all at once. I don't mean to literally buy everything the same day, and certainly not all from the same source. Have all the purchase decisions made in advance to reduce falling victim to decision paralysis or budget creep or just never really finishing your project.