Decorating my bedroom has been a long process over the years. I started out by collecting photographs for inspiration. Then, I planned how I wanted the space to look and made a wish list of items I wanted to fill the space with. Of course, I also watched A LOT of room tour videos on YouTube.

I’m incredibly happy with the outcome considering that my current bedroom took me at least 2-3 decorating sessions to get it just right. Having spent that amount of time focusing on my surroundings, I learned 2 key things.

The first is that a bedroom needs to be pretty AND practical. I wanted my space to be aesthetic for photography and general vibes but I also needed it to be functional. I didn’t want the space to be so different that it messed with my daily routines and habits.

One time I tried to have an empty minimalist desk but I hated that there was nothing there, even though it looked nice. Another time, I tried to put my brightly-colored journals out of sight but then it discouraged me from journaling every night.

The second is that it isn’t a good idea to copy another person’s style. What you should rather do is look at the things you like and try to make your bedroom as authentic as possible. Take inspiration from others but also be original. Some of you might be thinking that your bedroom is just a room. It doesn’t matter what it looks like. But how you choose to organize and decorate it determines how you enjoy living in it.

Now that my bedroom is filled with cozy items and colours, I feel relaxed and inspired. I feel more motivated to work at my desk or taking a reading break on my bed. More than that, having a cozy bedroom is a great way to be introverted and happy. Which is something I talked about in an earlier blog post. With new ideas like ‘hygge’, homebody and slow living, curating a cozy space is an absolute MUST.

I thought I’d share some of the things I focused on when I decorated my bedroom. To show how you can add subtle cozy, vintage, aesthetic hints to your own surroundings. If you’re interested in decorating your bedroom, stay here and read the rest of this post. Here are some ideas for decorating a cozy bedroom.

Color palette:

Some major colours I’ve seen a lot of people using – that I also use myself – are shades of brown and white. These are the base colours of any cozy bedroom. To me, they create light and warmth. It’s why I painted my walls white again and I specifically chose a dark wood floor when my dad and I were redoing the space. Additionally, I opted to find furniture that was either white or brown.

From there, you can choose to add accent colours. Such as shades of red, orange, yellow and metals. These are colours I use but I also have a lot of other colours like purple, blue, pink and green. It was unintended and there was nothing I could do about it, so I worked with what I had. I think all the extra colours gave my cozy bedroom a personal touch.

textures & materials:

For decorations, anything woolen, crocheted or woven is essential to a cozy space. Such as cushions, mats, tapestries, blankets and throws. They’re warm and soft and they turn every surface into something you can snuggle or snooze on (as lame as it sounds). One thing I also did in my bedroom was that I made these little DIY storage boxes with cardboard and thick wool. I also up-cycled some moon and star dream-catchers with beige wool.

For furniture, I tried to find a lot of natural wood items or things made from metal. Mostly because I liked the look of them against the walls and floor. What I couldn’t find, I crafted as DIY projects. Like a white wooden daybed and coffee table and an old bookshelf I painted white.

Vintage items:

Decorating a bedroom doesn’t have to cost you a lot of money. You can enjoy the process with DIY projects for décor and furniture. You can go to second-hand furniture stores. If you’re lucky, you might also find some vintage pieces that family members don’t want anymore.

Old items can make your bedroom look aesthetic, lived-in and eclectic. They’re also a great way to be creative and to personalize your space. Such as using old glass bottles as flower vases, empty jars as storage containers, ceramic tea cups as trinket trays and more.

I was really lucky in getting a variety of items from family members. Such as a wooden trunk, an incense burner, a mirror and a hanging tray to put on the wall for collected items. I also have an old blanket which I use as a curtain for the cupboard behind my bed. You can also up-cycle the things you already have in your bedroom to give them a fresher look.

I also have a reputation of just taking things from other parts of the house. No one in my family noticed they were gone at all until they saw them in my bedroom.

Items in nature:

Much like searching the stores and family members for vintage, eclectic items, you can do the same whenever you go out in nature. Whether it’s the beach, a forest trail or a park, you can find an assortment of decorative items for free. Like pine cones, stones, leaves, flowers, and branches.

For a short while I was using a branch tied with pieces of string as a jewelry hanger, and I currently decorate every corner of my room with dried flowers. I’ve also seen photos where some people will stick autumn leaves to their bedroom walls or will store large branches in corners of bedrooms for hanging things.

These are the 4 things I focused on when decorating my bedroom. I’m so happy with how the space turned out. It’s bright, it’s colorful and it’s inviting. I don’t deny i’ll probably decorate again in the future, probably mid-2020 but for now I love the layout and style. I hope you found this post useful and are encouraged to add little cozy touches to your own bedroom. Don’t forget to like and share this post elsewhere!

And don’t forget to check out the gallery below for cozy, aesthetic, eclectic bedroom inspiration. A collection of photos of my bedroom taken by me. I hope they inspire you!