Designing a Bedroom: 7 Do’s and 7 Don’ts that Tea.L Interiors Follows.

DOs

We Do: Pick the Right Mattress

Picking the right mattress is very important to ensure comfort and a good night's sleep. Our advice is to always try your mattress in person. If you have your eyes set on a mattress from an online store, we would check if the mattress has a trial period and what the return policy is. Free shipping is always a plus. Some stores would be able to pick up your old mattress when delivering the new one. If that option isn't available, planning for removing your old mattress before the new one arrives would be a part of the process. Our studio, Tea.L Interiors, would remove old mattresses and furniture as part of our all-inclusive design service.

We Do: Coordinate Your Mattress with Your New Bed

An example of slatted bed which may not be suitable for a foam mattress.

We make sure that your new bed is set to accommodate your mattress. Foam mattresses, for example, often cannot be placed on slatted beds and require being laid on flat surfaces with good ventilation. In those cases, an additional mattress base or a box spring might need to be purchased together with the mattress. Knowing that in advance helps us to estimate the budget for the project more accurately and avoid returns and long lead times if the new bed and mattress aren't compatible.

We Do: Consider Allergies

It's important for us to consider if you or a family member has allergies. Bedrooms designed with a lot of fabric could collect more dust or pet hair and make allergies worse. We keep that in mind and choose materials that are good quality and hypoallergenic if needed.

We Do: Pick a Nice Bedding Set

When selecting bedding, think about 100%. 100% cotton or 100% linen or 100% silk

A good quality bedding set can make any bedroom feel and look more elevated. We would coordinate the color scheme of the bedroom with the bedding set to make the bedroom design feel more cohesive. We would consider the materials that the bedding is made of. Natural materials such as linen, cotton, and silk are soft, breathable, and retain less moisture compared to synthetic materials such as polyester. When choosing bedding, we at Tea.L Interiors believe that investing in quality is investing in a good night's sleep.

We Do: Coordinate the Hight of the Bed with the Hight of the Nightstands

We would measure the height of your bed from the floor to the top of the mattress and select nightstands that are similar height. We would create a bedroom that is well-designed and coordinated but also practical and comfortable to use. Proportion is important to be considered, too. King beds might need larger and more solid nightstands to balance the large size of the bed. Queen and full beds could be styled with smaller scale nightstands as long as the height is a good match. A twin bed might work nicely with just one nightstand and a pretty bedside table lamp.

We Do: Use Art

A few pieces of art could be everything that is needed to finish a bedroom design. We would pick pieces that coordinate well with the design style and color scheme of the room. The most common wall to decorate with art would be the bed wall. We would measure the length of the bed and pick the right pieces to create a wall that looks nicely filled in and decorated. Art would look pretty above the dresser if you have one, or between windows.

We Do: Add an Area Rug

An area rug can add a layer to a bedroom design and make it feel more inviting and cozy. When picking a bedroom rug, we follow a simple rule: the larger, the better. A 9' x 12' rug is usually a good size for a king-size bed, and an 8' x 10' rug usually works nicely with queen-size beds. We like to have at least a foot of the original floor showing on each side of the rug. Don't worry if your room is carpeted. Layering an area rug over a carpet works and can look pretty.

DON'Ts

We Don’t: Shy Away from Color

Bedrooms are spaces that need to feel quiet, comfortable, and serene, but that doesn't mean we can't use colors and prints. Our advice would be to look into the more muted shades of each color for the larger pieces of furniture - bed, bedside tables, dresser. We would also pick a more muted shade for the walls as those shades tend to be more calming. Bolder colors could be used as accessories. They could be incorporated through blankets, throw pillows, decorative accents. The picture on the left shows one of our recent bedroom designs where we have used a muted purple wall paint for the walls to add color.

We Don’t: Forget Storage

If the space allows for it, we would recommend adding a dresser or built-in storage in your bedroom. We would consider closet space, too, and integrate your closets into the design in a way that feels in line with the rest of the design. We would consider storage beds and larger nightstands with drawers if more storage is needed in the space.

We Don’t: Use Plants

Plants are a wonderful way to add a splash of green to the space, but plants release small amounts of carbon dioxide during the night, which may impact the air quality in the bedroom. Even if the impact isn't that significant, we would still advise against plants in the bedroom, as plants require a lot of natural light to thrive and can attract pests.

We Don’t: Forget Window Treatments and Privacy

Window treatments are important in the bedroom as they can block light and provide privacy. We would consider blackout curtains or Roman shades, or a combination of blackout roller shades and light-filtering curtains for a layered look that is more polished and versatile. The picture on the right is an example of a layered window treatment look. We have used blackout roller shades and 100% linen curtains hung on a white curtain rod. Motorized window treatments are a great option for any bedroom, too, as they can be controlled from the comfort of your bed.

We Don’t: Forget Lighting

Bedside table lamps, wall sconces with swing arms, or a combination of both for a layered look alongside a larger lighting fixture. We would consider dimmers to allow you to control the light intensity. At Tea.L Interiors, we would recommend warm-toned light bulbs as they create a cozier feeling in every room.

We Don’t: Overcrowd the Bedroom

Clutter is unsettling, and we should make sure that your room isn't cluttered and that there is enough breathing space and clear traffic patterns between the furniture. Sometimes less is more, so a nice bed, a couple of nightstands, and a dresser might be just enough. If the room is larger, a seating area could be incorporated as well.

We Don't: Match all Furniture

Tea.L Interiors follows the rule not to source a matching bedroom set to avoid a look that is similar to what could be seen at a showroom. We look for a common thread between the design pieces—a color or a finish—to make the bedroom look cohesive and well-styled. Purchasing pieces from different vendors or lines creates the illusion of a "well-lived home" where pieces are collected over time.