Bedroom reveal – Tips for decorating on a budget

My long awaited bedroom reveal post is finally here and I am so excited to share all the details with you guys. I would say the room is about 90% complete. There are a few more touches I’d like to add but since I needed it ready for the pajama party I hosted for my birthday (more on that later), I decided to share it as is. So without further ado, let’s get started! 

THE BED

I decided in January 2017 that before the end of the year, I would buy myself a new bed so after months of searching, I purchased this amazing velvet royal blue tufted bed that I fell in love with. I already knew I wanted an upholstered bed, and I knew that I wanted it to be in a deep blue color so that helped me narrow down the search. Most of the options I found online were more of a grayish blue which was too dull for my liking so when I saw this one, I knew I had found the one.

Most people prefer neutral tones when shopping for furniture but in true Versicolor fashion, I needed a pop of color while still maintaining the glam factor I was going for. Since blue has been my favorite color for ages, I knew it would be a choice that wouldn’t quickly bore me. Considering the bed is the largest item in the room, it really makes a statement and totally screams glamour. I am completely and utterly obsessed with it and the fact that I put it together myself made me feel like a total girl boss! 🙂

Tip: When shopping online, it is very helpful to view the customer photos posted in the reviews. Upon looking at the manufacturer’s photos, I wasn’t fully convinced that this bed would be the right color until I saw a review where a previous customer posted a photo in natural lighting and I was sold. This tip doesn’t just apply to furniture but when ordering something this large in size, you want to ensure you’re getting exactly what you envisioned in order to avoid the hassle of returning such bulky items.

Also, after you’ve narrowed down the item you want, it helps to do a final google search of the item’s name in order to see what store sells it at the best price. Although I originally found the Inverness Upholstered Platform bed on Wayfair.com, I ended up ordering it from Birch Lane at the last minute and saved an additional $50! If you’re interested in this bed, I highly recommend it. It is available here for less than $500!

THE BEDDING

I did not realize how many different types of bedding existed until I purchased my platform bed. From regular sheets to duvet covers to comforters and quilts, I was starting to be overwhelmed with the array of options available. Since the bed is already pretty bright, I wanted to balance things out with either white or gray bedding so for now, I am using this $39.99 set from Burlington that has extra long sheets that can be tucked on all four sides of the bed frame. An added perk is that it came with 4 pillowcases. I added a gray throw for now but I am looking forward to getting a much more glamorous set in the near future. This decorative pillow from Homegoods ($19.99) is navy and silver and adds the perfect touch of texture to the bed.

Tip: When decorating any space, be sure to pick and stick to a color scheme before you start shopping. That way, you won’t impulsively purchase pieces that don’t go with the theme you have in mind. Having a pinterest board can also help keep your vision organized.

THE CURTAINS

With my brother’s help, I installed double curtain rods on which I added the silver gray curtain in the back and the navy room darkening one in the front. Between Homegoods, Burlington, Marshalls and Target, it is easy to find great curtains and fancy rods for less than $20.

Tip: When hanging curtains, be sure to put them on the rods first in order to determine the preferred height for the brackets. If you don’t do this, you’ll end up drilling unnecessary holes in your walls only to find that they are too high or too low for your liking.

THE ARTWORK

After endless back and forth trying to decide what to add above the bed frame, I fell in love with this painting from Burlington ($25). It is no secret that I love to travel so the gold “She’s going places” writing on there sealed the deal for me. I still think this wall looks bare so I am considering adding two gold items on either side of the painting. What are your thoughts on that? To add or not to add additional gold accents? Take the poll below to cast your vote:

THE DESK

I ordered my desk from Birch Lane as well along with the bed. It is the Edwin writing desk and though I purchased it at just $85, it’s now priced at $95. I originally wanted to exchange it because it did not have any storage space but after careful consideration, I decided to keep it because it is a blank canvas that I can DIY over and over again. For now, I used marble contact paper which doubles as protection for the desk’s surface and also adds an elegant touch as well. The same contact paper was used on my dresser and nightstand as well. In the future, I may consider spraying the legs gold for an even fancier feel.

* Please ignore the empty frames above the desk. I put them up the day before these photos were taken by Brittany Greene Photography and didn’t have time to print photos to put in them. I intend on printing black and white photos for all of them so I will be sure to update this post when that’s done. The gold frames were $1 each from the Dollar Tree and the collage frame was $10 from IKEA.

Tip: It is crucial to give yourself time to find items that you are going to love for a long time. You won’t find everything you want from one trip to the store so keep searching all available options and keep your receipts for exchanges and returns just in case.

THE DESK CHAIR

I literally fell in love with this chair as soon as I saw it. It was atypical, it was white, and had crystal details. When I noticed the gold legs, I just about fell over from excitement. Homegoods just nails it every. single. time! A few days after purchasing it, I went back to the store and found a gray version of the same chair also with gold legs but it looked a bit plastic-ish whereas the white comes off more like a leather finish so I decided to keep the white. It complements the rest of the room decor so well and is also pretty comfortable which is a double win! I plan on adding a throw and maybe even a pillow on it to keep it from getting dirty.

THE NIGHSTAND

Since I already had the 6-drawer white MALM dresser from IKEA (not pictured), I decided to go with the 3-drawer option as a nighstand ($99) because it offers a lot of storage space with its deep drawers. I wanted a nightstand on just one side since my desk is on the other side of the bed. Doing this helped to avoid an overcrowded room considering NY bedrooms are not that spacious. I’m actually in the master bedroom of this apartment and it is still pretty small when compared to large masters that provide enough space for a king sized bed and even a couch but I am not complaining.

The lamp was a perfect find from Homegoods at just $49.99 and the $3 letter E that I spray painted gold was also from Homegoods. The dream sign, the vase and the flower were all $1 from the Dollar tree. The candle is Pure Radiance by Yankee Candle.

Tip: When working with limited space, ensure that each furniture piece provides the maximum amount of storage and also make great use of the vertical space (i.e. the walls).

THE SHELF

This mirrored shelf / coat hanger that doubles as a necklace holder is from Burlington and at just $16.99, it was a steal. I really like how sturdy and pretty it is. It can surprisingly hold a decent amount of weight so I use it to display my perfume bottles and a gold vase also from Burlington. I am planning on removing the necklaces because they’re dated and I don’t wear most of them anymore plus they kind of kill the glam vibe of this corner. The gold switch plates were about $4 each from Home Depot.

THE SHOE SHELF

This is the Billy bookcase from IKEA. If you’ve ever searched for shoe shelves on Youtube or Pinterest, I am certain you’ve seen it before. It is sturdy and extremely affordable ($59) and the shelves are adjustable. It comes with 1 stationary shelf and 4 adjustable shelves but if you’d like to add more, additional ones can be purchased for $10 each. There is also a height extension that can be purchased with this unit if you have super high ceilings and need more space.

For the finishing touches, I need to add a mirror above my dresser, along with a few decorative pieces on the dresser itself, a breakfast tray on the bed and the pictures in the picture frames… I’m also considering floating shelves next to my desk but I’m not sure about that just yet.

At any rate, I hope that you all found this post helpful and are inspired to make your bedroom feel more like a sanctuary. I am looking forward to reading all of your comments so be sure to drop me a line below and let me know which part of the room you liked best, what you would add or remove, or how you would rate it on a scale of 1 to 10! 🙂

Until next time,