Modern Bedroom Decorating Ideas

Design Around Your Art

The foremost decision you will need to make to transform your bedroom into a modern masterpiece is what piece of art, color or furniture would you like to call attention to? If you have a large, magnificent black and white painting, then everything else in your bedroom should be mostly white with minor black accents, so that nothing will distract from that painting.

If red is your favorite color and you want that to take center stage, then you may want to choose all white or all slate for your furniture and bedding with a few spare accents of red, like a deep red area rug on the floor, or red armchair, or red ceiling. The bold use of color in a spare background will update your bedroom in a beautiful and memorable way.

Or you could choose a striking, artful piece of furniture as your basis of design. For instance, perhaps you’ve fallen in love with a magnificent, large, blue chandelier. Hang that in the center of the living space beyond your bed and dress your bedroom in neutral tones with spare blue accents, perhaps a blue pillow or a blue lamp.

The Bed Take a Back Seat

Unlike other design styles, the bed in a modern boudoir tends to be understated and simplified. The most popular example is a platform bed that is very low to the ground. This look is inspired by traditional Japanese design, where the bed appears to be a humble resting place with emphasized sharp angles.

Of course, just because the modern bed design requires a rectangle that is low to the ground doesn’t rule out variety. Since the shape is so specific, consider personalizing your bed with your choice of materials. Consider a platform bed that appears to be made from logs, or granite, or slate, or some other unusual material. Using a startlingly unique substance or material for the set shape of a rectangle can be a bold and beautiful design choice.

Form and Function

A hallmark of modern design is multi-tasking. The bed can also have drawers underneath to double as a storage piece. A floor-to-ceiling mirror could be covering a closet that is accessed when the mirror is swung open. The more creative you are in combining a beautiful element of your room with one or more uses the more modern your bedroom will be.

Let the Outside World In

The modern bedroom challenges the notion that your center of relaxation should be tucked away and shielded from the outside world. Instead, there is a desire to connect the bedroom with your home’s natural surroundings. If your bedroom is adjacent to a garden or forest, consider adding windows of a modern design, meaning either very large to the point of replacing entire walls, or very long above and behind the bed to let in natural light. If you live in an apartment complex, or in a more heavily populated area, consider creating your own natural environment by selecting wallpaper that recreates a forest along your walls, or bringing an actual tree into your bedroom for decoration.

The Importance of Lighting

The choice of lighting fixtures makes all the difference in modern design. Consider your lamps to be your final artistic touches. A traditional lampshade would be a disaster in the modern bedroom. For the modern look, you will want to choose either an industrial design, an art piece, or recessed lighting. For industrial design, select metallic, long light stands perhaps with a fun twist in the design. There are many choices at Ikea for this style. For an artistic choice, consider a chandelier, unusually-shaped lampshades, or large bulbous lantern designs. For recessed lighting make sure that the light will be pointed in strategic places, like toward your main art piece or toward the bed.

When in Doubt, Think Horizontally

If you are unsure if the item you are considering in a store or online gallery is modern in design, consider this rule of thumb. Select rectangular designs that emphasize horizontal lines. A simple bedroom with neutral colors and clean lines will embody the look of modern design just as effectively as the more creative choices.