Day after day of rain and wild wind is no fun. In fact, staring at the same four walls as you wait for the weather to clear is a recipe for the blues. But instead of letting winter wear you down, why not use your enforced hours indoors to refresh the one room in the house you spend more time in than any other? We’re talking about your bedroom! On average, we spend a third of our lives in bed, so doesn’t it make sense to have your sleeping space looking exactly as you’d like it to? Making the changes can be 100% DIY, and it needn’t cost the earth – so let’s get started!
Mix it up
Rearranging furniture can be as good as a holiday, so grab a helping hand, and move what you already have in the house, to your heart’s content. Nab the book case from the living room, and pop it at the end of your bed. Grab the wooden ladder from the garage, and lean it against your bedroom wall to use as a hanger for clothing. Whip the china cabinet out from the hallway, and use it to hold your boots, shoes, and hats. Hang a kitchen chair from your bedroom wall, and use the seat for a shelf! Requisition every mirror you can find in the house, and hang them all on one wall of your bedroom.
Paint it out
Make your bedroom feel much larger than it is by ‘painting out’ furniture. This simple trick involves painting bedroom furniture the same colour as walls and bed linens. The furniture simply ‘disappears’ into the background, especially when your curtains match, as well. From there on in, you can add colour spots in different ways: by the addition of a pretty display cushion or two, a throw on the end of the bed, or a bright polyanthus or group of flowering bulbs placed in a glass bowl (tuck spagnum moss in around the pots to disguise them).
Tray display
The joy of a bedroom makeover, is nothing has to stay the same forever. So don’t hold back with what you use to decorate the space. Pick up a few trays from your local op-shop. If their surfaces are past their best, paint them or line them with a pretty cloth. Add random, but colour coordinated, items such as candles in glass jars, ornaments, a vintage cup, saucer and plate, a teapot, coloured glass bottles – the sky’s the limit. Place your display on a bedside table or dresser. When you tire of it, rearrange it or replace the items with other finds.
Light it up!
Nothing brings atmosphere to a bedroom more than twinkling LED lights. Pick up a few strings for next to nothing from dollar shops or thrift stores. Choose some on strings of soft wire, and if safe to do so, wind them around your bed ends. With the flick of a switch, you’ll have transformed your bedroom into a wonderland. Achieve a similar effect by placing battery operated tealight candles inside vases of coloured glass, and popping them onto your window sill or in a row or group on your dresser.
Featuring…
Painting or decorating an entire bedroom can be hard work, but a dramatic and pleasing change can be achieved by tackling just one wall. Paint it in a colour you love, then hang matching fabric in swags to frame your bed end. The effect can be theatrical, especially when you dress your bed in a duvet and pillow cases to match.
Easy-as art
Art that pleases isn’t always costly. In fact, some of the most appealing pieces come in the form of a poster, or even an arty sheet of wrapping paper (check out museum and art gallery gift shops for these stunning prints). Instead of paying for expensive framing for these lovely art works, purchase an inexpensive piece of hard board, cut it to size, and use PVA glue to stick the poster or sheet of wrapping paper onto it. Glue a picture hanger to the back, and you have a stunning artwork for your bedroom wall.
Making changes to your most lived-in room is well worth the effort. It will lighten up your indoor days, and wash away the winter blues!