Buying Bedroom Furniture to Meet Your Needs: A Quick Guide
Considering that you spend, ideally, at least eight hours a day in your bedroom, it should be the most relaxing room in your home. Buying bedroom furniture that makes you feel calm, relaxed, and ready to sleep should be your goal. While the way that you decorate the room can help create the perfect relaxed mood, how you feel about the size and style of bed, whether you have enough storage space, and how the whole room fits together can help determine if the room works for you on a fundamental level.
Wondering how to choose bedroom furniture that will work best for your needs? These tips can help.
Get the Right Bed Size
Your bed is the focal point of your room, so getting the perfect size is very important. You need to think about several factors when shopping for a bed, including the following:
- How much space do you have in the room?
- Do you already have a mattress or will you buy a new one?
- Do you sleep alone or with another person?
- Do you toss and turn at night?
- Are you taller than average or do you just need some extra space?
- What style of furniture do you prefer?
If you already have a mattress that you plan to keep, much of the decision about bed size has already been made for you: you’ll need to find a frame that fits your mattress. That said, not all beds take up the same amount of space. A robust queen-size canopy bed, for example, will occupy a lot more room than a simple queen platform bed.
In terms of room size, this is most important if you are buying bedroom furniture for a smaller room. You may find that a king bed takes up too much space in the room, limiting you to a full bed or a queen-size with a smaller frame. If you like large, traditional furniture, you may need to stick with a full bed so that the frame doesn’t dominate the room.
The “ideal” size for a bedroom is between 10’ x 12’ and 12’ x 16’; using the smaller end of that range, that means the room is 120 inches by 144 inches. A California king, the largest bed size, is 72” x 80”, which means that the bed alone will take up a significant portion of the room. If the headboard is centered on the smaller wall, you’ll only have about 20 inches on either side and 64 inches (or 5 1/3 feet) between the end of the bed and the far wall.
Most people do choose a king or queen sized bed. A traditional king is 76” x 80”, and queen beds are just 60” x 80”. Need something a little smaller? A full bed is 54” x 75”, and a twin bed is 39” x 75”. Keep in mind that, if you sleep with someone else, a twin bed will be much too small. Many people also find a full bed to be uncomfortable if shared, but others don’t mind the closeness. If you move around a lot at night, are tall, or just need some extra space, you’ll probably prefer a king or queen.
Choose the Right Bed Style
Choosing bedroom furniture in a particular style is important not just because of how much room the bed will take up, but also because it helps define the feeling of the room. What defines a specific style can be complicated, but here are a few general guidelines:
- Casual: Rounded edges, soft surfaces.
- Contemporary: Clean sleek lines, solid colors. Emphasis on basic lines and forms.
- Country: Practical style with handmade quality. Muted colors, wood, florals, checks, and stripes.
- Cottage: Similar to country, but more colorful. Weathered finishes and dainty touches.
- Industrial: Metal and “reclaimed” wood. Often has hard edges and the look of reclaimed materials.
- Mid-century: Minimalist. Low to the ground with rectangular lines. Organic and asymmetrical shapes with little ornamentation.
- Modern: Clean, streamlined lines. Neutral colors and strong geometric shapes.
- Mission (Arts & Crafts): Utilitarian design, including many rectangular forms with vertical slats.
- Old World: Dark woods with carved details.
- Rustic: Wooden furniture with a natural look. Often focuses on the raw materials used.
- Traditional: Symmetrical and often formal. Darker wood finishes, leather. Includes decorative touches like spindles.
- Transitional: Connects traditional and contemporary styles. Cleaner lines than most traditional furniture.
- Vintage: Takes inspiration from furniture from the past 30 – 100 years, focusing on what defined a particular era.
Many modern and mid-century pieces, with their clean lines, take up less room than a traditional bedroom furniture set. This can vary by the specific piece or collection, however, so it’s always a good idea to look at your space carefully. Of course, different people prefer different styles, but many find that casual and traditional furniture gives a feeling of comfort to a bedroom. On the other hand, the cleanness of a modern bed may be preferred for it’s lack of fussy details and elaborate carving.
Adding Other Furniture to the Mix
Of course, buying bedroom furniture means choosing more than just the bed. You may also want to add a nightstand to give you a place for a lamp and an alarm clock, as well as your latest book. A dresser, chest, or armoire can hold clothing and bedding for your room. Again, think about space and flow when choosing bedroom furniture. You want to be able to move around the room easily and not feel suffocated.
No matter what bedroom furniture you decide to add in there, just be sure that you match styles all the way through. This will create a sense of unity to the room, even if all the furniture isn’t from the same collection.
Choosing bedroom furniture can be tough because it’s so important to the way you feel about your room. Pick pieces that make you feel comfortable and peaceful. Add in soft bedding, a few pillows, and curtains that match your furniture style to complete the room. When you make the right choices, you’re well on your way to a relaxation oasis.