Skip to main content

How to mix and match bedroom furniture so your room looks curated and not messy

Mixing and matching furniture brings interest and character to any room

Creating a cohesive design is more than purchasing matching bedroom furniture in the same colors, patterns, and materials. Though many manufacturers sell furniture and decor in matching sets, creating an exciting and interesting room means mixing and matching your furniture to give the space more of your unique personality.

Incorporating different styles and textures into a space can be tricky and not always easy for some. A few perfectly chosen pieces can turn your chaotic room into a calming retreat.

Difficulty

Moderate

What You Need

  • Bedroom furniture

  • Bedroom decor

The key is putting together the right pieces, colors, and textures to look effortless and cohesive. You can bring in hints of character to arrange a bedroom that looks interesting and not something you'd see in a furniture store showroom floor. As you redecorate your space, keep these few tips in mind.

Bedroom with indoor plants and lots of sunlight
Image used with permission by copyright holder

How to mix and match bedroom furniture

Step 1: Start with an anchor piece.

Find one central piece of furniture you love, like a headboard or ornate dresser, and incorporate it into your overall design. Determine what you love most about the piece — is it the color, industrial lines, or farmhouse look? Bring these aspects to life and feature them throughout the space.

Highlight the brass knobs of your antique dresser by choosing bronze overhead lamps or lighting fixtures. If your centerpiece has accent colors, choose complementary colors in the rest of the room for a fun, contrasting look. Since the bed is often the largest and most customizable piece in the bedroom, this furnishing is the most natural centerpiece. Here, you can go bold with the bedding and buy (or DIY) an attention-grabbing headboard.

By drawing inspiration from this single piece, you make sure every other aspect of the room shares the same source of inspiration, even if they don’t match each other exactly.

Step 2: Don’t be afraid to match styles.

You can mix and match styles, including a midcentury modern dresser right next to farmhouse-inspired bedside tables. The key is finding something about them that is similar (like the color, material, or hardware) and building off of that likeness.

For instance, at first glance, this dresser from Article and this two-drawer nightstand from Wayfair don’t look like they were designed for the same space. One has geometric features and contemporary brass legs, while the other is a retro piece with a rustic grain pattern. However, because the wood tones are similar, they can work together to add an eclectic vibe to the room.

Step 3: Play up one design feature.

Another tip to mixing and matching furniture is to find one element that all pieces have, like curved edges or brass hardware. That way, even if you’re choosing items that differ in their material, color, or style, there is still a theme that runs through the entire space.

It can be as simple as finding one grain of wood that you like and making sure that color is represented in other items like floor mirrors, benches, shelves, or armchairs.

Green bedroom with headboard
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 4: Use textures.

More so than in the rest of the home, adding texture to the bedroom is crucial. It’s the difference between an ordinary bedroom and a true personal oasis. Bring in bedding that is light and airy and mix it with faux fur throws. Find colorful pillows and balance them against a herringbone side chair. If you have a lot of heavier blankets and materials, add some lightness with airy bedroom curtains.

While it’s tempting to make everything in the room ultra-plush and cozy, you may end up with a bedroom that feels unfocused or one-note. By pairing soft throw pillows and Egyptian cotton with harder materials like wicker, brass, or hardwood, you can better highlight your comfy statement pieces.

Boho-inspired bedroom
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The key to pulling off a unique, eclectic bedroom is to coordinate, not match. Instead of designing around a color, do so according to a palette, mixing trendy colors like jade green, slate blue, and gold to create a cohesive and interesting space. Mix up the furniture as well, pairing more contemporary pieces with rustic accents or placing a minimalist side table atop an ornate rug.

As long as you infuse your point of view into the space, you can’t go wrong. Invest in pieces that speak to your overall design preferences and choose accents (like throw pillows, side tables, or lighting fixtures) with similar details, materials, or colors. Redesigning your room should be fun, but in order to do it successfully, you have to plan ahead. A little thoughtful design goes a long way in decorating a room that’s exciting, aesthetically pleasing, and 100 percent your own.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Julie Scagell
I am a freelance writer based in Minneapolis, MN. My passions include my dogs, talking about my dogs, and taking pictures of…
How to decorate your front yard for fall on a budget
Welcome fall to the neighborhood on the cheap
Fall pumpkin decor and flowers on stairs

Redecorating every fall season is a fun way to add a little excitement to your home and put everyone in the mood for autumn. But buying new fall yard decorations every time can get expensive. If you're running out of decor options and don't want to break the bank by adding new pieces, you can still create an ode to the season with a few DIY decorating projects that don't cost a fortune.

And fall DIY decorating is also a way to show off your personality. From finding the best deals on all things fall (think pumpkins, corn, hay bales) to repurposing previous decorative pieces, here are our easiest ways to bring in the fall season on a budget.

Read more
10 amazing fall living room decor ideas that will elevate your design
Invite autumn into your home with these fall living room decor ideas
Fall mantel

Fall is here, and that means it's time to decorate your living room in preparation for autumn's festivities.  Whether you purchase your trendy fall decor prearranged or prefer to go the DIY fall decor route, you can bring the cool sweater season to life in your living room this year. Get ready for fall colors, trendy pumpkins, and autumn decor that will inspire.

These 10 fall living room decor ideas will help you reimagine your living space, filling it with seasonal favorites and personal touches. These ideas not only look great, but they'll also inspire all who enter your home to get theirs ready for all things fall.

Read more
Time for a new bedroom accent color? These are our 4 favorites for fall
You will love these bedroom accent wall colors that are perfect for fall moods
Couple posing with paint rollers in front of painted white wall

Fall is well on its way, and if you're anything like us, you're already planning all your home remodeling projects for the season. Many remodeling projects focus on the public-facing areas of your house — updating appliances, decor, and furnishings to better cater care to your guests. But it's always a great idea to use a fraction of your renovation budget on yourself. If you're looking to redecorate one or many rooms, consider transforming the bedrooms with a new coat of paint. Your bedroom is meant to be an escape from the day — a place to rest, recharge, and get some much-needed peace from the outside world. Make it your own with one of our favorite bedroom accent wall colors.

There are some inviting and fun colors that are on-trend for the cozy, cool season, and these hues are sure to revamp the space, whether you paint the whole room or just a single accent wall. These accent colors for your bedroom are bold but versatile, so they can work with most decor as long as you know what you're doing.

Read more