Few spaces in your home can rival the unique appeal of your bedroom — the sanctuary you retreat to for moments of calm and rest. It is perhaps the one room where you feel confident enough to push the boundaries with more daring interior design choices. It's entirely understandable to want your bedroom looking its absolute best. Yet certain decorating pitfalls can make a home appear cheap and tired, and the bedroom is no exception.
With that in mind, interior designers have revealed the key factors that can make a bedroom look cheap and tacky and what you'd be wise to avoid.
Viscose and Polyester Curtains
For those who prefer curtains to blinds in the bedroom, it's worth choosing options that look luxurious while also effectively controlling the light. Saba Kapoor, co-founder of Nivasa, told Livingetc that viscose curtains should be avoided at all costs, as they can make a room look decidedly cheap. The designer said, "This semi-synthetic curtain usually gives a cheap look and feel to the room. If you want your curtains to look light and flowy, go for lace or breezy cotton." Another curtain fabric to steer clear of is polyester. Though cheap on the pocket, this material takes away the sumptuousness from a room and can never give a rich look, however beautiful the design is.
Matching Furniture
While matching furniture sets are intended to bring cohesion to a room, they can sometimes achieve the opposite effect, as noted by Samantha-Jane Agbontaen, an interior designer and founder of House Designer. She said, "In my opinion, matchy-matchy is a tacky move. Furniture, rugs and curtains all from the same collection; it can look like a showroom, not a home. The fix is mixing designs; don't buy everything from one shop."
Faux Gold
Gold touches can bring warmth and a feeling of quality to a room, but they risk appearing tacky, particularly as they deteriorate over time. Samantha-Jane pointed out: "Tacky gold accessories tend to look more yellow rather than polished brass. It is very clear when it is cheap." The designer's "expert tip" is to never mix chrome and brass together. She says to stick to one finish and don't let it be overwhelming.
Metal Blinds
Metal blinds may look okay in some office settings, but "they look sad in a bedroom", where window treatments should be soft and inviting, warned Antoinette Allande Anderson, the founder of Antoinette Allande Interiors. That said, her guidance doesn't suggest you should steer clear of blinds altogether. Rather, she noted that wood blinds are okay because they are natural and have a warm shade, though she maintained that fabric Roman shades or drapes are "ideal".
Beds Without Headboards
According to interior designers at Online Bedrooms, having no headboard is a "big no-no" when it comes to bedroom design, as you'll be left thinking "something is missing" every time you step into the room. They said: "It cheapens the appearance of the bed and looks like little effort has been put into decorating the space." A headboard can act as a striking focal point within a bedroom's décor. For anyone looking for a straightforward way to spruce up their bedroom's look, opting for a headboard could be the ideal solution. On offer in a vast array of materials and styles, the right headboard can provide a stunning backdrop, helping the bed to stand out from the wall in a number of ways.
