Ideally, your bedroom will not only allow you to enjoy an excellent night’s rest, but will also provide a sanctuary for relaxing during waking hours. Whether you prefer bedroom furniture in traditional, rustic or contemporary styles, there are certain considerations that can help turn any room into a bedroom retreat.

Bedroom Furniture Basics

There are certain essentials that every bedroom must include. The bed is the most obvious piece, but you’ll also need storage pieces and accent pieces for the most functional bedroom. Once these elements are in place, then you will be able to assess whether additional furnishings are desirable, and can be accommodated.

The easiest way to purchase all of the necessary pieces for a bedroom is through the selection of a bedroom package or set. Bedroom packages are typically available in twin, full, queen and king sizes. Whether you are moving into a new home or are replacing your old bedroom furniture, a bedroom set will give you easy cohesion with matching pieces. You can shop a wide range of collections that represent casual, contemporary, traditional and transitional styles, with varied furnishings including popular styles such as traditional sleigh beds, modern platform beds and many other popular models to suit varied tastes. Within these style genres, there’s also a wide selection of color options available, including deep espresso, rich mahogany, white, gray, light birch, black bedroom furniture and more.

If you are only looking to upgrade a single piece or two of bedroom furniture, or if you just prefer a look that’s complementary but not matching, you may choose to select individual bedroom furnishings and accents instead of a set. By sticking with the same styles, colors or other design elements, you can find the right mix of cohesion and visual interest for your bedroom.

Of course, it’s not only style that should be taken into consideration when purchasing bedroom furniture. It’s also crucial to invest in pieces that will meet your durability and performance expectations. Signs of excellent craftsmanship in bedroom sets and other bedroom furniture include solid and engineered hardwood construction, matching dressers and nightstands that are constructed with French and English dovetail joinery, full extension drawer glides and sturdy hardware.

Bedroom Furniture Pieces

Whether you purchase a set or acquire individual pieces, here are the must-have items for any bedroom:

1. Bed – The first step to transforming your primary bedroom into a relaxing retreat is choosing your perfect bed. As the focal point of your bedroom, your bed sets the tone for the overall look and feel. From rustic to traditional, modern, transitional and mission style, there’s a seemingly limitless assortment of beds that will fulfill your must-have requirements.

2. Dressers and Mirrors – Bedroom dressers and mirrors not only serve utilitarian purposes, they are key players that help complete the overall design of a room. The large selection of dressers and mirrors includes traditional, transitional, contemporary and casual designs that will complement your style perfectly. When shopping, you have the option of buying a matching dresser, mirror set or mixing and matching to create your unique design.

3. Chests and Armoires – While dressers are typically wide and short, chests and armoires are narrow and tall. These handy pieces can be purchased in addition to a dresser for additional clothing and accessory storage needs. Like dressers, you’ll find many styles from traditional, transitional, rustic and contemporary designs. If you’ll have both in a bedroom, you can choose a chest of drawers to match your dresser, or a complementary design to bring some variety into your space. Other people, especially those with small bedrooms, may opt for a chest of drawers instead of a dresser, since these vertical storage units take up less floor space than a dresser.

4. Nightstands – Nightstands are one of the most useful pieces of furniture in the bedroom. They should be conveniently located within arm’s reach when lying in bed, using a pair of nightstands on either side for queen and king beds. Nightstands can hold items that you like to have close during the night: phone, glasses, books, a water bottle and more. They hold your reading material, smartphone, glasses and other personal items. Nightstands should also have a lamp, and may contain a decorative item or two, although more is less when it comes to decorating your bedroom and maintaining an uncluttered look. In addition to their convenience, nightstands themselves add a decorative touch to your room.

Here are some additional furniture considerations that may best suit specific requirements and design preferences.

• Storage beds feature drawers under the bed, either at one or both of the sides and/or the foot of the bed. Storage beds are especially ideal for small bedrooms, as they can provide as much storage space as a dresser, without taking up any extra room on your floor.
• Upholstered beds can bring an extra sumptuous style to your bedroom. Consider a soft upgrade to your bed, available in a range of colors and styles. Choose from tufting, pleating, nailhead accents and more to get just the look you want.
• Headboards can be purchased separately and attached to any standard size bed to give your room an instant facelift at a more affordable price point.
• Storage ottomans are often placed at the foot of a bed, offering a relaxing place to sit, as well as storage for extra bedding and accessories.
• Accent chairs can be added to a corner of your room to create a relaxing reading nook.
• Bedding including sheets, comforters and duvets, throw blankets and accent pillows can also make a major style statement and add to your comfort, with a relatively low investment.
• Lamps are critical for function and they can create a fun fashion statement in themselves.
• Entertainment - Before you fill the bedroom with furniture, you need to determine whether you will need furniture to house a TV or other electronics. Entertainment cabinets and media consoles are available to complement any style of furniture these days. An extra cozy idea for a bedroom is a media console with an electric fireplace for added warmth and ambiance.
• Desk - Keeping a cluttered desk in your bedroom is not conducive to getting a good night’s sleep. If you want or need a work space in your bedroom, you may want to consider getting an armoire with a drop down desk, so everything can be hidden from sight when you are ready to sleep at night.

Bedroom Design Tips

Your bedroom should be a place to retreat at the end of the day. It should promote rest and relaxation. It should be functional and comfortable. It should NOT be cluttered or disorganized. Now that you have all the main pieces of furniture for your room, it’s important to organize a functional layout. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind when designing your dream bedroom.

• Comfort – One of the top priorities of a bedroom should be comfort. While a mattress is perhaps the biggest factor here, the furnishings themselves can also contribute to the overall comfort of the space. For instance, an upholstered headboard is a cozy and soft addition to the space.
• Size - It’s always best to try and avoid overcrowding in your bedroom. That will make navigating your daily routines problematic, and could result in the room feeling more claustrophobic than cozy. If your room is on the small side, you may want to consider smaller scale bedroom furniture or pieces that serve more than one purpose, like a storage bed.
• Storage - Take a close look at the amount of closet space available in your bedroom and realistically evaluate whether it will be sufficient to hold your clothes and accessories neatly. If you need further storage, then there are many attractive solutions available. Chests of drawers, armoires, bedside tables with cabinets and even storage ottomans or bed styles with drawers are excellent options.
• Placement - One of the most important decisions you can make in your bedroom is the placement of your bed. Typically, beds are placed opposite a window. Looking at a lovely view as soon as you wake up makes a great start to the day. If you don’t have a great view, a fabulous window treatment goes a long way in making up for it.

Once you have bedroom furniture picked out and have figured out how it best fits within your room, it’s time for finishing touches. Wall art should reflect your personal tastes, from beautiful landscapes to modern art. Don’t forget to layer in different textures, from soft cozy throw blankets to a few metallic pieces here and there. Finally, live or faux plants add a little life and color to your space, and they are the perfect finishing touch for your bedroom oasis.