The Cure for Houzz Envy: Master Bedroom Touches Anyone Can Do

Ah, some of the luxury master suites on Houzz … they have fireplaces, they have TVs that disappear into trunks, they have bathrooms that are bigger than the first floor of my house. Here’s the thing: I don’t envy the massive square footage; I don’t need a TV or a fireplace in my bedroom; heck, I’m really only in there at night, so I’m not even that envious of ocean views. I like to nestle into a cozy smaller room. No, what gives me envy is the calmness, the serenity, the pretty touches and the lack of clutter in the most beautiful master bedrooms on Houzz. Achieving this relaxing vibe may take some extra work, but it doesn’t take much money. When it comes to the master bedroom, Houzz envy is extra easy to cure. Let’s get started.

Treat your bedroom like the sanctuary it is. This is where you relax and recharge your batteries. So think about the basics that will help you achieve that goal — being able to get in and out of bed without trouble and change the sheets with ease, ample reading light, a clear path to the bathroom, something soft underfoot, window coverings that block out the light and a calm, uncluttered space.


Give yourself something soft to step onto when you get out of bed. An inexpensive 2- by 3-foot faux sheepskin from Ikea will do the trick; it’s a nice feeling to step onto something luxurious.


Wallpaper the wall behind your headboard. This one will cost you but will give you the most dramatic change for your dollars.


Skirt a table. Lack of clutter is the key to a calm bedroom. If you have a stack of things you must keep around, conceal them with a table skirt.


Have sufficient reading light. Prop yourself up the way you like to read in bed at night and flick on that light. If it’s too high, too low, too dim or too bright, make adjustments. Swap it with other lamps from around the house, or if you’re short on space, mount reading sconces on the wall (shown here are Boston Functional 2-Arm Library Lights by Visual Comfort).


Find a color palette that soothes you. I tend toward neutrals and soft blues for bedrooms, however …


… if you prefer brighter, bolder colors, use whatever makes you happy.


Switch up your bedding by adding a throw pillow or two. Even just one patterned pillow can change the entire look of your bed. Swap in pillows from other rooms. You can even have your regular pillows function more as shams; find some cases you’d like to keep out on display (a plain color will work well) and stack them flat and neatly in pairs.


Keep the bed simple with just a few pillows. Here we have two matching patterned Euros and one throw pillow; it’s a very pleasing combination that has a little punch but remains calming.


Clear out stuff stashed underneath your bed. It collects dust bunnies and can even affect your sleep. Lying atop a bunch of memorabilia is not good feng shui.


Create a new headboard. Use wallpaper, that serape you picked up on spring break, a kilim, salvaged shutters … there are loads of ideas for creating low-cost headboards on Houzz.


Create some inexpensive art for blank walls. A framed scarf or a pretty sample yard of fabric stretched over a canvas makes a good wall hanging.

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Don’t feel bad about your bedroom ceiling fan. Some design shows make a ceiling fan seem like a no-no. Those of us who live in the South know that’s crazy — a fan helps cool a room down and keep that air circulating. What’s a no-no is not dusting it on a regular basis.


Bring in a comfortable chair. It’s great for reading, pulling on your shoes and laying out your clothes the night before, and it can pull in the right amount of a color or a print.


Make sure any desk is neat and orderly. You don’t want stacks of papers, printers, cords and other messy things that stress you out clunking up your bedroom. If having those things in there is a must, use cabinets, a room screen or a skirt around the desk to keep them out of view when your work is done for the night.


Play around with things at the end of the bed. At different times the foot of my bed has enjoyed a Scandinavian bench (that I now use as my coffee table), a pair of poufs (that have also served as a coffee table and extra seating in my living room), two patent leather ottomans and an antique settee from my grandmother’s farm that I had reupholstered. It’s fine to keep furnishings constantly in flux; even your porch’s wicker furniture can serve you well at the end of the bed.


Use dressers as nightstands. If you’re short on space and storage, this will kill two birds with one stone.


Keep geometry in mind. The octagonal print on the floor grounds the room with order; the grid displays the collection of botanicals in a pleasing way.

Tell us: What have you done to make your bedroom serene? Please share with us in the Comments section.

More cures for Houzz envy: Kitchen | Dining room | Guest room | Living room | Entryway | Bathroom | Closet | Mudroom | Home office | Laundry room| Family room

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