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Summer is all about easy, breezy living. But what if your bedroom is more dark and heavy than light and airy? According to designers, there are a few decorating choices that are likely causing your bedroom to be a less than serene escape. “The bedroom should feel like an exhale,” says designer Lonni Paul. “Anything that interrupts that sense of calm is worth reconsidering.”
Fortunately, even the biggest mistakes are fixable. To help, we asked a few designers to share the items they never, ever bring into a bedroom—and suggest you shouldn’t either. Their tips range from cutting the cord to ditching heavy, unnecessary layers. Regardless of which “don’ts” capture your attention, you’re just a few tweaks away from your most stylish—and dreamy—sleep yet.
Too Many Pillows
While a bed that’s covered in quilts, throw blankets, and a smattering of shams might look like it was plucked out of a five-star hotel, Lonni insists less is more. “A bed layered with too many pillows or competing textures feels fussy instead of inviting,” she says. Instead, Lonni encourages you to focus on restraint. “Beautiful, high-quality linens styled simply will always feel more luxurious,” she says. Oh, and while you’re at it? Please cut down on your number of throw pillows. Though one or two might offer a decorative touch, any more will start to feel fussy.
Heavy Layers
It doesn’t matter how great your air conditioning unit is: Nobody will be reaching for flannel sheets or fleece-lined throw blankets in the middle of a heat wave. So why have them clutter your bedroom?
“Storing bulky bedding and removing anything that feels visually heavy can instantly make a room feel cooler and more restorative,” says Brittany Cooper, founder of Rathell Designs in North Carolina. “The best summer refresh is often less about redecorating and more about creating space to breathe.”
Brittany tells her clients to give their bedrooms a seasonal edit—just like you would with a closet. Come summer, it’s time to trade in those thicker layers for lightweight, breathable fibers like linen or cotton.
TVs and Other Screens
We love a movie marathon as much as the next homebody, but that doesn’t mean you need to have a television in your bedroom. “There is no reason anymore to have unsightly TV screens taking up valuable wall space,” says South Carolina designer Michael Mitchell. “Especially in a sanctuary like a bedroom.” Not only can a screen stick out like a sore thumb, but televisions are also known to emit blue light that can wreak havoc on your circadian rhythm. In its place, hang a large piece of art or tapestry.
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Cookie-Cutter Furniture Sets
Just because it’s easy to buy—or you’ve inherited—a matching bed frame, nightstand, and dresser (often referred to as a bedroom suite) doesn’t mean you should go that route. After seeing far too many cookie-cutter arrangements—which evoke the starkness of a big-box retailer—designer Heidi Houdek says it’s time to embrace mix-and-match furniture for your bedroom. So go ahead and break up that set. “It adds character and creates a more unique, collected feel,” she says. “People are often hesitant to mix pieces because they’re not sure what works together, but that’s actually where a space starts to feel more layered and interesting.”
Her secret to getting the look right? Create a through-line with tone. She says different wood species can look harmonious if they have a similar warmth or coolness.
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Hodgepodge Bedding
One place where too much mixing doesn’t work? Your bedding. “If your bedroom feels slightly off, mismatched bedding is often the culprit,” says Nashville designer Elizabeth Burch. “Competing tones, textures, and patterns can make the space feel unfinished.” Now, don’t worry, this doesn’t mean you can’t mix patterns on your bed, but you just need to be thoughtful with your choices. For a polished-yet-personable setup, fine-tune your color palette. In the bedroom above, Elizabeth used multicolored floral throw pillows as inspiration and chose the other layers to coordinate.
Bulky Furniture
Just because your great-aunt passed down her dark mahogany, ornate Victorian armoire to you, doesn’t mean you have to use it. “A bedroom should feel like a visual exhale, so don’t discount its negative space. Visual weight matters as much as physical scale,” says Lonni. “Pieces that feel too bulky can disrupt flow.”
North Dakota–based designer Alexa Kingery agrees and is taking a break from “the heaviness of all-wood everything.” “Wooden nightstands, a wooden dresser, a wooden bed frame,” she quips. “The list could go on.” While you could trade in that wooden dresser for a slim metal one with plenty of negative space, Alexa’s eager to swap out her bulky wooden bed frame for a billowy, slip-covered alternative.
Nightstand Clutter
Speaking of clutter, Lonni also wants you to clear off your surfaces. “Luxury is often about what you don’t see,” she says. “Edit nightstands down to a few intentional objects. Negative space creates that sense of calm.”
