First, let’s rewind to this post, where I wrote, “As for if the bed can move, the floor plan of this room is a definite challenge thanks to ‘things’ on each wall (two very off-centered windows, a nook across from the door, and a nook with the sink tucked into it on another wall – and a chandelier in the exact center that looks off if the bed isn’t in the right place). So we’ve tried the bed in a bunch of spots, but the place that works best for us is where it lives now (it’s the only long flat wall in our entire room).”
After seeing a few glossy magazine photos for inspiration, we decided to try placing the bed next to a window. Moving the bed offered one major benefit: it let us use larger bedside tables. In the bed’s former spot, the door would swing open and collide with anything bigger than the tiny tables we had, so we’d been stuck with undersized pieces that didn’t suit the room.
We weren’t completely sure how we’d handle the awkward nook to the right of the bed or the window that would nearly touch the mattress on the left, but decided to give it a try. Before shifting anything, we bought new curtains from Ikea — Vivan panels that come two per pack for $9.99. They’re breezy and light, not too heavy or sheer, which helps soften the room since we have a large dark rug on the floor and hope to stain the wood floors a dark mocha color someday.
The new panels layered in nicely and added a touch of softness. I plan to reuse the old green curtains I made in the playroom eventually. I haven’t hemmed the new curtains yet, but that’s on the to-do list.
Next came the heavy lifting. We removed our extremely heavy organic mattress (seriously, it felt like lifting dozens of lifeless bodies — an exaggeration, but you get the picture) and slowly shifted the bed to its new position across from the doorway. This repositioning gives you room to walk at least ten steps into the room before reaching the bed, instead of crashing into it after only a few in the old layout.
We moved the rug into place under the bed, wrestled the mattress back on, and for a while it still felt strange.
I wanted to rearrange more, but John had to step outside to work on the deck and Clara was napping. So I took matters into my own hands. I carried our dresser into the nook to function as a substantial bedside table and paused to look at the empty space beneath the window on the other side of the bed. Giving up a night table felt risky — we appreciate having two bedside lamps for balance, especially on a wall with an off-center window and an awkward corner — so I searched the house for a solution.
I wandered through the rooms (careful not to disturb the nursery) and realized a cabinet that had been serving in the dining room would work perfectly as the bedside table under the window.
Ironically, that cabinet was originally intended as a bedside table, so my attempt at being unconventional by placing it in the dining room came full circle. I loved how it looked under the window. We’ll decide whether to keep it in the bedroom or swap it back to the dining room later — it might be a placeholder until we find a permanent piece.
Update: People asked whether the chandelier stayed centered over the bed. It does — thankfully. If the nook were an inch wider or if we had a king-sized bed instead of a queen, this arrangement wouldn’t have worked.
I hung the art that used to be above the dresser in the nook and moved an oil-rubbed bronze mirror above the bed — it previously hung in the living room and was replaced there by a white mirror several months ago. The mirror and artwork filled the big blank wall above the bed, but we’re considering building a large upholstered headboard for that space later. If we do, we’ll likely raise the mirror closer to the chandelier’s height to create visual balance and disguise the tight fit between the nook and off-center window.
Burger made a cameo in a stretching photo — that’s literally the only reason I snapped that shot. I liked the mix of a smaller white table on one side and a larger wood dresser on the other, with matching artichoke lamps creating balance. Ideally the white table would be taller so both lamps are the same height; for now I used a stack of books to lift my lamp. We may add casters or modify the table later to bring it up to height.
Moving the art into the nook helped balance the window visually, making the space feel less blank. The two frames create a rectangular counterpoint to the window (it’s more obvious in person than in these photos, where the window looks blown out).
I also moved a leaning mirror to where the wood dresser once sat, which added more visual weight next to the white nightstand and tied the arrangement together. We anchored the mirror to the wall so Clara can’t pull it down; the anchoring system uses cable ties, so it was easy to reinstall at the new location with fresh zip ties.
Another view shows that the botanical frames look odd on the wall without a bed beneath them, so we’ll likely rehang them in the corner across from the sink nook where there’s a chair and side table. The back wall still feels unfinished, and someday it may host a cabinet, console, or a large piece of art — but for now, it’s a work in progress.
By the end of a few hours of rearranging we were tired but pleased. It still looks a little unusual, but much improved for the effort and we have plans to refine it further. We goofed around with the tripod and took a couple of playful shots — Exhibit A of our dorky side — and then pretended to sleep for another photo op.
Later that night we stood in the hallway and admired the new sightline into the room. Previously, approaching the bedroom meant seeing the side of the bed immediately; now there’s a clear view straight into the space and the dresser in the nook makes the entry feel more intentional.
For comparison, here’s an older photo from over a year ago showing the old view into the bedroom, when the bed dominated the sightline:
Now the bed is less visible from the hall, and the nook no longer feels empty. The room looks more finished and balanced, even though a few finishing touches remain.
So that’s where we landed after several hours of bedroom noodling. We ended up doing some more DIY work after these moves, which I’ll share once I upload the photos and write up that update. For now, the room feels like it’s moving in the right direction — not finished, but much closer than before. More soon!