We’d like to nominate our bedroom for the award of “Most Often Tweaked.” Over time small changes creep in, and one thing inspires another: removing the top bed rails, adding a ram above the bed, ditching a duvet, or moving horse art around. We’re big believers in trial and error—who gets everything right the first time? This room is more adventurous than most (not everyone’s cup of tea), but it’s our private space, so as long as we love it, that’s what matters. Case in point: our giant dandelion-like chandelier and Señor Ram don’t need universal approval to make the room feel like ours.
Recently my mom surprised me by saying she actually liked the whole room, so maybe we’ll have to get bolder soon. One lesson we keep learning is the permission to make your home feel like you—don’t design for everyone; design for yourself. Your house should feel like a hug when you walk in.
This latest round of tweaks was sparked by finally getting new nightstands. For the past eight months we’d been using low living-room side tables from our previous house. They were about five inches too short for comfortable use from bed and had zero drawers, which made them messy and tempting for a toddler to explore.
Happily, we scored two mid-century nightstands at a yard sale in Delaware for $11 each, and they brought two much-needed improvements: the extra height that makes them easy to use from bed, and actual drawers—glorious drawers. Those features immediately improved bedroom function and inspired a small style reset on that side of the room.
The room is still far from finished—remember our last bedroom evolved over about four years—so there’s more to do: a cabinet to balance the door, a longer and lighter bench at the foot of the bed, perhaps a colorful throw, and a few smaller objects flanking the ram. Progress is steady, though, and that’s part of the fun.
Quick tangent: the nightstands smelled musty. They’re original mid-century pieces and came with a strong old-wood odor. I tried two methods I found while searching for a solution. First, a wipe-down with mild soap and water did nothing. Second, wiping them down inside and out with undiluted vinegar worked wonders. Using a rag, I rubbed the vinegar on all surfaces; it smelled sharp at first (think salty potato chips), but once dry the odor disappeared. The drawers went from hitting you in the face with mustiness to being scent-free. If you have smelly vintage furniture, try a vinegar wipe; it’s an easy DIY refresh.
Back to the styling tweaks: rearranging cushions, rotating pillows, and adjusting proportions made a subtle difference to the visual balance. The new nightstands’ clean mid-century lines inspired us to remove the decorative finials on top of the bed and try something removable and temporary: ribbon. I had a spool of greeny-gold ribbon in my gift closet, so I cut four short pieces and secured them at the post seams with regular scotch tape, turning the taped seam toward the wall so it remained hidden. I also wrapped tape across the top of the posts to make sure the ribbon stayed put. This quick, non-permanent change adds contrast without committing to paint or permanent alteration.
Another practical change: raising the art above the bedside area now that the nightstands are taller. We experimented with several positions and chose the one that created a pleasing triangle with the chandelier, making the ram feel like the anchor of the composition. We also replaced the older lampshades with new wider shades that refreshed the bedside lighting and silhouette without changing the lamp bases.
We also finally put the Ikea duvet we’d been eyeing onto the bed. It lives up to the hype: it seems to stay clean even with a baby and a dog, it’s comfortable like a cloud, and its calm look lets other elements—Alaska berry prints, horse art, my paint chip piece, a big mirror, and the chandelier—be the focal points. That said, I’m still tempted by a pop of color at the foot of the bed—either a bright throw or a longer upholstered bench—to add contrast and depth. A moody ceiling color is on the idea board too. There are so many possibilities for finishing touches.
We expect many more tweaks over the coming years as the room continues to evolve, and that’s exciting to me. If you’ve made recent updates to your bedroom—big or small—share them. I’d love to hear about functional changes, vintage furniture finds, or simple styling tricks. Keep it tidy though—my mom might be reading and admiring Señor Ram.