What to do with this room (pics)

[bedroomnc]

Have name changed incase my sister recognises my house!

I hate my bedroom so much. Moved in 2 years ago but it was the last thing on our list and only just getting around to it.

Does anyone have any ideas? I don't know what to do with it!

I fancy either a neutral or relaxing colour. I like Egyptian cotton, or another oaty off white. Also thinking a light bluey green might be nice? I don't know. The carpets not changing so it has to match.

Any ideas on furniture layout?
Think a bed is supposed to go in the alcove but I don't want my head near the door and not keen on facing out toward the window either so think we'll keep a wardrobe in there.

We will be getting all new furniture as what we have is clearly mismatched/broken.

Can't wait to get rid of the grey!

Here's 2 more. Ignore DP's pile of god knows what

Where are you OP? Would you consider hiring an interior designer (maybe at fixed cost)?

One tip I got from the Sophie Robinson design course was to paint up and over the picture rail, to make the room seem taller. I'm in a bungalow and the ceilings seem really low because they've only painted up to it, I'm still trying to find the paint in the shed!

I'm on a fb page for Frenchchic paint, have a look and search for bedrooms. As you are keeping the carpet you might like Dusky blush, a pinkish colour? Or hornblower, a navy?

I’d get a bigger wardrobe, or ideally get one built to fit the alcove. And I’d use the same colour for the whole wall. Maybe a bigger headboard, or a large picture hung above the bed, or both. I’d go for the blue-green (a muted, dusky shade) as it’d go better with the carpet.

Forgot to say she also recommends painting the radiator the same colour as the walls too :)

I’d also get floor length curtains and a statement light fitting.

It's very square with very straight lines to everything. If you want it relaxing try to add some softer look like having different textures on the bed, longer curtains, round handles on the drawers etc.

I would definitely rehang the door so it opens against the wall on the right (you’ll need to install a doorstop and may need to move the light switch)

What’s the trailing cable for - do you need to get some extra plug sockets put in near the bed head?

Personally I would put a run of wardrobes where your TV is (I’m a big ikea Pax fan) and then use the alcove for something shallower, like a dressing table or shallow chest. Or even shallow wardrobe - eg Pax also comes in 35 cm deep I think. This will make the room feel wider.

You could put TV in the alcove on the wall on a bracket (or reckon on using a tablet instead).

Decor wise - I would pick a blue or green as those will go with the silver carpet. A beigey colour won’t go. A sagey green could be lovely.

Hard no to an interior designer unfortunately, we just don't have the money. I'm a student midwife, we don't get paid! Good job we've got mumsnet interior designers for free!

Fab advice about the picture rail, I never really knew what to do best with them. Same with the radiator.

Love the idea of a bigger and taller head board also.

We'll be swapping the blinds out soon for Venetians, just got a quote for those.

Not keen on a dusky pink with the grey carpet, I feel like I'm trying to get away from that look. We have some nice blues through the rest of the house so a muted greeney blue would flow well I think.

Would love a fitted wardrobe to fit the alcove but again we won't really have the money I don't think. We do know a carpenter though so wouldn't hurt to get a quote, you never know.

Also, thanks so much! Getting some really good ideas

@minipie

I would definitely rehang the door so it opens against the wall on the right (you’ll need to install a doorstop and may need to move the light switch)

What’s the trailing cable for - do you need to get some extra plug sockets put in near the bed head?

Personally I would put a run of wardrobes where your TV is (I’m a big ikea Pax fan) and then use the alcove for something shallower, like a dressing table or shallow chest. Or even shallow wardrobe - eg Pax also comes in 35 cm deep I think. This will make the room feel wider.

You could put TV in the alcove on the wall on a bracket (or reckon on using a tablet instead).

Decor wise - I would pick a blue or green as those will go with the silver carpet. A beigey colour won’t go. A sagey green could be lovely.

Love the bed in that picture!

The whole electric situation in this room is ridiculous. There only 2 plugs and they're in really inconvenient places.

Same with the doors, at some point in time someone must have decided to put all the doors in the wrong way and all the light switches on the wrong side!

We'll look into it. We're trying to do this on a budget so we might have to just live with it.

We'll be here another 2-3 years max until we sell and move elsewhere so it doesn't have to be 100% perfect.

Always paint up to ceiling! And get rid of the blinds. Just those two things will make a huge difference

Definitely lose the office blinds.

My no1 tip to add more interest to a bedroom is to put a big rug under the bed. All of your walls and floor are grey so it's all blending in! Do that and get a throw for the bed that matches a key colour in the rug and it will zing.

I personally disagree with painting above the dado rail.

I do agree with getting a more statementy headboard and getting a wardrobe that fits the alcove better. You can get a bargain on Facebook marketplace or gumtree and paint it with that Frenchic paint in a bold colour it would look amazing - I did this with a really old fashioned pine triple wardrobe and I wallpapered the inside, it looked fantastic.

Try apartmenttherapy for inspiration - it's very American but will spark ideas.

You can cheaply fit a new ceiling light that will make a huge difference. But a nice ceiling rose, cable in duck egg green colour, an led bulb and a nice rattan shade.

Pictures. Makes a huge difference. The art society in each town is usually a good way to get inexpensive originals. But failing that framed prints or nice photographs.

I'd put in some coving and paint the same colour up to the ceiling.

We started by finding some bedding we liked and choosing the decor to go with that.

I think your curtain pole needs to go a few centimetres higher, and add some tie backs.

Ah ok, if you’re only here 2-3 years and budget is tight it may not be worth the electrical work.

If there aren’t sockets near the bed and you can’t get more put in, there are lots of USB rechargeable lamps around these days. So you could use those to avoid having a trailing wire.

If you have time and a few bits of kit (staple gun especially) it’s quite easy to make your own headboard. (Not a buttoned one though). Lots of how to videos online. Or you could stencil one onto the wall or even use a wall hanging as a statement headboard.

H&M and La Redoute are good for cheap but stylish bedlinen, throws, cushions etc.

Again, I would really recommend putting wardrobes where the TV is, especially if you are not rehanging the door. That way the wardrobes will be hidden as you come into the room and the whole room will feel more spacious - rather than having a bulky wardrobe sticking out of the alcove very visible as you walk in. Also you’ll have far more wardrobe space this way. Pax can have internal drawers so you don’t need a separate chest of drawers.

Might be worth looking for an ottoman storage bed as you have stuff stored under the bed. Or a bed on legs which can fit underbed boxes/roll outs underneath.

Pictures will make a big difference. My budget strategy is to buy calendars of arty interesting pictures and frame them in IKEA square frames. A set of 3 in a row can look great and give a bit of colour and life to a room.

Also floor to ceiling curtains and a colourful duvet cover.

Thanks all!