When you think about upgrading your bedroom it's easy to go straight to needing a new mattress or large pieces of furniture. Instead, check out these 5 simple upgrades that can be done in an evening on a small budget. They will tide you over until money allows for larger purchases to be made!
1. Install a Dimmer Switch: It's a simple thing but can create mood lighting without having to rely on only bedside lamps. It's a super easy process, check out how to accomplish it (even if you've never done electrical work before) from this recent post Install a Dimmer Switch in 7 Easy Steps.
2. Line Your Drawers: You might be able to put some old wrapping paper to use or possibly pick up new cedar inserts, but either way results in happy drawers for happy mornings. Although the chances of anyone else seeing this improvement are slim, sometimes you have to do things just for you.
3. Add a Carafe: Making your bedroom feel like an upscale hotel can only have positive benefits. Try adding a carafe to your bedside table. The sky is the limit with this item, so make sure you do some digging. Check out these 10 great carafes to get you thinking what will look best in your love nest.
4. Repaint a Piece: Although painting the entire room or even one wall might entail more money than you're looking to spend, try repainting a chair, night stand — or even a few frames around your artwork. It's an easy way to breathe freshness into a space while staying on a smaller scale. Head over and check out this stunning roundup of painted pieces — some serious inspiration for sure!
5. DIY a Headboard: Purchasing a headboard can be a large and expensive decision but making one is a whole new ballgame. Check out this past post for inspiration on different things you might have floating around your own home to make a headboard for free (or cheap)!
Image: Jennifer Wray for Janean & Kyle's Light and Lively Courtyard Apartment
Must-See Small Cool Homes: Week Two
Beth's Romantic & Retro Residence
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Shaw's Original Fir...
How to Bake a Potato: Three Easy Methods
How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop
Mostly unrelated to any of these suggestions, I love that mirror!
We've already done 3 out of 5.. and are already thinking of doing another.
6. Add a cute cat!
I recently made my own headboard out of a long cabinet door from the AS-IS section at Ikea. I bolted it to 2x4's and bolted those to my bed frame. It was a $25 project.
Yay for Janean's bedroom as inspiration!
Maybe it's a bit unrelated, but I just signed up and wanted to share something I found interesting when researching furniture for my new apartment. Maybe you could use it as an idea for an article.
I followed a link to cb2 and came across a shelf that costs almost 120 euros. It has raving reviews, apparently all from people who bought the shelf from this site and paid the price. Everyone seems very proud to have made such an investment, and it's funny, because I am getting this same shelf for 49,90 euros from the furniture store Leiner here in Vienna, Austria.
During my research on different Austrian websites I found similar cases, where the same thing is called a different name and sold for a much higher price which puts it in an entirely different price category. For example, here, where the price difference is 249 vs. 169 euros! And there are many more examples like that, I come across them all the time, since I'm researching for my new apartment on a very limited budget.
Also, in Austria there are furniture stores which are part of one group. Many of the articles they sell are the same, but the more expensive stores sell them for a higher price or label them as special-offer prices, whereas you could get the same thing much cheaper if you would go inside the "cheap junk" store.
Another inexpensive change that can make a big difference is switching out old lampshades. Adding a more modern drum shade can do a lot for an old lamp!
Adding a ceiling fan with a fancy light fixture and pull on it is a great way to spruce up your bedroom too and it's great for sleeping :)
I am love with the mirror! What is the source of this photo so that I can hopefully find out more about the mirror??
Sweet room!
6. Add a cotton rag or cotton woven rug or two to the floor.
7. Add or change a curtain or window shade.
8. Put something nice to look at on the wall.
9. Add a cheap but colorful cover to the top of the bed.
10. Get a lamp for the nighttable that is the right shade size and/or wattage to make reading in bed better for the eyes. 3-way switches on the lamp are nice for different lightings - and you don't have to get out of bed to change it like the dimmer switch on the wall for the ceiling fixture.
adding a dimmer switch can make a big difference. and you can even get one with a remote control so you can turn it down or off from bed!
Hi there
I Love this website! I live in Sydney, Australia and wondered if there was any suggestions for doing 'something' to a wardrobe which is not as deep as the conventional wardrobe. It's depth is only 210mm for one section and I'm struggling to find how to configure it to get use of the space. I can't even put a rail and hang coat hangers on it as it's not deep enough. Anyone have any idea?
Cheers
6) Upgrade your pillows. Inside pillow cases, and even some decorative ones too (I'm thinking of getting a few new decorative ones).
7) Rearrange the furniture.
8) De clutter.
9) If alarm clocks project in different colors, make them match (we switched the ones around in our bedrooms so that both project in green).
The biggest problem that I have with dimmers is that they can't be used effectively with CFLs and other types of bulbs. We substitute this by having a lot of different lamp options. Ceiling lights (there are four recessed lights), a floor lamp that gives a soft morning-like glow, and a few table lamps.
Add a few plants.