Pull It Off: Beds in Front of Windows

A Before & After last weekend held an important lesson: Sometimes just rearranging the existing furniture in your space can drastically affect the look of a room. But if your bedroom is extraordinarily small, you might have limited options on where you place your bed. To place a bed in front of a window and make it look more awesome than awkward, peruse these 12 rooms doing it right for inspiration.

Ideas to remember when you’re thinking about this simple bedroom rearranging tip:

1. Put it under a high window. A no-brainer. If you have a window that’s located higher on the wall, simply place a bed underneath. Avoid a headboard if it just barely obscures the window; go all or none.

2. Use curtains or drapes to frame your bed. With a colorful or strong choice of curtains framing the bed, the window, the curtains and everything in between become one big and bold visual focal point.

3. Place it off center. Have an awkwardly placed window in your space? Draw attention to it as an architectural element by partnering it with a bed placed slightly off-center to it. Pay extra attention to accessories and art; consider them when planning that wall’s entire composition.

4. Use the window sill for bedroom storage. Forget a nightstand and just use a window sill for book and trinket storage, making it seem like it’s connected visually with your bed.

5. Use shutters. If your interior bedroom has shutters, keep the lower portions closed. Same applies for any bottom-up blinds. It will help give a solid visual barrier for your bed to be placed in front of.

6. Use a shapely headboard. If you want to place a bed in front of a window and keep a headboard, consider a headboard with a cool shape. It’ll create a neat outline against the window and look intentional. This way might block more light than you want, though.

7. Don’t worry about any rules. It’s a disclaimer that should follow any tip post: You ideally know what looks right in your space, so if you’ve found a bed-in front-of-a-window solution that works for you, go for it!

Do you have your bed placed in front of a window? How have you made it work? Do you have advice for those looking to rearrange their bedroom this way?