These Are the Bedroom Upgrades You Shouldn’t Spend Too Much Money On

It’s hard to know exactly where to splurge and where to save when you’re getting your home ready to list. This is especially the case when it comes to upgrading the most personal of spaces: the bedroom. So much of home design is subjective, and what one person loves another may loathe, which is why I talked to four real estate pros to find out which bedroom upgrades you shouldn’t splurge on.

Even if you have a large space, Jennifer Spinelli, founder and CEO of Niche Home Buyer, says you should be taking a less-is-more approach to furnishing your sleeping area. “Oversized furniture can be visually overwhelming in a bedroom, making it feel cramped and stuffy,” she says. “Not to mention, it takes up much more space than is necessary for the average bedroom size.” When shopping or staging your furniture, you can opt for the cheaper and smaller sets. 

While Spinelli says that color can be great for adding character to a space, too much of it can actually detract from the overall design of your room. “It can also make it difficult to create a cohesive look and feel,” she says. 

Additionally, you’ll want to save your money when it comes to accessorizing so you can invest it elsewhere. “Homeowners tend to think that the more accessories they add, the better. When it comes to bedrooms, however, simplicity is key,” she says. “Adding too many pillows, blankets and other elements can make a bedroom look cluttered and uninviting.”

If you’re unfamiliar, Murphy beds are a space-saving hack where the bed can be folded into the wall (or a cupboard or closet) when not in use. While it sounds like a great storage solution, one agent says it just doesn’t have a broad enough appeal to work for everyone. “In my experience, most homeowners should skip upgrading to Murphy beds,” Tyler Forte, CEO of Felix Homes, says. “Although they may sound good in theory, when working with clients, most of them prefer a traditional bed set that matches their aesthetic taste.”

While it may freshen up your space, Melissa Zimbelman with Luxe International Realty says you won’t see any return on your investment if you add pretty paper to your bedroom. “Wallpaper is an extremely personal design choice and although it may turn out great, it is fairly unlikely that the future buyer will love it as much,” she says, adding that a buyer may see all of your hard work and immediately have visions of the steps they’ll need to take to undo it. 

“Removal of the wallpaper, and restoration of the surface after removal, is a difficult process if it was installed correctly to start with,” she continues. “Since many people know that, after seeing the horror stories on home design shows, many will pass on a house, rather than jump into that project.” 

Much like the allure of wallpaper, Katie Moor of the Dawn McKenna Group with Coldwell Banker Realty says adding accent walls are best left to the future homeowner. “If you’re going to paint or install a wall covering, go all the way,” she says. “In my opinion, accent walls leave a room feeling incomplete. If you want a bold statement on one wall, opt for artwork.”