This Sneaky Trick Will Make Your Bedroom Instantly Look More Luxe, According to 3 Designers

Finding the perfect bedroom layout that’s functional and keeps everything out of your way can be a hard feat. Sometimes, there’s no way to avoid arranging your bed so that it’s directly in front of or next to your windows, which can take away from whatever view and light they provide. 

So how exactly do you style a room where your bed has to go in front of a window, and therefore,  a set of curtains? While it may not seem like an ideal option, this is a layout that can (and does) work well in many rooms. In fact, Manuella Moreira, interior designer and founder of Manuella Moreira Interiors, encourages her clients to see it as an opportunity to make a bold statement with curtains and drapes.

Katelyn De Spain, principal designer at MakeHouse Design Studio, adds that “a ‘wall’ of curtains is a great way to add texture and privacy in any space, and it can be particularly helpful when needing to divide up a larger area and define a specific bedroom area in a loft space or studio apartment.” 

Adding a full wall of curtains can be stylish and affordable, especially if you choose off-the-shelf fabrics and simple hardware,” De Spain says. Creating a wall of curtains, especially behind your bed, feels inviting and brings so much softness into the room.

Want to try out this design in your own home but don’t know how? Here are nine rooms that show off just how desirable a wall of curtains behind your bed can be. 

“Even if the window itself is small, extending the drapes across the entire wall gives the illusion of a larger window and adds depth to the room,” Moreira says. The draperies behind the headboard in this room extend the entire length of the alcove behind the bed, transforming it into a decorative feature and not just a functional element.

This bedroom in this Los Angeles apartment feels like the perfect place to relax at the end of the day, thanks to the whole room being covered in wall-to-wall sheer curtains. “We tried a method that we saw on one of our tours in Oregon at a place called The Stay Away where we put sheer curtains all around the room,” owner Margaret Bienert says. “This was a relatively cheap option, only took us one afternoon to complete, and it immediately made the room feel so cozy and relaxing!”

Between the tiger stripe settee, patterned curtains, and matching wallpaper, this room is a maximalist’s dream. “We did the drapery behind the bed to hide an odd-size window and to give the bed a center on the wall feel,” says Boston-based interior designer Robin Gannon. “The drapery allows you to pull it off the window if you want some light, but when closed creates a beautiful and soft backdrop for the bed. I often use them when there are architectural oddities that don’t allow for a well-proportioned proper ‘bed wall’” she adds. 

With a blend of neutral tones and soft textures, this bedroom feels calm and peaceful. Wall-to-wall curtains behind the headboard help add privacy while staying true to the room’s balanced color palette, while matching leather accent stools at the foot of the bed add an extra place to sit down or set things while moving around the room. 

In this home, the only place that made sense to put the bed was in front of the bedroom window. “It was important that we were able to create privacy with the oversized windows, so we opted for a custom bed with an extra tall headboard and matching green velvet drapes behind the bed. The drapes create a beautiful layered aesthetic, and the motorized hardware makes them incredibly functional,” says Shelby Van Daley, owner of Austin-based interior design firm Daley Home. The monochromatic color palette makes the room look and feel cohesive.

The bedroom is Tamiko Hargrove’s favorite room in her Montclair, New Jersey, apartment. Although small, the bedroom oozes personality and has a glamorous, zen vibe. Hargrove designed a custom extra-wide upholstered bed and used wall-to-wall blackout drapery as the backdrop, both of which help to minimize the noise from her next door neighbors. 

There’s so many things to love in this bedroom, including the abundance of natural light and the vaulted ceilings. Van Daley added wall-to-wall drapes and layered in artwork to hang on either side of the bed. The artwork is a big focal point in the room, in addition to the ottoman and chairs at the foot of the bed. With all of its natural textures and the neutral color palette, this room’s design feels very intentional, while also being inviting. 

In this Brooklyn apartment, Michelle Trinh added in a soft curtain feature wall behind her bed. Not only do the blackout curtains help keep the room dark at night, but they also hide some small, unsightly windows when drawn shut. The apartment’s Parisian charm is apparent in the room’s blush pink tones. 

The light-filtering black curtain wall behind this bed creates a dramatic backdrop that feels cohesive with the other black pillows and accessories used throughout the room. “By choosing a spindled headboard, I could wake up in the morning, turn around, and take in the view of nature through my window. Who knew that what seemed like an awkward layout could bring such joy and be so beneficial?” says designer Ghislaine Viñas.

“I recommend using floor-to-ceiling curtains, which create a luxurious backdrop while enhancing the height. Choosing a perforated or spindled headboard allows you to maintain a visual connection with the window, preserving the view and the sense of openness,” Viñas says.