7 Expert-Approved Bedroom Staging Tips That’ll Help It Go From 0 To Zen

published Jul 5, 2019

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<a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)" href="A%20bedroom,%20when%20staged%20correctly,%20can%20feel%20like%20a%20peaceful%20retreat.%20In%20fact,%20staging%20the%20master%20bedroom%20was%20found%20to%20be%20the%20second-most%20important%20space%20for%20buyers%20according%20to%20a%20<a%20href=" https: target="_blank">March 2019 report by the National Association of Realtors. Of the buyers’ agents surveyed, 42 percent said it was the most important room to stage, just behind the living room (47 percent), and ahead of the kitchen (35 percent).

Ready to get this right? First things first: Hide that ironing board! Then, follow these nine tips from professional stagers, whether you’re prepping for a move or just want a bedroom that will take you from 0 to zen—real quick.

1. Pay special attention to your bed

Use the <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="biggest bed (opens in a new tab)" href="biggest%20bed%20that%20won't%20throw%20off%20a%20room's%20scale,%20says%20Justin%20Riordan,%20interior%20designer,%20architect,%20and%20founder%20of%20the%20Portland,%20Oregon-based%20home%20staging%20company<a%20href=" https: target="_blank"> Spade and Archer Design Agency.

“This means for full, queen, and king sized beds, you should be able to fit a nightstand comfortably on each side of the bed,” he says.

Carole Marcotte, lead designer with Form and Function in Raleigh, North Carolina, says when she’s staging a home for sale, she makes sure the bed faces the doorway and can immediately be seen when entering the room. (It’s a Feng Shui tenet!)

Now, what to put on the bed? Bedding can make or break a bedroom, says Jena Tack, home stager and real estate agent with Kris Lindahl Real Estate in Minnesota.

“The bed is always the focal point of the room so it’s important to play it up,” she says. “Details like layering the bedding can make a huge difference.”

In terms of bedding color, go neutral. Home stagers say those tones work best because they evoke a sense of relaxation better than bright colors do.

“I love white linens and down blankets,” Tack says. “I’m also a big fan of adding lots of pillows. The right bedding can give the whole room a luxurious feel.”

Fluffy bedspreads, comforters, and duvets appear to be the most inviting, says Mary Frances McGraw, a certified home stager with Practical Life, LLC in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

To finish off the resort-like feel, try an on-trend fabric headboard and layers of pillows, says Susan Bourassa, the owner and lead stager for Coast-to-Coast Interiors, a professional home staging company in the D.C.-area.

Credit: Morgan Schemel

2. Ditch the dresser

Ready for a hot take? Dressers are no longer a must-have, thanks to super-organized closet components.

“They only take away valuable square footage,” Marcotte says. “I’d rather see a bench at the foot of the bed or a comfy chair for relaxing and putting on shoes as more practical choices.”

3. Add some texture

Rugs and floor accessories are a great way to bring texture into a home and make it feel cozy, says Jody Wallace of Greylen Wayne Interior Design and Home Staging in Portland, Oregon.

“Try layering a flat Turkish rug with a cowhide to give your bedroom a modern look while filling up boring floor space,” she suggests.

Credit: Winkie Visser

4. Avoid being matchy-matchy

“Kiss matchy-matchy goodbye in staging,” says Wallace. Primarily, she avoids using matching furniture because it dulls down the personality of a room. But this extends to decor, as well. She suggests mixing it all up and adding multiple layers of textures and colors: think old with new, metallics with matte jewel tones, and shaggy blanket textures with soft pillows, for example. One of her favorite combinations? Hanging a large framed vintage photograph in an otherwise modern space.

5. Go for neutral walls

People want to walk into a bedroom and feel relaxed and comfortable, so wall color is very important, says Tack.

“A neutral palette is best,” she says. “Any color that feels serene or gives you that spa feel is perfect.”

Her picks? Grays, light blues, and beiges.

Credit: Carina Romano

6. Add some greenery

A plant on a nightstand or a fig tree in the corner will make the room more inviting.

“The green color also pops nicely in a neutral room,” Tack says.

7. Go minimal on the nightstands

Stick with just one or two small accessories on the bedside tables, suggests Lanna Ali-Hassan, co-owner of Beyond the Box Interiors, a full-service interior design firm in the Washington, D.C. metro area.

Bourassa suggests high-end looking light fixtures for the bedside tables, plus a small stack of books and a plant, or perhaps flowers and/or candles.

Follow these tips and the master bedroom may just rise to the most coveted staged space on buyers wish list (or, if you have no plans on moving, become your favorite room of the house!) Need some decor inspo? Here, 5 IKEA products professional home stagers swear by.