Before and After: 2 Budget-Friendly DIYs Cozy up a Once-Cold and Cluttered Bedroom

Getting good sleep is crucial, which means that setting up your bedroom so it’s conducive to getting good sleep is also crucial. Before, Lilly Skjoldahl’s bedroom was never a priority. “We are a military family that is used to moving every two to three years, so I have avoided putting any effort into decorating our home knowing it’s so temporary,” Lilly says. But finally, she decided to make a change.

“I wanted to feel at peace when I was at home,” she says. “I wanted my own space to relax and decompress. I decided it was time to get over the mindset of temporary living and make our house into a home.” Lilly upped the calm and cozy vibes in her space by adding warm and welcoming materials through DIYs and new buys.

The most striking DIY? The grid-patterned wood slat wall, which combines two big home trends: windowpane pattern and wood texture on the walls. “The accent wall took about 10 hours total,” Lilly says.

The hardest part was skim-coating the textured wall prior to adding the wood accent because it was messier than expected. After the wall was nice and smooth, Lilly primed the accent wall and painted the entire room white. “I was surprised how much white paint really brightened up the entire room!” she says. She used Sherwin-Williams’ Spare White. Then she applied PVC wall panels to the entire 13-by-8-foot wall in about two hours. “The application was easier than expected!” Lilly says. “I was unsure of how it was going to come out, but I’m so happy with it!”

Lily’s next DIY project, the headboard, took about four hours. Lilly wrapped about 3.5 yards of boucle fabric around plywood and poly foam and attached it with an upholstery stapler to create a headboard similar to a $700 one she’d seen online — and hers only cost $100. (The base of the bed was a $200 Amazon find.)

“The boucle texture of the bench and headboard make [the room] feel very cozy and warm, but light and airy at the same time,” Lilly says. And that’s really the vibe of the whole room! Cozy and comfy but airy and clean. The dreamy white curtains, new lighting, and new rug add to the luxe retreat feel. “It feels like I’m living in an Airbnb!” Lilly says. “It’s crazy how that now I have such a nice room I want to keep it clean all the time. It’s a great motivation.”

Best yet? Lilly says her sleep has improved because she gets to retreat to this serene space every night. “It really feels so calm and inviting,” she says.

Inspired? Submit your own project here.