Before and After: This $2,000 Bedroom Redo Includes a Glam DIY Bed Frame with Tons of Storage
The key to styling small bedrooms? Maximizing space. It’s easier said than done and might take some trial and error (i.e. lots of rearranging and even some returns), but it’s all about combining a smart selection of furniture with a clever layout.
Finding furniture with built-in storage is a game-changer, as is taking advantage of vertical space, both of which Alethea Jay did in this small bedroom redo.
Her $2,000, two-month project took a basic bedroom in NYC from “completely empty… needing a pick-me-up” to a luxe-looking retreat that “exudes space and softness.” Alethea made it happen with a couple of callout-worthy DIYs created with Amazon finds.
First is the bed, which Alethea customized when she couldn’t find exactly what she was looking for. “After looking at headboards that were not in budget and not being satisfied with the beds we did find in budget, I created a version of an upholstered bed with a LED light behind it,” she says.
Alethea used this $200 bed with drawers as a base but reupholstered it in a tan suede fabric that better matched her vision for the rest of the space. She then created a channel-tufted headboard with plywood, batting, and the same suede fabric, making sure the dimensions and scale of the final piece would draw the eye upward in the space.
“The headboard doesn’t look like a DIY project at all,” Alethea says of her final product. “I gave the room a hotel look with a personalized touch.”
The hanging light fixtures flanking both sides of the bed are also hotel-worthy and also help to make the room feel taller and more spacious. Alethea spray-painted $50 worth pendant light kits and $80 worth of basic lampshades gold using create the look, and the lights inside are battery-powered. Note: There was no hardwiring required to install them, meaning they’re totally renter-friendly.
After that, she filled in the space with furniture. Almost all of it has storage, like the dressers she used as nightstands and the sideboard cabinet used as a TV stand. “I am very proud of how much storage the room has without feeling crowded,” Alethea says. Her best design advice? “Spend a lot of time planning out. This isn’t a rush job, it’s one that takes a lot of planning and measurements.”
Alethea completed the space with gold accents like a neutral rug, $50 curtains , a new curtain rod, gold-frame artwork, and new mirrors (also spray painted gold). The result? A renter-friendly, luxe-looking room for under $2,000.
Inspired? Submit your own project here.