10+ Cheap and Easy Bedroom Decorating Ideas

Don’t miss these simple bedroom decorating ideas for creating a cozy haven you’ll love, all on a budget!

Bed with White Comforter and Floral Pillow

We bought our little townhouse when we were really young and had just had our first baby. It had great bones, but cosmetically, it was an absolute wreck. Since we knew we would have to redo every single room in the house, we’ve been doing our best to update each space on a budget, and we’ve learned a lot in the process.

It’s taken some trial and error, but we’ve been able to make this house our own without breaking the bank. Today I wanted to share 10+ ways we were able to update our primary bedroom to make it look cozy, serene, and beautiful… all on a budget!

C’mon in and take a peek!

10+ Inexpensive Primary Bedroom Decorating Ideas

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

1. Paint the walls.

One of the easiest, most inexpensive, and most impactful things we can do to transform any room is to paint the walls. The walls in this space had been a dark, cave-like taupe, and we lighted them up considerably.

Blue painted dresser in a primary bedroom with gray walls and white curtains

We used Behr Marquee Silver City (my favorite gray!) for most of the room and Behr Marquee Cameo White for the accent wall behind the bed.

2. Change out the duvet cover.

I love duvet covers because they’re an easy way to change the whole look of the room, and they’re typically less expensive than a comforter or full bedding set.

If you don’t currently own a duvet insert, you can put the duvet cover over your current comforter. Just be sure to choose a duvet cover that won’t allow the pattern on your existing bedding to show through.

Cozy bed with upholstered headboard, white bedding, and blue and blush floral pillow

Our duvet cover and shams are from Crane and Canopy, and they provided a beautiful neutral base layer for our bedroom.

3. Add a few throw pillows.

Pillows are a fairly inexpensive addition and they can really add some fun color and pattern to a space. Try mixing and matching– florals with geometrics, organics with solids, larger patterns with smaller patterns– and find the combo that you love most.

Navy and blush floral pillow on the bed in a primary bedroom

My throw pillows were from Target and are no longer sold. But I can always find a great selection of affordable throw pillows at Target, HomeGoods, and even on Amazon.

Better yet, search for pillow covers. (I like IKEA, Hobby Lobby, and Amazon for these.) They’re less expensive than a full pillow and take up less space when we need to store them too.

4. Install a simple accent wall.

We created this easy accent wall in our primary bedroom with just a few boards and some paint. It doesn’t have to be elaborate to make a statement!

white board and batten accent wall, part of inexpensive bedroom decorating plan

5. Re-cover the lamp shades.

These little lamps were one of my very first blog projects, and I still love them! I used inexpensive fabric + fabric glue to make plain, boring shades more my style. It was so easy, didn’t cost much, and gave me the exact lamps I wanted.

Bed with tan upholstered headboard, white bedding, and blue throw pillows

6. Make your own headboard.

I love the look of upholstered headboards, but they can get pricey. We made our own headboard instead with some leftover plywood, foam, and nailhead trim, and it turned out better than I could have imagined!

aqua mason jar with pink roses, sitting on a nightstand

I always think adding real flowers is a nice little treat too! So beautiful!

7. My Favorite Inexpensive Curtains

Window treatments can be pricey for sure. But when I’m trying to spruce up our windows on a budget, my go-to is always IKEA’s RITVA curtains.

blue painted dresser and windows with white curtains

I use them without the tie-backs, and they hang nicely and feel substantial. They have a beautiful texture as well.

8. Paint the furniture.

Just like with the walls, paint can add instant impact at a low price point when it comes to furniture. Donnie’s dresser was a thrifted find that I cleaned up and painted Behr Marquee Compass Blue for a whole new look.

blue painted dresser with gold pulls

I used Rub n’ Buff to update the existing hardware and give it a beautiful golden glow.

Blue dresser drawers with gold pulls
blue hydrangea stem in an aqua Ball mason jar, sitting on a blue painted dresser

My dresser got a painted makeover as well! It was actually part of my mom’s bedroom set when she was growing up and then was in my room throughout my childhood too.

gold and white painted mid-century modern style dresser

I spray painted the bottom of the dresser and the handles gold and then painted the rest of it Behr Marquee Cameo White so that it was light and bright to fit in with the rest of the space.

pink flowers and tiered jewelry tray sitting on top of a white dresser
pink flowers in a clear vase on a white dresser with a gold mirror

If you look just beyond the flowers on my dresser, you can catch my most recent painting project, the gray vanity

Pink flowers and a bathroom vanity in the background

Nearly everything got a touch of paint in this space, and for good reason! It makes a huge impact without costing a lot!

9. Frame in a mirror.

This bedroom is a little odd in that the bathroom vanity is part of the bedroom space. (The rest of the primary bathroom is just to the right of the vanity.) To give the builder grade mirror an upgrade, we framed it in and painted the frame light, bright white.

framed in builder-grade mirror and a gray painted bathroom vanity with brass and acrylic pulls

It looks way more finished with the additional trim, and the framing project took less than a day to complete.

10. Update the hardware.

Finally, I already mentioned the update to the existing hardware on Donnie’s dresser, but since hardware is pretty inexpensive, we can also change it out completely for a whole new look.

gray painted bathroom vanity with brass and acrylic pulls

I removed the dated handles from the vanity cabinets and replaced them with these cute brass and acrylic pulls I found at Hobby Lobby. They make it look so much more elevated and chic.

Primary Bedroom Decorating: Before and After

Without having to spend a fortune, we were able to give our primary bedroom a whole new look that was much more our style. Check out the before and after photos…

primary bedroom makeover before and after photo of the bed and nightstand
before and after photo of a painted dresser
before and after photo of a builder grade vanity

With a little creativity and some elbow grease, it is completely possible to transform a space on a budget. Whether we’re living in our dream home or are in a more temporary situation, small, inexpensive changes can help to make a big difference.

Living in our townhouse has taught me that we can learn to love our space no matter where we live and what kind of budget we have. You can do it too!

Inexpensive Bedroom Decorating Ideas: Frequently Asked Questions

Harness the power of paint! Whether it’s painting the walls, the furniture, the vanity, or accessories, paint can really go a long way for not much money at all.

Find a “lead” piece. Whether it’s a pillow, bedding, a rug, or a piece of art, find a piece that reflects the feel and color palette you’d like to use for the rest of the space. Then use that lead as your guide when making decisions for the rest of the room.

I know it’s tempting, but I wouldn’t start with painting the walls. I like to find a lead piece and decide on the feel and color scheme of the space first. Then once the direction of the room is clearly established, we can use paint to further the transformation.

Want to save this post to revisit later? Be sure to pin the image below so you can find it easily!

Decorating Ideas for the Primary Bedroom

Have you done any bedroom decorating lately? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Thank you so much for following along! Have a wonderful day!

Abby Lawson at Abby Organizes, justagirlandherblog.com

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

48 Comments

  1. BEAUTIFUL…

  2. Lauren @ Mom Home Guide says:

    Congrats. Abby! Your master bedroom looks great! I really should put some decorating time into my bedroom!

  3. Gaby {lifeineight.com} says:

    Oh my! Your bedroom is looking lovely! I bet you can’t wait for bedtime now 🙂

  4. Karen @ a house full of sunshine says:

    Oh my goodness – just gorgeous, Abby!! I love your accent wall – the whole room is so light and fresh and elegant now!

  5. Emily @ My Love for Words says:

    It looks beautiful!! The room has a whole different feel now. Great job!

  6. Abby, it’s just gorgeous! So light and airy 🙂 you must be so happy to go to bed!

  7. Katy | Her Cup of Joy says:

    Wow that dresser in white looks amazing, love the gold details. Also, your bedroom looks so light and refreshing!

  8. Beautiful!! It is so bright and fresh, what a great makeover! The before and afters are great!

  9. Bethany @ MakingMyStead.com says:

    Abby,

    I like the light and airy feel of it. It was previously quite dark. I also noticed you painted your vanity in the bathroom right away. I like the white much better! That masculine dresser is quite handsome! The white board and batten wall looks great in contrast to the rest of the walls. Well done!

    ~ Bethany @ MakingMyStead.com
    (formerly Bethany the ngnrdgrl)

  10. Gorgeous! Great job. Live the floral pillow! Limk please 🙂

  11. Ann @ One Cherry Tree Lane says:

    LOVE! Great work!

  12. So light, airy, and refreshing! Looks like something out of a Restoration Hardware catalog! Super classy! Love it!

  13. Rita C at Panoply says:

    Nice, Abby! I like how you went from the dark blue to the grey to your white – it pleases the eye as you move around the room. And I’m glad you showed the B&A photos – yes, those are always more fun to see changes that way.

  14. Johlene@FlavoursandFrosting says:

    It´s simply perfect!! I love the color scheme! Love the paint color on the basin cabinet doors too 🙂

  15. Selene Galindo says:

    Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous!!! I love how bright and fresh everything looks! And that wall!!!! Fabulous job!

  16. Beth Anne says:

    It looks great, Abby! So bright and fresh!

  17. Amanda @ Dwelling in Happiness says:

    Ohh this is gorgeous, Abby! I love how it all turned out!! I can’t believe how much brighter it is with the pretty white wall behind your bed!! And, I love your vanity, I’m also in the process of painting our vanity a similar color! Ha! Great minds must think alike. 😉 Hope you have a great day!

  18. You did such a great job! I love the light accent wall. It is amazing how painting the wall white and your dresser white really, really changed the whole room. Way to go!

    Nancy @ Slightly Coastal

  19. Wow! What a difference and so lovely! Your white and gold dresser is awesome! Great job!

  20. Hi, Abby ~ This room looks amazing! I keep trying to pick a favorite new feature, but I can’t do it. I am very intrigued by your board and batten wall, though. Hubs went paint-crazy in our master bedroom and now all of the walls are dark blue. I’m thinking a crisp white, board and batten wall might be the ticket to balance out the blue? Did you do a lot of prep work on your bathroom vanity before painting it? That project is on my bucket list, too, but I REALLY dislike sanding. :0) Thanks for sharing your gorgeous room!

  21. Bethany @ The Southern Couture says:

    You did an amazing job! Everything looks so fresh and bright. The touch of blue, gold, and white couldn’t be more perfect. I couldn’t wait to see the big reveal and now I’m so glad I did. Have a great rest of the week and wonderful weekend.

  22. Kim@NewlyWoodwards says:

    Very pretty! I love the different colors you used on the dressers – I always want everything to match but I love the mix.

  23. Beautiful! What color are the walls?

  24. Crystal Nell says:

    Great job!! I love the accent wall. Bedroom looks beautiful!!

  25. Nikki Frank-Hamilton says:

    Wow! It looks so great, light, airy, welcoming, cozy all at once. Great job! No wonder it took a bit more time, it is totally different. Love it.

  26. Beautiful transformation!! I’m smitten over those dressers of your!

  27. Looks wonderful, Abby! Also loving the vanity inspiration…we can see ours from our bed too and it looks so dingy right now.

  28. I dearly love the bedroom transformation. The colors are quite beautiful and much more lively. You must be enjoying the peaceful feeling it expresses. Great job. Love your ideas. Thank you for sharing.

  29. Love it!!!

  30. It’s all so pretty! (I mean manly in the right places, too. 😉 ) Also, that front pillow is THE BEST. Love it all.

  31. Absolutely STUNNING, Abby! I especially love both of the dressers and how they both capture your differences but stay so harmonious at the same time. The whole space is just gorgeous! I bet you’ll have sweet dreams tonight! 😉

  32. What a transformation! I love how you repurposed all of your furniture and cabinets. A little paint sure went a long way. I’m feeling inspired now! Thanks for sharing your beautiful room.

  33. Jen @ Migonis Home says:

    looks great, abby!!!! love your dresser makeover!

  34. Rev. Suzanne says:

    That’s really well done and I like all your color choices. Good job!

  35. Loving the fresh, airy, summery feeling with the white and blue. The pop of color “Donnie’s” blue dresser gives the room is awesome! Gorgeous transformation!

  36. Sarah @ Life On Virginia Street says:

    SO beautiful Abby! I love the lighter and brighter look!

  37. Beautifully airy…great job. I’m putting my hard-to-store tiered try on my dresser this afternoon. I always have bracelets and earrings collecting there!

  38. I love how everything turned out ! The wall looks great & it is a completely different space. I love when sinple(a wall) changes everything so much & it came together beautiful. And I totally understand wanting to do more & more once you start a room. Can’t wait to see more… What’s next?! 🙂

  39. Stephanie says:

    Love your color palette. Great job!

  40. Bonnie Dorough says:

    That mirror and dresser are stunning!!! Love it!

  41. It turned out BEAUTIFULLY! I agree… you can never have enough flowers. 🙂 That focal wall behind your bed is my favorite, I think. By the way, I just started into reading your Building a Framework ebook and I’m loving it!!!!

  42. Your bedroom is beautiful! My husband and I recently re-did our master bedroom and I absolutely LOVE it. I have three little boys, so I made sure that our bedroom was a little bit on the ‘girly’ side since everything else in our house seems to be masculine. It is like my little getaway 🙂

  43. Kaitie @ Fuchsia Freezer says:

    Your bedroom looks so cheery and light… very welcoming and relaxing… perfect timing to with spring and summer coming up! Enjoy!

  44. Betsy @ Happily Ever After, Etc. says:

    Wow so pretty! I’ve really enjoyed all of the little makeovers leading up to the big reveal… but this is the best part! The room was pretty before but now.. wow! So light and pretty! Love the white wall, the pretty bedding and the gorgeous dresser make-overs! Love it!

  45. Absolutely stunning! I love how all the changes transformed it into a lighter space.

  46. Beautiful! You made the floral pillow cover yourself? What size down insert do you recommend when compared to the actual size of your fabric square with that? Say it’s a 14×14 insert form, for a 12×12 fabric square? I was worried that a 12×12 insert form with a 12×12 fabric piece would make the pillow look like it’s sagging in places and too small! Thanks for any help and advice!

  47. Heather Alexander says:

    I love how you brightened everything up in here! And I LOVE the color of Donnie’s dresser! That blue.. ugh! So awesome!

  48. Beautiful! I really enjoyed your post.

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