How to Choose Bedroom Furniture: 13 Expert Tips + Questions

How to choose bedroom furniture can be a really daunting task, especially because there are so many types of bedroom furniture out there.

But don’t worry, it was for me too…until I made home decor my entire life.

That’s why I’ve written this ultimate guide with the newest tips on how to choose bedroom furniture like an expert.

As long as you follow the tips below, you won’t need a professional interior designer who will overcharge you. Inflation is rising and it’s about time to start saving money.

3 steps for how to choose bedroom furniture on a budget

What Are The Benefits Of Choosing The Correct Bedroom Furniture?

The benefits of choosing the correct bedroom furniture are huge when it comes to the ambiance and comfort of your bedroom.

With the correct furniture, your bedroom can be a haven of comfort made just for you.

Plus, bedroom furniture makes a huge impact on making your bedroom your own. In other words, the bedroom furniture you choose reflects your personal style and overall personality.

Take this as an example. If you have a vanity in your bedroom, it might mean that you love makeup and getting ready. But if you have a bean bag in your bedroom, it might mean that you love relaxing and/or reading.

How Hard Is It To Choose Bedroom Furniture?

It’s relatively easy to choose bedroom furniture because you probably already have preferences for a certain type of furniture, whether you realize it or not.

And with these tips and questions to ask yourself, you’ll be able to figure out exactly what your furniture preferences are.

How Many Types Of Bedroom Furniture Are There?

There are almost 40 different types of bedroom furniture, such as nightstands and ottomans. Choosing from all these options seems like a really hard task, but trust me, it’s not as hard as it seems.

There are also many other types of bedroom accessories that you may want for your bedroom, such as a mirror. However, most interior designers don’t consider that to be furniture.

Questions to Ask Yourself for How To Choose Bedroom Furniture

Infographic explaining 6 questions to ask yourself for how to choose bedroom furniture
In a rush? Use this quick overview of all the questions you need to ask yourself to choose bedroom furniture

Question 1: What is your budget?

Your budget is the most important part of any home design.

Make sure to decide what your budget is before even LOOKING at any furniture. And once you’ve decided on a budget, write that number down in pen somewhere.

This way, you’re more likely to stick to your budget when you know it’s set in stone.

Question 2: How much space do you have in your bedroom?

It’s good to know how much space you have in your bedroom so that you can plan a rough mental layout of all your furniture. That way you know whether you have enough space for any piece of furniture that you might be considering.

In general, the more space you have in your bedroom, the easier it becomes to choose furniture for your bedroom. And that’s because a bigger bedroom can accommodate more furniture pieces.

But don’t worry if you have a small room. As long as you arrange your bedroom furniture properly, you’ll be able to choose many types of bedroom furniture.

Question 3: What do you use your bedroom the most for?

Infographic comparing types of bedroom furniture that you need versus what you want
Make sure to choose the bedroom furniture you need first. Here’s a general guideline that works for most people

You need to prioritize the furniture that you will use the most. So answer honestly, what do you use your bedroom the most for? Studying? Sleeping? Reading?

By the way, don’t be ashamed to say “for sleeping.” Because honestly, sleeping is what I use my bedroom the most for.

Based on your answer to this question, choose the furniture that best fits your needs. However, in most cases, people need a bed, desk, and some sort of furniture for storage.

How to choose bedroom furniture for storage can get a bit tricky, so I’ve dedicated the next tip/question to this.

Once you’ve chosen all the bedroom furniture that you absolutely NEED, you can move on to furniture you WANT. This includes furniture such as bean bags, rocking chairs, or bookshelves.

I mention this exact question in how to choose bedroom light fixtures, so feel free to answer both right now and save yourself some time!

Question 4: How much storage space do you need?

This one is tricky. I know it’s hard to say exactly how much storage space you need, so here’s what I recommend. Read all my furniture suggestions below and see what fits best for you.

  • For little storage space: lingerie chests, nightstands, and ottomans
  • For medium storage space: blanket chests, credenza, and wardrobe
  • For maximum storage space: gentleman’s chests, armoires, and dressers

Try to imagine each of these furniture options in your bedroom. How well does it fit? Do you have enough floor space? Does all your stuff fit in this piece of furniture?

This should give you a general idea of how to choose bedroom furniture for storage.

Question 5: What do you want your bedroom to say about you?

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: the bedroom furniture you choose is one of the biggest factors of your overall bedroom vibe. So ask yourself, “what do you want your bedroom to say about you?”

Common answers + my personal advice on how to choose bedroom furniture

Here are some common answers to this question and my personal furniture recommendations for each answer:

Potential Answer 1

Your Answer: Modern and sleek

My Recommendation: For a modern and sleek room look, I recommend low-profile platform bed, a double dresser with a mirror, an accent chair, and floating nightstands.

Modern bedroom furniture and design with floating nightstands, low platform bed, double dresser, and an accent chair
Feel free to copy this exact modern bedroom design
Potential Answer 2

Your Answer: Relaxation and coziness

My Recommendation: For relaxation and coziness, I recommend a plush bed with an upholstered headboard, a bean bag chair, an ottoman to store extra blankets, a traditional nightstand, and fluffy area rugs.

How to choose bedroom furniture for a cozy look with a bean bag, ottoman, plush bed, and fluffy carpet
Feel free to copy this exact cozy and relaxed bedroom design
Potential Answer 3

Your Answer: Minimalistic and simple

My Recommendation: For a minimalistic and simple bedroom look, I recommend something simple—a matching bedroom set.

Simple bedroom design by choosing a brown matching furniture set
Note the brown matching furniture set

Image source: Castlery

Potential Answer 4

Your Answer: Traditional and elegant

My Recommendation: For sophistication and elegance, I recommend a bed with a fancy headboard, a chaise lounge chair, a dresser with a mirror, and nightstands with accents.

A white traditional and elegant bedroom design with a fancy bed frame, chandelier, bench, sofa, and nightstands
Feel free to copy this traditional and elegant bedroom design

Question 6: What is the color theme of your bedroom (if any)?

Knowing your bedroom’s color scheme is really important for how to choose bedroom furniture. To determine the color theme of your bedroom, ask yourself the following questions:

  1. What color are your walls?
  2. What color is your carpet?
  3. Are your wall color and carpet color the same or similar?

If you answered “yes” to the last question, then you most likely have a solid color theme in your bedroom.

If you have a color theme in your bedroom, it’s best to buy matching furniture that gives your bedroom a more harmonious look.

Pro tip: Don’t worry even if you don’t have a color scheme. You can simply choose bedroom furniture with neutral tones.

Other Tips on How To Choose Bedroom Furniture

Tip 1: Invest in high-quality furniture

Yes, sticking to a budget is really important for any type of home decor. But just as important is choosing high-quality furniture that won’t wear off within a year. That’s a bigger waste of money.

My favorite furniture store

One of my favorite stores for budget high-quality furniture is TLS Furniture.

TLS Furniture produces thousands of custom home furniture products every year, such as dining seating, aesthetic chairs, beds, sofas, ottomans, and banquettes.

As someone who’s been writing about home decor for almost 4 years, I personally love the design of these home furniture products.

Don’t believe me? Take a look at my top 3 favorite bedroom furniture pieces from TLS Furniture:

  1. Aviator Design Bed: I love this bed because the bed size (width) is completely customizable. So you can get the perfect fit even with limited space. Plus, the leather headboard gives the bed a luxurious and premium feeling.
  2. Upholstered King Platform Bed: I’ve never seen wall lights integrated within a headboard before, which is what makes this bed frame so unique. If you want a modern room feel, this bed is the best choice.
  3. Button Square Tufted Ottoman: This ottoman might seem like any other ottoman, but it’s not. Its unique cream finish and nailheads coating the top makes it one of my favorite pieces of bedroom furniture for decor. Oh yeah, and it also looks great in your living room.

Tip 2: Choose bedroom furniture that serves many purposes

To make the most of any money you spend on bedroom furniture, you should always choose bedroom furniture that serves more than just one purpose.

In other words, you need to buy one piece of furniture but use it in many different ways.

Benefits: You save money and bedroom space because you don’t need to buy as many furniture pieces.

Here are some examples:

  1. A sofa bed: works as a bed and a sofa
  2. An ottoman: works as a footrest, a place to sit, and more storage
  3. A TV stand: works as a spot to put your TV and more storage
Bedroom with a sofa bed and a nightstand next to ti
Example 1: Bedroom with a sofa bed

Image source: Clutter

Tip 3: Head to a local furniture store where you can test different types of furniture

I know, I know. The world is moving digital. But how to choose bedroom furniture is only possible if you know what you’re buying. And it’s simply too hard to know all the details of any type of furniture from the online product page.

That’s why you need to go in-person to a local furniture store and find your favorite type of bedroom furniture. Don’t worry, you do NOT have to buy in-person.

Here are some things to look for in bedroom furniture when you do go:

  1. What material is your favorite?
  2. There are typically many different styles of any furniture pieces. What’s your favorite?
  3. What furniture sizes are the best for your bedroom? Remember, you don’t want one piece of furniture to cover your whole room.
  4. Do some types of furniture look better under certain lighting, such as natural light? If so, do you have that lighting in your room?

Tip 4: Choose bedroom furniture that creates a focal point (use statement pieces)

Create a focal point when choosing bedroom furniture
What pops out to you first? The bed and its huge headboard, right? That’s the statement piece in this bedroom

Image source; Dufresne

A focal point is something that instantly pops out and makes a strong impression to anyone entering the room. Focal points are typically used for layered lighting, but they’re just as helpful for how to choose bedroom furniture.

You can create a focal point using 1-2 standout bedroom furniture pieces, such as an antique armoire, a large accent chair, or a bed with a gallery wall above it.

Pro tip: You can make almost any furniture pop out by placing a rug with a bold pattern or vibrant color underneath it.

How to create a focal point using antique furniture

Using antique furniture is a great way to easily create a focal point in your bedroom. And that’s because antique furniture pieces are known to pop out.

My favorite place to shop antique home furniture is Fireside Antiques. I’ve never seen such a unique and diverse collection of vintage furniture. Plus, all their furniture is made of high-quality materials, so I guarantee that they will last…probably forever.

To create your bedroom focal point, all you really need is 1 stylish yet vintage bedroom furniture.

My personal favorite is the French Louis XVI Style Bed.

Tip 5: Use space-saving furniture designs

If you have a small bedroom or a bedroom with slanted walls, you’re probably looking for how to choose bedroom furniture that makes your space feel bigger.

I’ve already discussed a few tips that can help you save space, such as choosing furniture that serves multiple purposes. But another great way to choose bedroom furniture for small spaces is choosing the following space-saving bedroom furniture designs:

  • Wall-mounted desks
  • Floating nightstands
  • Vertical storage furniture
  • Modular shelving system

Tip 6: Create a cozy nook in your bedroom

Cozy bedroom nook idea with dim lighting and a bookshelf
This cozy nook idea used a bookshelf, lots of pillows & blankets, and string lights

How to choose bedroom furniture can be fun. And you can make it fun by creating a cozy nook in your bedroom. This nook will also show your personality and individuality.

To create a cozy nook in your bedroom, you need cozy lighting and your most comfortable furniture. Some of my favorite comfortable furniture options to create a cozy bedroom nook are:

  1. Bean bag chair
  2. Pouf
  3. Side table
  4. Bookshelf (for some people)
  5. Blankets and pillows (I know they’re not furniture, but trust me, you’ll need them)

Pro tip: Take a look at the cozy nook decor idea above to get inspiration for how to style your own bedroom cozy nook.

Tip 7: Choose bedroom furniture that works with other decor

The mistake that I see many people make is that they impulsively go out and buy the furniture that looks the best. But when they get back, they notice that it doesn’t fit with ANY of their existing decor.

That’s why here’s what I suggest instead.

If you have other decorative elements in your bedroom, such as art pieces, wall art, wall lights, or artificial plants, make sure to choose bedroom furniture that complements these elements.

This way, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars replacing all your decorative elements. Ah, don’t we love saving money?

Conclusion

So here you go: the ultimate guide on how to choose bedroom furniture in a budget-friendly way.

As long as you follow all the tips and ask yourself the questions above (honestly), I promise you’ll find yourself choosing the best bedroom furniture in just a few days.

And trust me, you’ll be happy with your choices. After all, you did the hard work yourself rather than hiring a professional interior designer who’ll charge you thousands of dollars!

For other budget home decor ideas and tips, whether it be for your living room, dining room, family room, or kitchen, follow my Pinterest page. I publish budget home decor ideas every single day for people just like you!

Meet The Author

Anish Agarwal, the founder of FME Articles

Hi! I’m Anish, your budget buying guide! I’ve been reviewing home gadgets and accessories for the past 3 years, so it’s safe to say I know a thing or two about home products.

So why did I start writing these guides? Because I saw that people were spending WAY too much money on home products when there were SO MANY cheaper alternatives out there.

I want to help you save money on your home gadgets without compromising the appearance and functionality of your home. So what better way is there than simply writing about how I do it myself?

I want to show you how you can change the landscape of your home without spending a dime more than what is required. You can save more money than you might think!

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