This Clever Bed Arrangement Can Instantly Improve The Look Of Your Bedroom Windows

Conventional decorating wisdom dictates placing a bed across from the entrance to a room so it's the first thing you see. That's great advice since it lets you highlight that amazing antique bed you just scored, or the luxe duvet cover you felt was well worth the splurge. This edict also usually means putting the headboard against a solid wall, but that arrangement can leave you wondering how to spruce up the windows to complement your gorgeous bed. That's when placing a bed in front of a window or two can meld both elements into one fabulous look.

If you decide to take on this bedroom challenge, you'll be in good design company. Nate Berkus, as expected of this design guru, successfully styled a bed in front of the window in the guest room of his Chicago apartment. HGTV's Emily Henderson also beautifully took advantage of bed window placement in the primary bedroom of her Los Angeles home. With a few design tips, you too can take bedroom windows from drab to fab by rearranging the furniture and adding some accessories that suit your lifestyle. 

When you stop thinking of bed placement in front of a window as something only done out of necessity and look it as an opportunity, you can open up a world of design options. In rooms where windows flank both sides, consider using curtains behind the bed like wallpaper. Then, tie the look together with matching panels on each side of the windows. Remember to hang the curtain rods high and extend the drapery all the way to the floor. This arrangement will create the illusion of larger windows and add height, elevating a simple headboard to bedroom luxury. If that's too much fabric to suit your taste, consider putting artwork over the bed and bordering the windows with patterned or colored curtains that complement your bedding instead. Sheers can also be used for a lighter look on multiple windows behind a bed.

If you have a single window and you're going for a farmhouse vibe, you might decide to forego the curtains for a cleaner look. This is where a headboard in a darker color to contrast with a white window frame can work beautifully. As an alternative, you can opt to paint the window frame a darker color to add contrast behind a headboard upholstered in neutral-colored fabric. Either of these design choices can easily improve the look of an otherwise plain window without employing curtains.

There are times when putting a bed in front of a window blocks natural light, and for sleeping that may be exactly what you want. If your headboard doesn't block out enough light, making your own Roman shade can offer an eye-pleasing solution that lets you easily control how much light enters the room. If you prefer more brightness rather than less, another thought for letting in as much light as possible is sticking with a lower headboard so less of the window is obscured.

Also take comfort into consideration, especially in super cold or really warm climates. Thinking about ways you can adequately cover the windows to avoid chilly temps while sleeping or excessive heat during the day may mean selecting heavier drapes that can be easily drawn behind the bed whenever they're needed. Soundproof curtains can be worth the price if you live in a noisy area, too. Many people like to open their bedroom windows, though, so be sure to take that type of convenience into consideration as you're experimenting with moving your bed around to spruce up the look of your windows.