7 Adult Bedroom Items That Are Must-Haves
Before, you had little say in the décor of your living room. Your parents’ tastes probably determined your childhood bedroom’s style, with your input, especially as you approached puberty. If you went to college, there were design and size restrictions on your dorm room. You were probably more concerned with getting a job than decorating a home after graduation. But life moves quickly, and before you know it, you’re an adult, supporting yourself, and getting to design your own bedroom.
A grown-up bedroom doesn’t have to be expensive, trendy, or include a matching set of furniture. In decorating, the most important rule is to go with your gut, especially in the bedroom, your haven from the daily grind. However, certain features distinguish a secondary bedroom from a primary bedroom. What every adult bedroom needs.
Primary Bedroom
The National Association of Home Builders classifies the term “Master Bedroom” as discriminatory. The name “Primary Bedroom” is now widely used in real estate and better reflects the room’s function.
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Nice Beds
You’re old enough to deserve matching sheets that are free of stains and snags. If you still have a mishmash of sheets that don’t match, it’s time to buy new bedding that does. They don’t have to be expensive or even sold as a set, but they must be comfortable and match.
Good Mattress
It’s time to retire blow-up beds, futons, and old mattresses that sag in the middle. Adults, especially their backs and joints, require a high-quality mattress that supports their entire body. A new mattress can mean the difference between a good night’s sleep and a groggy day.
Every bed needs a bedside table, or two if you have room. That doesn’t mean they have to match or even be tables. Many items can be used as nightstands. A lamp, reading materials, glasses, a cup of tea, or a box of Kleenex are all useful items to have next to the bed in a mature bedroom. Place a table or similar piece on each side of the bed if the room layout allows it.
Table Lamp
Your room isn’t mature if the only light source is a small ceiling fixture. Every bedroom needs a bedside table, and every bedside table needs a lamp or wall sconce. A small bedroom should have at LEAST two light sources, and a larger room should have at LEAST three, one of which should be right next to the bed.
Wall Art
What color is your bedroom wall? Empty walls make a space look sterile. Assemble a large piece of artwork over the headboard or over the dresser, and a few smaller pieces to balance the space. Your artwork can include paintings, prints, enlarged photographs, framed maps or botanical prints, quilts or other textile artwork, or architectural trim—the choice is up to you.
Larger Mirror
The next most important function of your bedroom is as a dressing room, and every dressing room needs a full-length mirror to see your entire outfit. Whether it’s on the back of your bedroom door, inside your closet or mounted to your closet door, add a full-length mirror to your primary bedroom.
Furnishings
A grown-up bedroom should have real furniture, not a matched set. That doesn’t mean you can’t use repurposed items in your room. A trunk for the footboard and old shutters for the headboard.
But that ugly plastic milk crates belong on the service porch, not holding your accessories; bookcases made from cinder blocks and boards are better left to the dorm room; those clear plastic rolling 3-drawer organizers from Target are well-suited to holding craft supplies and toys in the kids’ room, but they don’t belong in your adult bedroom. If your bedroom still holds any of those items, treat yourself to a piece of real furniture that makes you feel all grown up instead. You work hard; you deserve it.
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