Leaving that prime spot above the bed empty is certainly going to garner a considerable amount of attention, but for all the wrong reasons!
Sometimes it’s the sheer wealth of choice that puts you into a state of indecision, so we’re focusing on just three types of home decor, namely art, mirrors and textiles, as they always look amazing on any wall, let alone the one behind your bed.
If you want wide-ranging inspiration so you can truly say you’ve left no stone unturned, have a read of our 29 amazing ways to decorate over the bed.
Art above the bed
Unless you’re happy to give off the impression that you are a boring person with no personality, you need to style the wall behind the bed.
You can’t go wrong turning to wall art as an avenue for personal expression, though some consideration for your choice of artwork and how you display it is needed in order to get the best results.
We cover this topic in more detail with our 26 ways to display art above the bed.
Play with orientation
Organic is a term that crops up a lot in discussions about art composition, and it’s essentially another word for random.
There are several ways to score high on the organic factor, one of which is to hang pieces at different orientations.
So if you’re working with a small ensemble, be sure to have your artwork running both vertically and horizontally for that natural touch.
Touch the headboard
If DIY has never been your strong suit, you’ll be happy to know that wall art doesn’t have to be nailed to the wall to look good.
Simply resting it on the headboard can bring about a noticeable energy shift from formal to casual, which might be right up your street if you want a heightened sense of relaxation in the bedroom as well as the freedom to change your above-bed art on a whim.
Color coordinate
You always win extra points for tying the whole room together with your design and decorating decisions.
With this in mind, take note of your art’s color scheme and see if you can coordinate it with other bedroom decor. Pillows and cushions are the obvious starting point due to their close proximity to the area in question.
Make it symmetrical
Since the eye has to work harder to make sense of art arrangements which are random, organic and asymmetrical, you may feel that this level of stimulation isn’t ideal for a bedroom where the main purpose is to sleep.
Symmetrical art arrangements give the eye exactly what it wants: a central focal point. You can make the focal point more pronounced by displaying smaller pieces on either side of it.
Focus on the frame
When it comes to framed art, you have additional control over presentation. For instance, pairing black imagery with white picture frames and vice versa will create high contrast, adding heaps of visual interest in the process.
Keep in mind that the frame is always secondary to the artwork, otherwise you risk creating something too powerful for the eye to handle.
Risk a little misalignment
When working with duos that have the exact same dimensions, try to resist the urge to hang them perfectly level to each other, as that would be far too predictable and perhaps uncomfortably formal.
Rather, stagger them so that one piece hangs lower than the other, creating an interesting design twist that will please the eye.
Stick to convention
One is a lonely number but it doesn’t need to be a team effort if you’re working with an original masterpiece.
In fact, masterpiece or not, lone artwork can rise to the occasion as the main focal point just by following the basic principles and displaying it at eye level and centering it with the bed.
Who cares about no-frills art placement if it does the job of making your bedroom feel complete?
Stay on the straight and narrow
On the surface, it would seem reasonable to reject art that can only be enjoyed through squinted eyes, but you have to remember that artwork has more to offer than just imagery.
Consider that art hung vertically will direct the eye upward whereas a horizontal format encourages left and right head movements, so you can use art to complement the dimensions of the space.
For example, a wide bedroom would benefit from long, narrow art running horizontally above the bed.
Go off-center
While our eyes naturally gravitate to the center of whatever it is they’re staring at, they do like to be surprised from time to time.
To ensure you surprise the viewer in a positive way, consider placing your art off-center and sharing the space with other forms of decor so that visual balance is not lost.
Shelves are great for putting decorative items in the limelight, and with skilful shelf styling you may find that your artwork has some competition!
Outsize the bed
If you think wall art shouldn’t go beyond the width of the bed, you need to have a rethink. The rising popularity of gallery walls is proof that letting your art arrangement stretch its arms will deliver a fantastic interior design ‘moment’.
And if a chaotic gallery wall doesn’t fit the clean and simplistic vision you had in mind for your top-heavy look, oversized artwork is the way forward.
Split it up
Whole images give you the most accurate perspective of the work, but accuracy isn’t the same as artistic – it’s the latter that makes a boring wall pop with personality.
This is why triptych art has taken off in recent years, especially in the form of split canvas prints, and it involves splitting artwork into three separate panels so that the viewer can gain different perspectives depending on how you arrange the pieces on the wall.
Space them out
It’s all well and good singing the praises of organic art arrangements, but some people have a keen eye for mathematical precision, and to them the thought of displaying art in an uneven manner is unsettling.
In this instance, a good compromise is to leave a noticeable gap between your perfectly lined-up pieces, as it means the eye has to make a choice instead of enjoying the arrangement as one, which is much better for long-term visual interest.
Mirrors above the bed
If you were to rank home decor based on the functional benefits they offer, the mirror will come out on top every time.
Small rooms feel more spacious when there’s a mirror nearby, and they also help with light distribution, ensuring no far-reaching corners are left in the dark. Oh, and they look fab, too.
We cover this topic in more detail with our 23 mirror above bed ideas that will amaze you.
Let the frame do the talking
Your choice of mirror will be a true statement piece if you forgo a thin frame for something a little more attention-grabbing.
It could be a frame that showcases fun patterns, textures, shapes, and if the wall behind the bed is painted in a light tone, you’re well placed to use the mirror frame to usher in an accent color, which in turn helps to prevent your bedroom from feeling flat.
Keep it decorative
It’s not like you will be relying on your above-bed mirror to help you put your face on each morning – that’s what the dressing table is for – and so the reflection space needn’t be one and whole from a design perspective.
This is where multi-mirrors enter the fray, and what they lose in terms of the practical side of things is more than made up for by their artistic appearance, which never gets boring to stare at.
Take over the wall
Maybe your bedroom is poorly lit, borderline claustrophobic, lacks decorative appeal, and you’ve quickly realized that no regular size mirror will fix it.
The logical course of action in this instance is to go up in size by an order of magnitude – think wall sized.
A wall-sized mirror that doubles as your headboard will put every square inch of space above the bed to good use.
Be strategic
We already talked about multi-mirrors and their ability to live up to the high expectations of above-bed decor.
If you don’t mind putting in a little more work to reap higher rewards, have a go at displaying multiple individual mirrors instead.
You could be strategic with your placement so that one mirror is there to capture a pocket of sunlight, while another is tasked with reflecting other decorative features in the room – options are endless when you have a team of mirrors at your disposal.
Imitate a window
Before you intermediately dismiss the idea of going with a square or rectangular mirror above the bed simply because of how ubiquitous they are, hear us out.
Regular straight-sided mirrors along with their light-enhancing and space-increasing properties has the effect of making you feel as though you’re sleeping under a window, which is a wonderful alternative if there’s something about the architecture or dimensions of the room that rules out placing your bed under a real window.
Show the ropes
Sure, mounting a wall mirror via the back lends a clean and tidy ‘floating’ aesthetic, but when you’re in dire need of some decorative flair for that empty space above the bed, it’s probably not the smartest way to about it.
By visibly suspending your mirror from a higher point, you have an additional element to show off – think along the lines of a thick fibre rope mirror and the nautical charm it brings with it.
Go full circle
Chances are your bedroom is overflowing with straight lines and angular corners, and bulky furniture like dressers and beds are among the biggest culprits.
For the sake of variety and at least some form of visual balance, it pays to sprinkle in ingredients of a more curvy nature.
So if you have a straight, pointy bed frame and headboard, it’s practically written in the stars that a round mirror is the only suitable candidate for the job.
Soften the corners
Sharp-cornered mirrors and round mirrors are worlds apart in terms of how they make the eye feel, with the former signifying strength and stability, and the latter having a more soothing effect.
Can’t make your mind up? Go straight down the middle with a rounded corner mirror, as this small detail will do a lot to bring the different elements together and create that all-important sense of flow.
Textiles above the bed
From blankets to cushions to carpets, textiles are vital for making a room ooze with warmth and comfort, so it seems incredibly unfair that they are rarely the star of the show.
But after you discover the myriad ways to display them above the bed in winning style, you’ll think twice before sidelining them for more established forms of wall decor.
Tie the knot
Who knew that knots could make such exceptional art? Well, some very creative souls from as far back as 1000 years saw the decorative potential of knot tying and developed it into a wonderful craft technique.
In truth, homeowners have an awful lot to thank them for, because anyone on the lookout for bohemian decor just needs to pick up a macrame wall hanging and they’ll immediately experience a free-spirited energy coursing through their veins.
Tuck it in
Understandably, you want your beautiful textile to be seen in all its glory.
However, if every piece of decor and every piece of furniture were displayed in isolation of one another, you’re asking for a bedroom that looks and feels incohesive.
By hanging your textile so that the bottom part is hidden behind the headboard, you end up with a much warmer, more unified aesthetic.
It also lends a sophisticated touch in the same way that grouping and layering artwork on a shelf does.
Scale up
No matter how expansive that empty wall is, you can always count on tapestry to cover every inch and then some.
What’s more, this large-scale addition is destined to be the focal point of the space due to its size alone, so you have the opportunity to put a seriously cool design front and center.
Wall tapestries are usually in their element with they are exhibiting a rich and cheery pattern.
Color it in
Paint isn’t the only option for enhancing your bedroom’s color scheme, you know? By doing away with tapestries and wall hangings that offer loud design, pattern and texture, you’re left with large-scale blocks of color.
This is super useful when there’s too much of one color and you’re trying to offset it with another to avoid a space that feels flat and monotonous.
If you’re going to rock with an accent color above the bed, pay extra attention to your bedding so there’s no risk of a color clash.
Keep it low key
You’d be forgiven for thinking that textile decor is at its best when it covers as large a surface area as possible, which is something tapestry is particularly ideal for, thanks to its size advantage.
But it turns out textiles which are minimally invasive can be just as eye-catching with the right look.
For example, macrame wall hangings can take any form that your imagination is willing to conjure up, including small-scale decoration such as bunting and garlands.
Pin it down
Wall hangings carry an air of casual elegance when they are hung from the top two corners. Gravity handles the rest, leading to some creases and curls, and maybe a bit of slumping along the top – it’s imperfectly perfect.
Having said that, there are people out there who won’t settle for anything less than perfection, and if you’re among them, consider literally pinning down your textile on all sides and corners to keep everything smooth, flat and presentable.
Tell a story
Since time immemorial, humans have conducted storytelling through textiles, and what better way to close the chapter on your own journey to a statement-making aesthetic above the bed than with some lush fabric?
And because the most engaging stories are aided by visuals, West African textiles should be at the top of your list for its vivid and primitive depictions of humans and animals, sure to get people talking for hours on end.