HGTV star Jonathan Scott has redesigned hundreds of places for clients through the years, but he says he’s noticed a trend when it comes to the order in which people prioritize rooms of the house.
“People seem to put the bedroom last on the list,” the co-host of “Brother Vs. Brother” told TODAY Home. “They’ll focus on the kitchen or bath first, and the bedroom is an afterthought, but that’s the opposite of what it should be.”
Scott points out that we spend over one-third of our life in the bedroom, so it’s important to have a space that can feel like an escape. He’s currently partnering with mattress brand Stearns & Foster for a digital video series that shares some of his tricks for redesigning spaces for comfort and visual appeal. (You can check out one of the videos here.) “It’s all about inspiring people to redesign your retreat,” he said.
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Ready for a change in your own master chamber? Below, he shares some simple tips for TODAY readers to turn your bedroom into a cozy, rejuvenating, and relaxing place:
1. Declutter
Not ready to do a complete redesign on your bedroom but still want to make a change? Scott says decluttering is something you can do right away. “You shouldn’t have stuff all over the bedroom,” he said, adding that the master bedroom should be a completely kid-free zone — no toys allowed. “Clear everything out of there. Also, look around and give it the relaxation test. Ask, ‘Does this soothe me or shock me?’” For example, he recalls a client’s “horrific artwork” hanging on the bedroom wall and joked that even though he’s a grown man, it would have given him nightmares if he lived there. “Get rid of the stuff that shocks you.”
2. Find your personal style
For Stearns & Foster, Scott designed three different style bedrooms — the most popular ones based on fan feedback and his team’s analytics of trends. They include Mid-Century Modern, which features simple clean lines and bold colors; Edgy Glam, which is more bold and upscale elegant (“This one will make you wake up feeling like a rockstar,” he said); and Transitional, which is a mix of different styles and genres such as contemporary and rustic.
“The majority of people fall within the Transitional style,” he pointed out. Not sure where you fall? Scott’s biggest piece of advice is to go online and search through thousands of photos for ideas. “Start pulling things you like such as chairs and paint colors, and take those individual elements to create an inspiration board. Then you can take that to a designer or even try to emulate the look yourself as you’re decorating."
3. Make your bed the anchor piece
“The most important piece of furniture in your bedroom is the bed,” Scott said. “Not only is it important for getting a good night’s sleep, but it should visually look great, too.” Lately there’s been a lot of discussion about quality of sheets not necessarily relying on a high thread count, and Scott agrees with that. "The trick is finding a material that is soft and won’t catch on everything." He also says blankets and covers should be soft and full as opposed to thin. And the mark of a truly cozy bed? It should look so comfy and inviting that “Even though you’re an adult, you should want to jump into the bed.”
4. Incorporate relaxing colors
“The bedroom is supposed to be relaxing, so you don’t want neon or purple painted walls,” Scott said. “When you wake up in the morning, it shouldn’t be jarring — it should feel like beautiful music is playing.” So how do you get that fairy-tale vibe? He says he looks for calming palettes. “I usually use soft gray, blue, green, and white.”
5. Don’t be afraid to DIY
“You don’t have to spend a fortune,” Scott said when it comes to decorating your room. He recalls getting a basic and inexpensive window panel, then creating a border on it with patterned fabric from a fabric store. The whole thing cost about $10 a panel and looked more expensive than it was, he said.
6. Set the mood with lighting
“It used to be common in bedrooms for people just to use lamps on the night table, but I prefer an overhead light in addition to lamps,” Scott said. “A light fixture adds elegance to the room.” He suggests going with something a little more fancy than a simple dome light to help set the mood. In fact, in his own bedroom, he’s got a gorgeous chandelier that hangs above.
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7. Keep work out of the bedroom
One of Scott’s biggest no-nos in the bedroom is having a desk in there. “You should not be working in the bedroom,” he said. “It’s your sanctuary, your retreat from work.” Instead, he suggests adding a cozy sitting area in the space you might feel compelled to set up shop.