You’re putting your house on the market! It doesn’t get more exciting. But here’s the thing: you need to know how to style a bedroom for sale. Because a messy boudoir can really turn a potential buyer off.
I know this because I sold my home recently. And I’m an interior designer. I’ve walked the walk and talked the talk on this one. And trust me, getting the bedroom looking just right is super important. People will make their mind up about your home within seconds of seeing it. So it’s gotta look lush.
But don’t just take it from me. I also have Suzanne Commerford from Property Styling Melbourne on board today, to share her expert bedroom staging tips too. So let’s not waste another moment. Let’s dive right into showing you how to style a bedroom for sale. It’s going to look so amazing you might not want to move out after all 😉
1. Ensure it Matches the Theme of the Home
When styling a bedroom for sale, you really need to have it match the look and feel of the rest of your home. So, before you tackle the master or secondary bedrooms, have a think about what style your home is going to have during the sales campaign.
You don’t have to go too over the top here, but at the very least develop a colour story. Then, include those colours across every room. Your property doesn’t have to look like a home from a magazine, but you want it to feel aspirational.
So when styling the bedroom come sale time, I suggest you keep your base colour palette fairly neutral. Lighter timbers, white or grey bedding, no crazy wall colours. You want it to feel soothing and easy on the eye. With accessories like cushions and throws (and even art), that’s where you can play with your chosen colours.
Don’t go for more than two accent colours though, or it can start to look a little messy. The staged bedroom below by Suzanne and her team is the perfect example of this two-colour principle at play. Gorgeous sage greens and blush pinks sitting against a neutral backdrop – delicious!
2. Make Sure the Bedroom is Decluttered
It’s all about decluttering in the bedroom. That’s where it has to start. And when I say declutter, I don’t just mean the smaller moments. Think of the size of the bed and bedsides in the room, and consider if you need to downsize them. Calling on a property stylist to bring in smaller-scale furniture isn’t a bad idea here.
Also, as Suzanne advises, don’t feel compelled to squeeze in every piece of bedroom furniture known to man. Less can often be more, and it can give a master bedroom a glorious sense of grandeur.
“I’m a fan of open space,” she explains. “It can be tempting to add additional lounge furniture and sets of drawers but there is luxury in open space”.
Also, you have to depersonalise. On bedsides, style a lamp, some books, a candle, or a plant/flower. No personal photos, and keep it minimal. The potential buyer does not want to imagine you in the bed. They want to imagine themselves living there.
3. Use Large Affordable Art to Add Impact
Canvas art is honestly the biggest godsend when it comes to styling a bedroom for sale. Not only is it available everywhere, but it’s super affordable. The added bonus is how lightweight it is. You can hang it up using non-permanent hooks, so you don’t have to hammer into your walls. Of course, if you have framed art you can use that too.
“Oversized or otherwise, impactful art and feature lamps are my go-to,” Suzanne tells me.
In a bedroom, always hang canvas art above a bed to ground the bed and give the room a focal point. Every room needs a design moment and art above the bed delivers in spades. Just ensure it’s not too colourful. Remember: two accent colours max.
If you have quite a tall, upholstered headboard, it might be best to leave the small space above the bed vacant, but instead hang some canvas art on the adjacent wall. I’d always advise you go for abstract artworks here. The more mass-appeal the art is, the better.
4. Layer the Bed like Never Before
Nobody ever sleeps in a bed with 10 pillows and cushions, I know. But remember, you’re selling a fantasy; make it aspirational.
Click here for my guide to layering up a bed so it looks amazing.
And here’s the good news: you don’t have to go out and buy all-new bedding. Chances are you probably already have neutral bedding in a white or soft grey. Suzanne explains her fave hack to save you loads of time during your open-for-inspections: the coverlet!
“Invest in a great oversized coverlet and have your styling pillows made up and pop them in your robe,” Suzanne says. “Then when you get to the morning of the open you aren’t faffing about with your own slept in bed linens. Simply pop the coverlet directly over your existing linen. Then use the pillows you’ve made up and set aside for styling, and you have a simple and stress-free way to present your bed.
The best news: coverlets don’t wrinkle up! As long as you neatly fold them between use you wont need to steam anything.
5. Make the Most of Small Bedrooms
When figuring out how to style a bedroom for sale, small rooms need special attention. This is where smaller-scale furniture is absolutely critical. You want the room to feel larger than it is.
“We generally stage small rooms as a children’s bedroom with a single bed, a rocking chair or other child-sized furniture which works well if it’s a family buyer that you are targeting,” Suzanne explains. “However if it is a small two-bedroom apartment, for example, you can adopt a number of strategies”.
Suzanne’s top tips for making a small bedroom looking bigger when selling include:
- Downsize your bed from a queen to a double
- Use just one bedside table
- Use a slimline open side table instead of a larger drawer unit
- Ensure your linens are tucked instead of draped – this reduces visual bulk
- Remove bedheads and avoid using bed frames – just use an ensemble instead
The last point is such a key one. When I sold my three-bedroom home recently I used a double ensemble bed with no headboard and it made the room feel so much larger.
I have a whole post here on how to make the most of small bedrooms if you need more help.
6. Get Creative with Spare Bedrooms
When styling a bedroom for sale you want to show buyers how they would use the room. So when staging the master bedroom, I say that a bedside table on both sides of the bed and lamps are essential (unless there’s a hanging pendant already).
But in secondary rooms, it’s not as crucial, as long as you still give potential buyers an idea of how the spaces function. As Suzanne explains, outside of the master the secondary bedrooms are likely to have one occupant anyway.
“It would be unusual except in the case of multi generational homes or share houses for there to be multiple couples in each home,” Suzanne says. “That being said, we will most often do single bedsides in double bedrooms that are a bit small, and single bedrooms. If there is space we include them”.
When it comes to lamps on bedside tables, though, it’s wise to include them in every bedroom. Your real estate agent will often want bulbs in them, and for them to be left on during viewings.
Need Help with How to Style a Bedroom for Sale?
If all of this feels a little overwhelming to tackle yourself, why not get some help in the form of a property stylist? Property Styling Melbourne was my go-to when I sold my home and we got well over our reserve. In fact, people actually commenting on how well-presented the home was.
Property Styling Melbourne can help you with:
- Minor cosmetic home improvements and renovations
- Property repairs and handyman services
- Specific trades like painters, electricians and plumbers
- Cleaning including carpet and window cleaning
- Landscaping whether that’s a mini makeover or just mowing
Click here to get a free property styling quote from the team.
Good luck with styling your bedroom for sale. I hope it and the rest of your home looks absolutely stunning come open day!
