Get trendy, affordable and contemporary bedroom decorating ideas and use the same techniques top designers use in expensive hotel rooms. With a few easy concepts, you can turn your bedroom into an eye-catching masterpiece.

Keep it simple

Trendy contemporary today means simple. Decorators and designers select one or two bold colors and pair them with whites or neutrals to make them stand out for maximum impact.

High-end and exclusive bedroom designs don’t include a lot of clutter. Accessories in a contemporary bedroom are few, carefully selected and strategically placed. Lighting is minimal and subtle. The furniture is also minimal with clean lines and basic construction.

All of these elements are combined to create a comfortable, elegant and peaceful place to rest and relax – without all the distractions you might find in other styles. Let’s walk through creating your own little oasis.

Constructing a contemporary headboard

The main event in a trendy, contemporary bedroom is the bed. Everything else takes a backseat to it. But, even with all the emphasis on it, throw away all those ideas of having to spend a fortune for your bed furniture.

Your actual bed and headboard should be simple with clean lines – which means you can use inexpensive elements to make them. What’s really important is that you create a stage for showing off your bedding ensemble.

Here are three perfect contemporary headboard ideas.

1. Three tall, padded and fabric-covered plywood panels

You can create a stunning headboard by measuring the total width of your bed, dividing the total by three and cutting three plywood panels in that width, measuring six feet tall. Purchase thick batting material and wrap the front of your panels. Then finish the headboard by tightly wrapping the padded panels with an elegant solid-color fabric stapled to the back of the plywood. Mount the three panels on your wall side-by-side for a dramatic contemporary headboard.

2. Shutters

A quick bedroom focal point can be constructed by purchasing tall shutters, painting them with a satin color finish and mounting them side-by-side for a handsome headboard. Your best choice would be shutters in the widest size available, set together to cover the space behind your mattress.

3. Wood trim and paint

Perhaps the least expensive and easiest contemporary headboard is creating three tall rectangular sections of flat wood trim, nailed or glued to your wall with the interior space painted in your favorite accent color. You can purchase the materials for less than $25 and it’s the perfect DIY headboard.

Creating a bed platform

The next step in making your bed is to create a platform to hold your mattress. It can be as simple as a $20 bed frame covered with a box pleat bed skirt. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, you can build a plywood box equal to or slightly larger than the size of your mattress for a platform. Just keep it simple so it doesn’t compete with the bedding you select and purchase a mattress 12 inches thick (or more) to place greater visual emphasis on the bed.

Contemporary bedding style

Contemporary bedding can be so easy to put together. Start with a white or neutral colored comforter neatly tightly tucked around your mattress. This is easier to do if you purchase a comforter a size larger than your mattress. Match four simple European pillow shams to the comforter and stack them vertically or horizontally at the head of your bed.

Adorn this simple comforter and pillow set with opulent throw pillows and a neatly folded throw blanket or bed runner. This is the one place you want to spend on eye candy. Look for fabrics that have a slight shimmer to them – like silks, satins or beaded materials. The accent pieces you place on your bed will be the crowning jewel of your bedding. Stylish envelope pillows or neck rolls are the perfect front-runner for your fancy pillow collection.

Dressers, night stands and wardrobes

Contemporary and trendy means simple lines and finishes for your dressers, night stands and wardrobes, too. You can purchase inexpensive pieces at your local discount or department store. Or you can shop online at websites like Overstock or IKEA to score great bargain pieces.

Lighting and accessories

Finish your new bedroom with uncomplicated lighting and a few well-placed accessories. Asian influence paper lighting is a natural match in any contemporary space. White ceramic pieces make timeless accessories and work in any setting. Find one large signature piece to place on your dresser and use a few other low-lying pieces to dress the rest of the room.

Plants are a welcome addition to any room and bring in natural beauty. Orchids and bamboo will lend themselves beautifully to your new bedroom oasis.

So there you have it – all the best techniques from top decorators and designers – trendy, affordable and contemporary bedroom decorating ideas that you can use to create a sleep-time hide-away that is stylish, peaceful and a genuine work of art in your home.