Cozy bedroom ideas – 10 simple ways to create a calm, cocooning space

Cozy and bedroom go hand in hand right? You want cozy bedroom ideas that are going to make the room to sleep in to feel comforting, calming, cocooning. And despite it being very fashionable now to have stark, clean, minimalist rooms (and don't get us wrong we love that look too) we still think there's space in the interior trend world for coziness. 

We're talking texture, layers, carpets, low lighting, gentle tones, and subtle prints. That old word hygge comes to mind, which for all its over usage does have roots in something we think bedroom ideas should be all about. 

But cozy doesn't have to mean cluttered. There are plenty of ways to create an inviting bedroom that still feels fresh and modern, so we asked designers for their top tips for approaching hygge in a new, more minimalistic way.

10 cozy bedroom ideas

The quickest and easiest way to make a bedroom feel cozy is to bring in plenty of different textures and layer up different materials. This is something that can be achieved with any style, just look out for throws, cushions, and finishes that are tactile. Think sheepskin, faux fur, boucle, and velvet, and add in natural materials too like jute, rattan, and wood.

Lighting is key too. Keep the lighting soft and low and make sure you have plenty of different sources so the light is gently diffused around the room rather than focused on certain areas.

1. Layer up textures

Texture is key to creating a cozy bedroom, and it's going to come up a lot. It's such an easy way to update your current setup to make it cozier too no matter what your style. A sheepskin rug here, a boucle throw cushion here, and instantly you'll see your bedroom becoming more warm and welcoming. 

'The top tip for making a bedroom feel cozy is adding and layering texture,' explains interior designer Marie Flanigan. 'Texture is what makes a home and can be achieved by adding a soft bedroom rug under foot, layering different types of pillows on your bed, having a beautiful linen duvet and mixing it with a luxe velvet king sham. Have fun and play with how these materials interact together.' 

2. Choose colors that feel relaxing to you

When it comes to bedroom colors and keeping things cozy, neutral is best, especially if you like a more minimalist style. Opt for warmer toned neutrals and you can't go wrong. But consider the shades that make you relax too.

'I always ask the homeowners what would make their room feel inviting,' says Marie. 'Often, it’s incorporating their favorite colors throughout the space. I love light-colored walls in a bedroom and then adding color through accents. If the homeowners love blue, it’s absolutely possible to incorporate the color in their bedroom without it dominating the space.'

Kate Watson-Symth, (A.K.A Mad About The House) agrees it comes down to personality. 'Everyone will have a different idea of what constitutes “cozy”,' Kate explains. 'For some a soft pink will feel cocooning and enveloping while for others it will feel stifling. If you want to create a cozy bedroom you need to look at the colors you like and then analyze how they make you feel. The one that immediately causes your shoulders to drop and make you want to lie down and relax is the one you should go for. Be warned – the right calming color to paint a bedroom may not be the one you thought you wanted.'

'To increase the feeling of coziness consider wrapping that color over all the walls, woodwork, and ceiling. Then layer up the bedding in a variety of patterns in tonal shades along with a rug and window dressings.'

3. Create a cocooning space with just one color

And continuing on from that, this small bedroom is the perfect example of how just sticking with one soft shade and taking it over every surface can really up the coziness of a bedroom.

'This bedroom is in the roof space of a narrow townhouse, so it’s full of character but has an uneven roofline and various awkward angles to deal with,' explains founder of A New Day, Andrew Griffiths. 'Using a wraparound pinky-taupe color across the walls and ceiling helps to blur the lines between the different surfaces and give the room a really cozy and cocooning feel.' 

This is also a great trick for making a small bedroom look bigger as it blurs the dimensions of the room and creates the allusion of more space.

4. Mix modern styles with a cozy aesthetic 

Because cozy can still blend with modern and minimalistic as this project by Howark Design proves which expertly brings together a whole number of styles – industrial, mid-century, and there are quirky antiques in there too. 

'It was important to juxtapose the industrial architecture of this former tannery with much softer colors and textures to ensure our client's bedroom was a cozy retreat.' explains James Arkoulis, creative director of Howark Design.

'The original metal windows and exposed brick, while charming, were softened with Farrow & Ball's setting plaster on the walls - a soft muted pink which read as a neutral and created a calm backdrop for colorful art, ornate lighting, and the bright bed throw and scatter cushions which added much needed soft texture in the room.'

5. Pick soft lighting with tactile finishes 

Bedroom lighting is perhaps the most important aspect of a cozy space. You can pile up as many throws as you like, but if you switch on a harsh overhead light the vibe is gone. The key is to keep all your lighting soft, avoid any exposed bulbs and choose the right shade.

‘To induce inherent warmth, opt for lighting enveloped by natural materials,' Suzanne Duin, founder of Maison Maison recommends. 'A dose of warm amber seagrass or the cool blondness of water hyacinth can instantly create a calm, cohesive and sophisticated look. These tactile materials add comfort and interest to a space, lending it a sense of reassuring, warm tactility.’ 

6. And include plenty of different light sources

And on the topic of lighting, for a cozy bedroom you want to create layered lighting. You don't want any harsh, clear pools of light, but rather a diffused all-over glow. The way to create that? Simple. Have plenty of different light sources at different levels throughout the room. In a compact space, it's particularly important to get your small bedroom lighting right too. 

‘Create a conversation with your lighting using different heights with side lamps as well as floor standing and ceiling lights too,' explains Martin Waller, founder of Andrew Martin. 'Why limit yourself to a single dimmer switch when you can be surrounded with warmth? Good lighting is imperative to creating an ambiance, a cove of coziness and intimacy.’ 

7. Don't be afraid to bring in patterns

The cozy aesthetic does often lend itself well to a more neutral, minimalistic vibe but the right prints can breathe life and personality into a bedroom without overwhelming the simple style. Take this bedroom designed by Kit Kemp, the print on the headboard, cushions and then also on the ottoman is that perfect balance between modern and traditional. It's bold without being overpowering and those warm hues really add to the coziness of the room. By taking the same print throughout the whole space keeps the room cohesive too, it doesn't stray into maximalism.

Note the dark wood too. Something we often shy away from, favoring paler tones, but in this space, with all the neutral tones and crisp white walls it really works adding warmth and a touch of traditional charm. 

8. Soften a space with a canopy

Big swathes of fabric hanging from the walls and around your bed are of course going to make the space feel instantly more cozy and intimate. They are an easy and effective way to add softness to a room no matter what your style, whether you like a minimalist bedroom, or what to bring in some pattern as seen in this bedroom designed by Howark Design.

'Our client’s wish was that the guest room in their Greek island coastal villa could accommodate both adults and children,' explains James Arkoulis. 'We steered away from the traditional blue and white palette often used in Greek interiors, and opted for a red and green scheme to ensure it wasn’t too cliched.'

'It can be challenging to create a cozy feel when a room has hard surfaces like the original tiled floor and wooden beds, so we added custom-made block-printed canopies behind the twin beds, bespoke striped cushions, and natural accessories to add comfort and softness to the space.'

9. Make it soft underfoot with layers of rugs

Looking for the easiest way to add coziness? Rugs. A quick and often affordable update that adds that all-important texture to a room. 

‘For the feeling of kicking your shoes off and nestling your bare feet into a soft, cushioning weave as opposed to a cold tiled or wooden floor. And don’t stop at just one rug, layer them up for added interest as well as warmth.’ suggests Martin Waller.

And if you want to take the coziness even further, consider a bedroom carpet. Now we know carpets have fallen out of favor in recent years but as Kate Watson-Smyth says, 'If you are going to have carpet anywhere then the bedroom is the place. It’s the room where you are most likely to be barefoot and where you start and end the day, so it makes sense to have something soft and cozy underfoot.'

10. Make your bed the focal point

The bed is a focal point of a cozy bedroom so give it the attention it deserves. 'A well-made bed with high-quality bedding, a luxurious throw and decorative cushions will soften the space and make the overall scheme feel cozier,' say Jen and Mar, founders of Interior Fox.

'However, when planning your soft furnishings think about how much time you want to spend making the bed in the morning,' they explain. 'If the answer is not too long, then you don’t need to overdo it on the scatter cushions. We recommend a less-is-more approach, a soft textured throw at the foot of the bed will introduce texture, whilst an edited selection of cushions in a contrasting pattern will finish the look effortlessly.'

'Throws are cozy couture for your bedroom —always a decorating DO,' adds designer Jonathan Adler. 'Our hand-loomed baby alpaca throws have become an instant decorating classic. Baby alpaca is so today, cashmere is so yesterday.'

What colors suit a cozy bedroom?

'For cozy bedrooms, you can’t go wrong with romantic pinks, those that aren’t too shouty, something more nuanced like Setting Plaster or its grown-up sibling Dead Salmon and definitely choose an empathetic white to avoid sharp contrast- White Tie or Slipper Satin will do the trick just perfectl,'  suggests Farrow & Ball paint expert Patrick O'Donnell. 

'For a cooler shade, take nature as your cue and look for calming mid-greens. The perennial favorite French Gray or the slightly brighter Ball Green will both create that lovely symbiosis from interior to exterior.'